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Comment by davesmith1983 | Hacker News Reader

davesmith1983

“If the computer does not work, it will become a mere ornament,”

I own some old kit that I like to keep working mainly some Amiga and Atari ST machines and he's 100% right. Unless people see what they are doing they literally assume they are some sort of keyboard.

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I recall being told that when I worked for British Telecom they caught some cleaners stealing just the what they where thought where computers but where in fact just the key boards :-)

Probably in Manchester as that was a bit of a thing up there -Later on I helped refit an office for the third time after they had been cleaned out twice.

We have some cleaners come in and they always constantly rearrange the keyboard, desk monitors etc. Which normally causes a few groans in the morning as everything has been moved. One guy was having a moan about it and I said "You know the women that clean this probably have never used a computer other than maybe their phone?".

> and then I said something unkind about someone I don't even know.

I personally try to thank our office's cleaning lady. She does a lot of work, and everyone appreciates it.

I did no such thing! I have personally spoken to them and they have told me they have no idea how to use the desktop machines.

I was simply trying to explain to my colleague who has known a world with modern computers being prevalent that there are still many people that have never used them.

Yikes. Not the kind of thing I'd go repeating there, friend. Your entitlement is showing. Your assumptions: - The cleaners must be women - The cleaners must have a quality of life so low they've never used a desktop - The cleaners aren't you and are therefore ignorant in some way

Plus, if they really do meet that second qualification, disparaging them for it only makes you look even worse.

I would encourage you to seek out somebody who does meet those qualifications. You might learn something.

No not at all. I have seen the cleaners and have spoken to them and they are clearly women. One of them told me that she has no idea what we do, what the computers are used for and has never used a desktop pc. I doubt she is unique among her peers.

Quite a lot of people that do "Blue Collar" jobs that are in their 50s and 60s probably don't have to interact with a computer that often (I know my father doesn't). If they do it is normally through a kiosk of some sort or they are using their phone.

I was actually adjusting my coworkers expectations. He is younger than me and the thought hadn't entered his mind that someone may have never used a modern computer.

So in future before you start spouting about people being entitled, maybe you should not make a bunch of assumptions that is based on your incorrect reading of a comment.

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