Why women more frustrated by computers?
- Thread starter Remus
- Start date
Dhruin
SasqWatch
Feeling my way around here, without wanting to offend the opposing sex (including my better half...see that Kayla? I said better, so don't pull this apart).
My guess would be more men have an interest in the technical side and therefore better understand why a computer might crash.
My guess would be more men have an interest in the technical side and therefore better understand why a computer might crash.
Yes, I am better... worship me minion 
My guess would be women actually want to do work whereas men are happier to give it away for a while. Our IT department at work are crap and we have the same issue every week with the computers. It takes half an hour to get through to the helpdesk and the first thing they say is "have you turned it off and back on again" followed by "did you uninstall and reinstall the program". You know what, I wouldn't ring you and wait for half an hour without spending five minutes to switch the machine off and back on and uninstall and reinstall. I don't think it's a technical understanding thing. Generally at work I notice when the systems stuff up the males sit at their computer and read a paper whereas the women do other (less important) work using other systems to utilise their time.
I also still find some of the IT department a bit sexist. When a male rings and reports a problem it's "no problems mate, we'll treat it as a priority" when I ring it's almost like "now, is there a blackout? Did you push the big button to turn the machine on?" I actually had a technican ask to speak to the person next to me when he heard a male talking. Male gets on the phone, says "the system is stuffed mate, I can't log on and Jules is sitting her and it's taken 15 minutes to open a new Word document" and then the fault gets logged and fixed.
I think women in my office are generally more impatient, more eager to get through their work and treated like morons by IT support. I get frustrated at work most of the time when my system crashes or is going really slowm but mainly because I know I am going to be treated like an idiot after being on hold for ages and then a problem that should take 5 minutes to log takes another half an hour because they ask stupid questions. I half expect the techs to ask if my eyes are open (would explain why nothing is working for me). I sometimes feel like ringing them and making them log a fault and then say "oh, the problem is fixed. I was under my desk and that's why I couldn't see anything on the monitor", but that would probably just reinforce their opinion that women should stick with a pen and paper instead of trying to operate a fandangled thingymehoosit.
@Dhruin. Yeah, you're really technical. That's why neither you or your dad could fix the toilet door and then I did... in five minutes. And who can't use the washing machine? You get more annoyed than me when the internet is down or we have a blackout. I get annoyed but you get more annoyed.
My guess would be women actually want to do work whereas men are happier to give it away for a while. Our IT department at work are crap and we have the same issue every week with the computers. It takes half an hour to get through to the helpdesk and the first thing they say is "have you turned it off and back on again" followed by "did you uninstall and reinstall the program". You know what, I wouldn't ring you and wait for half an hour without spending five minutes to switch the machine off and back on and uninstall and reinstall. I don't think it's a technical understanding thing. Generally at work I notice when the systems stuff up the males sit at their computer and read a paper whereas the women do other (less important) work using other systems to utilise their time.
I also still find some of the IT department a bit sexist. When a male rings and reports a problem it's "no problems mate, we'll treat it as a priority" when I ring it's almost like "now, is there a blackout? Did you push the big button to turn the machine on?" I actually had a technican ask to speak to the person next to me when he heard a male talking. Male gets on the phone, says "the system is stuffed mate, I can't log on and Jules is sitting her and it's taken 15 minutes to open a new Word document" and then the fault gets logged and fixed.
I think women in my office are generally more impatient, more eager to get through their work and treated like morons by IT support. I get frustrated at work most of the time when my system crashes or is going really slowm but mainly because I know I am going to be treated like an idiot after being on hold for ages and then a problem that should take 5 minutes to log takes another half an hour because they ask stupid questions. I half expect the techs to ask if my eyes are open (would explain why nothing is working for me). I sometimes feel like ringing them and making them log a fault and then say "oh, the problem is fixed. I was under my desk and that's why I couldn't see anything on the monitor", but that would probably just reinforce their opinion that women should stick with a pen and paper instead of trying to operate a fandangled thingymehoosit.
@Dhruin. Yeah, you're really technical. That's why neither you or your dad could fix the toilet door and then I did... in five minutes. And who can't use the washing machine? You get more annoyed than me when the internet is down or we have a blackout. I get annoyed but you get more annoyed.
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Bartacus
BartWatch
Kayla, it could very well be you got a trainee. Also on a helpdesk you have to ask those stupid questions, cause otherwise the ticket gets back to you saying 'not enough info'. (and then you have to call the customer back)
Also one problem might seem the same to you, but can have a totally different cause. That's the reason why sometimes a call can take much longer then another. The last reason for the longer phone call is that the helpdesk employee doesn't know a thing about IT -> I've seen what that can do.
Also one problem might seem the same to you, but can have a totally different cause. That's the reason why sometimes a call can take much longer then another. The last reason for the longer phone call is that the helpdesk employee doesn't know a thing about IT -> I've seen what that can do.
They never ask the males if they have rebooted and reinstalled, only females, and we don't have any trainee IT staff, we have had the same people for years.
Also, same error messages, same day, same time every week, straight after an IT update? It's not my imagination. There is a problem affecting everyone in the team. Could be completely different issues, could be the same thing. Fact remains they ask me a list of many, many questions, but when a male rings and says the system is slow and not responding that is all the information they need to log the fault. I know you have to ask questions, but the questions should be the same whether it is a male or female on the phone reporting a fault/glitch/error. That's what frustrates me, the IT staff.
The other thing that annoys me is when I am playing a game on the laptop and I don't save and it crashes. I keep thinking "I'll just do this and then I'll save", and I forget I haven't saved because I get stuck into the storyline and then the frustration, but that is frustration at myself, not the computer.
I really do appreciate errors happen, some software runs better on some machines than others and the more stuff on your computer the slower it is going to go. I do know computers don't operate at light speed and a little patience is necessary. I am not one of these people who try and download a huge file and complain when it takes a little while, I understand software will have patches and problems can just occur, and sometimes things just don't run flawlessly. I know most IT people work very hard, and questions are necessary to ascertain what was happening when the fault was evident, how long it's been, who else is affected, what other (if any) programs are affected etc, but as I said, it just annoys me when only some people get a lot of questions and other people give a vague fault and it is accepted.
Also, same error messages, same day, same time every week, straight after an IT update? It's not my imagination. There is a problem affecting everyone in the team. Could be completely different issues, could be the same thing. Fact remains they ask me a list of many, many questions, but when a male rings and says the system is slow and not responding that is all the information they need to log the fault. I know you have to ask questions, but the questions should be the same whether it is a male or female on the phone reporting a fault/glitch/error. That's what frustrates me, the IT staff.
The other thing that annoys me is when I am playing a game on the laptop and I don't save and it crashes. I keep thinking "I'll just do this and then I'll save", and I forget I haven't saved because I get stuck into the storyline and then the frustration, but that is frustration at myself, not the computer.
I really do appreciate errors happen, some software runs better on some machines than others and the more stuff on your computer the slower it is going to go. I do know computers don't operate at light speed and a little patience is necessary. I am not one of these people who try and download a huge file and complain when it takes a little while, I understand software will have patches and problems can just occur, and sometimes things just don't run flawlessly. I know most IT people work very hard, and questions are necessary to ascertain what was happening when the fault was evident, how long it's been, who else is affected, what other (if any) programs are affected etc, but as I said, it just annoys me when only some people get a lot of questions and other people give a vague fault and it is accepted.
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You are asking ???
EVERYONE knolws that women have a different attitute towards "technical tools" !
Men are tinkerers (Linux), women only want tools (Mac OS GUI).
It's as simple as that.
Think about it, and you'll have it.
Yes, I might sound arrogant, but to me this is as clear as a clear blue sky.
Cm
Sentinel of Light
Personally I think it is the fact that men can sympathize with stuff "breaking" because they know they can't put a bookcase together without a women reading the directions to them. Women on the other hand get pissed immediately because whatever it was the man in her life just fixed is now broke again and the puter is the last straw. (All in fun so no trying to beat me up)
(All in fun so no trying to beat me up)
magerette
Hedgewitch
- Joined
- October 18, 2006
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I think Kayla's point about women being more impatient and wanting to get on with it, whatever 'it' may be, is the real crux of the difference. And Alrik does have a point also, in that men are challenged or intrigued by the workings of things and women are concerned with results.
And of course, we're just cranky when our big funny boxes that make the whirring and buzzing noises stop and make the pretty pictures on the tv screen thingy go away.
@ Kayla--I had an IT dept like that once---I worked for a big municipality and these goons had been there for years and somehow bought the most wrong, inefficient, accident-prone godawful database software that had ever been invented. They made the decision to go with this crap program, and then every time it crashed or had to be updated ad infinitum and went offline, it was the user's fault. Sometimes they wouldn't even answer their phones after an update because of all the sarcastic comments.
And of course, we're just cranky when our big funny boxes that make the whirring and buzzing noises stop and make the pretty pictures on the tv screen thingy go away.
@ Kayla--I had an IT dept like that once---I worked for a big municipality and these goons had been there for years and somehow bought the most wrong, inefficient, accident-prone godawful database software that had ever been invented. They made the decision to go with this crap program, and then every time it crashed or had to be updated ad infinitum and went offline, it was the user's fault. Sometimes they wouldn't even answer their phones after an update because of all the sarcastic comments.
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Ionstormsucks
Major Villain
- Joined
- December 21, 2006
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Sorry, but the highest frustration levels are undeniably brought on by women who cause frustration in 77% of the men and crashes in 85% of the computers!!!
- Joined
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Top six reasons computers must be female:
6. As soon as you have one, you see a better one.
5. No one but the creator understands the internal logic.
4. Even your smallest mistakes are immediately committed to memory for future reference.
3. The native language used to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.
2. The message "Bad Command or File Name" is about as informative as "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you".
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON COMPUTERS ARE FEMALE:
1.
As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half of your paycheck on accessories for it.
6. As soon as you have one, you see a better one.
5. No one but the creator understands the internal logic.
4. Even your smallest mistakes are immediately committed to memory for future reference.
3. The native language used to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.
2. The message "Bad Command or File Name" is about as informative as "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you".
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON COMPUTERS ARE FEMALE:
1.
As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half of your paycheck on accessories for it.
It goes even deeper and further : Men and woman have imho totally different approaches towards how a "thing" should be used.
I didn't use the word "tinker "randomly; It has a purpose :
Men usually like to tinker witrh things - that's why ALL of men-driven programs are in general built for tinkering with 'em.
Linux is the very, very best example for that.
And THEn men even say they believe that GUIs are for weak whiners. REAL MEN ALWAYS use the command line !
Things inventec or buiilt by men usually contasin a very, very high level of complexity. Tinkering, again.
Women - as far as I know - don't want complexity. They want straight, simple results.
Imho this has also led to the "blonde jokes" : Women want straight, fast results without tinkering. And replace here tinkering with "(too much of) the need to think about the way this construction works" and you'll have it.
In my opinion, women don't want to need to know how a thing works in order to be able to use it.
This is completely different to a man's attitude to a thing.
There's a saying that goes like this : "ignorance is bliss". This describes the wish of not needing to know how a machine works in order to be able to use it.
With cars, for example, one MUST learn how to use it, or the car will stop at one point because of no gasoline in the tank anymore, or missing cooling water.
That's why Macs are so much simple : Someone tactually tried to invent a "using environment" that takes away from the user the need to know the underlying system works for just using it.
That's how i see it.
This reminds me of the IT Crowd tv-show, it encompasses everything that has been said here
Except for that.
Command line is for men ?
I could agree that :
-Most Linux users are men
AND
-Most Linux users use command line(tinkering), therefore men like tinkering.
BUT
You forget that most computer users don't use Linux.
Microsoft's Windows OS is still, for now, the most widely used OS, which doesn't require the command line. It is used by both men and women. So, the argument for men being tinkerers isn't true.
Except for that.
Command line is for men ?
I could agree that :
-Most Linux users are men
AND
-Most Linux users use command line(tinkering), therefore men like tinkering.
BUT
You forget that most computer users don't use Linux.
Microsoft's Windows OS is still, for now, the most widely used OS, which doesn't require the command line. It is used by both men and women. So, the argument for men being tinkerers isn't true.
Then why women demand complicated foreplay instead of "straight, simple result."
I don't mind complicated... and I have never logged a computer fault I have caused. Women don't necessarily break stuff and then complain.
Trust me, computers are very easy to use with modern software, and if you saw the work proceedures we have you would understand it is the work itself not the processing that is complicated. I know what I am doing with the systems I use and how to fix the simple glitches.
If I can know the procedures off by heart I can know how to use Word and Excel (and the internal systems we use).
I think some men are thinking women shouldn't worry their simple little pretty heads with technical things like computers (and most would think we should also stay away from sharp objects due to their assessment of women's IQ's. I only hope one day I have a daughter that ends up ruling the world and creating legislation that men who belittle women just for being a female (I know there are some stupid ones, and not all dumbs are blond, they can still pick on them) will have a se change forced on them so they can be treated like crap, never looked in the eye and called "sweetheart".
Completely off topic, but I will try and link it in... it is the people who assume a female has broken her computer just because she is a female that look at your boobs and asks you your name. I normally point at my boobs and say "This one is Kate and this one is Madeline. I'm Julie, but since you weren't looking at my face I assume you were talking to my girls". I've said it a few times and I always get a very red faced sheepish response (usually something inappropriate) like "sorry sweetheart".
Sometimes I wish we had an Amazonian society. I could cut off one of my boobs if it meant men would be caged and only used for procreation. If the shoe was on the other foot men may appreciate the blatant and constant sexism in society, and what it's like to be judged as inferior just because you can't write your name in the snow.
OMG! I sound like I should be all hairy, burning my bra and posting a blog about how men only take away identity and all real women are lesbians because females are superior and we understand our own species. I am sorry, I just got back from work and I am a little bit tired (it must have been using my single brain cell to figure out which one was the "on" button on my computer. Gees those things are so technical and scary. A least I have two days off now until I have to face the scary thing that I break all the time because I'm an idiot). Apologies again, I can't help the sarcasm, one of my clients was very sexist and called me sweetie in the really patronising tone only some people can master, and unfortunately I can't reply "listen dipstick. You are wrong. Shut your pie hole, come back to reality and let me say two words. I know it will be hard to admit you are wrong, but I'm telling you now, you are, so let me explain to you, in a very patronising way, how you are wrong. Do you have your big-boy listening ears on now? Get ready to eat humble pie, and I will be expecting an apology when you finally comprehend how wrong you were in so many ways." I think I should go read the daily smile thread to get rid of this mood, I feel like a very angry puppy this afternoon.
@ Remus. It's only complicated if you do it wrong. If you have the right skills, the motor will kick over and be purring in no time (I didn't know how to say that any nicer).
Trust me, computers are very easy to use with modern software, and if you saw the work proceedures we have you would understand it is the work itself not the processing that is complicated. I know what I am doing with the systems I use and how to fix the simple glitches.
If I can know the procedures off by heart I can know how to use Word and Excel (and the internal systems we use).
I think some men are thinking women shouldn't worry their simple little pretty heads with technical things like computers (and most would think we should also stay away from sharp objects due to their assessment of women's IQ's. I only hope one day I have a daughter that ends up ruling the world and creating legislation that men who belittle women just for being a female (I know there are some stupid ones, and not all dumbs are blond, they can still pick on them) will have a se change forced on them so they can be treated like crap, never looked in the eye and called "sweetheart".
Completely off topic, but I will try and link it in... it is the people who assume a female has broken her computer just because she is a female that look at your boobs and asks you your name. I normally point at my boobs and say "This one is Kate and this one is Madeline. I'm Julie, but since you weren't looking at my face I assume you were talking to my girls". I've said it a few times and I always get a very red faced sheepish response (usually something inappropriate) like "sorry sweetheart".
Sometimes I wish we had an Amazonian society. I could cut off one of my boobs if it meant men would be caged and only used for procreation. If the shoe was on the other foot men may appreciate the blatant and constant sexism in society, and what it's like to be judged as inferior just because you can't write your name in the snow.
OMG! I sound like I should be all hairy, burning my bra and posting a blog about how men only take away identity and all real women are lesbians because females are superior and we understand our own species. I am sorry, I just got back from work and I am a little bit tired (it must have been using my single brain cell to figure out which one was the "on" button on my computer. Gees those things are so technical and scary. A least I have two days off now until I have to face the scary thing that I break all the time because I'm an idiot). Apologies again, I can't help the sarcasm, one of my clients was very sexist and called me sweetie in the really patronising tone only some people can master, and unfortunately I can't reply "listen dipstick. You are wrong. Shut your pie hole, come back to reality and let me say two words. I know it will be hard to admit you are wrong, but I'm telling you now, you are, so let me explain to you, in a very patronising way, how you are wrong. Do you have your big-boy listening ears on now? Get ready to eat humble pie, and I will be expecting an apology when you finally comprehend how wrong you were in so many ways." I think I should go read the daily smile thread to get rid of this mood, I feel like a very angry puppy this afternoon.
@ Remus. It's only complicated if you do it wrong. If you have the right skills, the motor will kick over and be purring in no time (I didn't know how to say that any nicer).
Your argumentation sounds to me like this : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begging_the_question , which I also know as the "circular argument".
I never used Linux as the only example. I never said that windows or any other OS isn't used by men.
I'm speaking of tendencies. Always.
The tendency that I see is that, that a system of such an high complexity of usage (and i mean the times BEFORE there was any UI in Linux !) would imho rather be developed by men instead of by women.
It just doesn't fit into my head : I just cannot - no matter how hard I try - imagine women developing a system that needs/contains such a high complexity in usage, like Linux, fpr example.
Everywhere in daily life where I look around me I have the impression that the most complex technical systems of all are always developed by men.
dteowner
Shoegazer
Now, now... No need to get so upset. Take a deep breath and relax, sweetheart. Pleased to meet you, Kate and Madeline.
[ninja vanish]
[ninja vanish]
Bartacus
BartWatch
Now, now... No need to get so upset. Take a deep breath and relax, sweetheart. Pleased to meet you, Kate and Madeline.
[ninja vanish]
If I ever come to Australia and get chance to meet Kayla, I would do exactly the same
You actually did... You said men who are tinkerers use Linux while women prefer the Mac OS GUI...
It's true that it's mostly men who work on the technical stuff. I also agree that the tendency you're referring to is correct as well. But that might just be because it's always been like that that women have a hard time going there.
Women weren't allowed to be doctors or soldiers before. Women weren't allowed to do this and to do that... Women who did some stuff were frowned upon.
With this, you're saying women aren't technical. I'm thinking that it's because people think like that that they're not, yet!
@ dte. You have inspired me to do a Yentl. Then I realised it really hurts. I really don't think they are meant to be flattened like a pancake (or film cannister for the larger lass).
People say sarcasm is the lowest form of humour- it isn't. Thanks for the laugh, although it doesn't sound as demeaning and inappropriate when you write it. It must be because I like the Muppets and I know you respect women and you aren't a... insert chain of rude words here.
@Bart. Your comment could be interpreted two different ways. I am laughing at both interpretations. If I haven't witnessed Dhruin have an "accident" by now you have nothing to worry about. And besides, if you hide I'll just get annoyed when I have to move my fat ass and hunt you down. I'm a black belt in origami you know, super fast (well I can out run my cat when it's asleep) and I can kill a man with a Jaffa from 100 meters.
Other interpretation... the girls haven't seen your photo so they're not sure if they would want you to say hello.
And women have invemted technical stuff- kevlarm circular saw etc. I don't know this for a fact, but I think there is a high probability women invented the modern day, hard to break garbage bags. A girl can only take so much from her husband before she has to dispise of a body.
People say sarcasm is the lowest form of humour- it isn't. Thanks for the laugh, although it doesn't sound as demeaning and inappropriate when you write it. It must be because I like the Muppets and I know you respect women and you aren't a... insert chain of rude words here.
@Bart. Your comment could be interpreted two different ways. I am laughing at both interpretations. If I haven't witnessed Dhruin have an "accident" by now you have nothing to worry about. And besides, if you hide I'll just get annoyed when I have to move my fat ass and hunt you down. I'm a black belt in origami you know, super fast (well I can out run my cat when it's asleep) and I can kill a man with a Jaffa from 100 meters.
Other interpretation... the girls haven't seen your photo so they're not sure if they would want you to say hello.
And women have invemted technical stuff- kevlarm circular saw etc. I don't know this for a fact, but I think there is a high probability women invented the modern day, hard to break garbage bags. A girl can only take so much from her husband before she has to dispise of a body.