How do you deal with people who ask you to fix their computer?

"Sorry, I only use Macs." (This tends to work well whether it's true or not.)

If it turns out to be a Mac they're using, I'll usually help because it never turns out to be a weird hardware problem, driver incompatibilities or the like.

I have a stack of print-outs of xkcd's tech support cheat-sheet [1], that I give to the person.

On some occasions, they actually have an interesting problem, but, the other 99% of the time, I just save my time by handing them the cheat sheet.

[1]: http://xkcd.com/627/

My mom woke me up Sunday morning with a phone call. I'm laying in bed, eyes closed, telling her, "Ok, click on accessories, then command prompt . . . Now type 'ipconfig' space, slash, release . . . " While I'm doing all this, I'm wondering how I got myself in this position.

In a work context, helping people with their computer problems isn't a bad thing. If it sounds like something easy, help them fix it. If it sounds hard, refer them to tech support.

Also, if someone walks by struggling to carry a heavy package, offer to help them with it. Helping is good, as long as you keep it under control.

Helping people with little things is one of the best ways to build a network.

I say "No."

Learning to say "No" is an important life skill.

"I haven't used windows in like 10 years I really have no clue what I'm doing with it".

Honest and works most of the time.

I also get asked to go shopping for computers with family and family friends all the time. Given how useless I am with PC hardware it's really amazing(I can assemble one but don't ask me to pick the parts).

I like helping people and I almost always learn something interesting. I'm also personally embarrassed at how hard the we in the computer industry makes things. Grandparents want to look at pictures of their grand kids, everyone wants email and it's nice to buy things online. No one should have to know what DNS means, what an SPF record is or worry about scammers stealing their credit cards and who ever makes these things better will probably get rich as well.

I enjoy helping people a little, usually recommending good usage guidelines (IE:Use Chrome, a Mac, gmail). It's actually a great "usability" process to watch people solve their problems and figure things out. A big help is to watch peoples problems, not listen to them.

I'm actually amazed by the BS that people put up with to get their computer to do what they want. Complete novices will encounter an issue, and they'll go through a process, often 5-7 steps, of which 1 solves the problem. I like to think of myself as Exorcizing Technical Demons from people. It really is not a technical issue 80% of the time. My girlfriend shakes her Cellphone to improve reception. I haven't been able to exorcize that one yet. I think she likes how much it aggravates me.

I also have clear boundaries on helping them get through their problems and fixing them. IE: I don't re-install windows. I will muck for 5 minutes to get spybot and try and rescue a computer, but then it's to the repair shop. I'm not going to sit around for 3 hours while spybot runs, I'll tell them to give me a ring.

Given that it's usually my wife or my stepmother, usually I say Yes. I did help with the internet connection on a neighbor's computer about a year ago, but we've known them for years and are on good terms.

I refer them to a friend who does that for a living.

If it's family, they're running Ubuntu, so I use VNC to connect and resolve the issue (hopefully educating them along the way). My wife and I share a machine at home, so I suppose that one doesn't count.

I generally tell friends that I'm not familiar enough with Windows to resolve the issue in a timely manner. I also tell them that I would have to google the problem and they'd be better sending it to a specialist. Afterwards, I refer them to a couple of breakfix shops.

I tell co-workers that it'd be a conflict of interest and I don't do any "computer work" outside of our company.

Anyone else gets a polite "no."

I'm usually happy to help out friends with one-off requests, but it depends on the nature of it... or rather I should say, if I'm doing it for free / on the cheap, how much of an inconvenience is it?

I won't ask much of anything for quick requests or advice. If I'm at a good friend's place helping them on their machine, I might just want their company to shoot the breeze or have a beer with while waiting for Spybot et. al. to finish. Usually dinner's good enough since it means I don't have to expend any money or effort for it, and redirect it toward something relatively simple for me.

I have one neighbor who, under normal circumstances, I would have a hard time agreeing to help for free, but given that he and his construction company helped build our house(along with the fact that we trade wine / honey, and he helps us with other favors), it's something I'm more than willing to deal with. It helps that he generally listens to my advice too(i.e. back up stuff, don't use IE, etc.).

On the other hand, I have a friend who I'm just about through with trying to help, though. He has frequently has numerous problems with spyware that infects his machine, and will ignore my advice despite discussing it at length for 30 minutes or more, only to have the same problems arise again several months later. I've even suggested(and even gave a burned copy of) Ubuntu 9 for his mother who "only goes on the internet and uses MS Office" but declined to use it because "he didn't know how to install it"-he didn't care that I could've walked him through it or that it was even easier than Windows... "nope, not Windows, won't do it."

I like fixing other people's computers. It's the closes thing I have to a super power. Imagine if superman decided he was too busy to help other people....

Depends. Family and friends? Sure, happy to help. I warn them that, although I have assorted Windows systems about, I have not really kept up on things, so I might be just guessing, but my guesses are typically better than thoe of my family and friends.

Strangers? Depends. Mostly I say No, or maybe I position it like a job request that will surely become expensive. But sometimes it's a chance to meet someone new, maybe get to know someone in your neighborhood. I helped a woman in my area with some Windows issues (a failed install of some IE crapware), and later tried to get here set up with an old printer I had (lack of drivers ruined that plan).

In return, she bought me delicious apple pie, and now I have an acquaintance in a neighborhood where you rarely run into people so as to get to know them.

BTW, for stereotypical geeks, helping others with computer issues is good practice for interacting with normal humans.

Simple, I ask for something small in return - a four-pack of beer, help with my car, dinner, or something like that. I started doing this many years ago, and it's got rid of the "Hi, I'm a fried of your brother"-type calls, whilst my friends and family have recognised that it's work for me nonetheless.

End result: everyone goes home happy :)

Sure, I'll do it for you. You can wash my clothes/dishes/clean up the place while I do it. It always works.

Repeatedly "attempt to fix" problems for people and "fail" almost every time. Then, just say something like "Yeah, I write software, but I'm really not one of those IT desktop guys". After a while, they stop asking.

I either say "No" or I quote them my usual consulting rate, usually the topic of conversation changes pretty quickly thereafter.

I don't get asked that a lot, so unlike quite a lot or replies I read, I actually try to fix it most of the time!

I only use Linux. Or sometimes Mac OS, Solaris, FreeBSD or other esoteric stuff. Heck, I even run a command line on my Linux telephone.

I always tell them to bring it to my house because I know they won't. If they ever did, I could fix it on my own time.

Depending on who it is, I either do it for them or immediately start talking about how much I charge.

I'd recommend to use Open source software whenever and wherever possible.

I say I am a "geek" and ask for a ridiculous fee.

It gets annoying if it's constant

I simply tell them politely "no".

If it's relative or friend I'll do it.

If it's some random old guy he gets blocked on all communication levels in no time.