Breaking rocks in the [thud] hot sun!
I fought the Microsoft Login screen and the [thud] Microsoft Login Screen won.
I fought the Microsoft Login screen and the [thud] Microsoft Login Screen won.

I needed money cause...I had none!
I fought the Microsoft Login screen and the [thud] Microsoft Login Screen won.
I fought the Microsoft Login screen and the [thud] Microsoft Login Screen won.

I left my baby and it feels so bad
I guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I ever had

I fought the Microsoft Login screen and the [thud] Microsoft Login Screen won.
I fought the Microsoft Login screen and the [thud] Microsoft Login Screen won.

#FamilyTechSupport #WhyAmIEvenTrying #WasteOfTime

When you finally win the argument and get a family member to give up their addiction to fucking Outlook.

#FamilyTechSupport

Ugh .. trying to unravel the mess my Mama's laptop is in. Microsoft really have designed office tools to bamboozle everyone into using OneDrive and fuck them very much for that. :blobcateyes:

(Yes I know I should try to move her to Linux, but she's doing her best and we're still working on getting off facey. 🤦)

#FamilyTechSupport

Family tech support tasks:
1. Undo the layering of multiple tools that do the same thing, e.g. password managers, and explain why just one thing to do a job is a better choice.
2. Ensure *good* or *better* tools are the choice for defaults where possible, e.g. browsers, plugins, office tools, and explain why the choice you prefer is better.
3. Guide cleanups and explain what is happening and why.
4. Set up automated rules to improve management of mail and explain why.
5. Undo installations of objectively bad apps and explain why and offer alternatives (see 2 above).
6. Over time, encourage migration to apps that do not support billionaires, fascists, and surveillance capitalists and explain why.
7. Encourage some kind of backups and explain why.
8. Explain enshittification and how it can be avoided.
9. Teach them to fish.

"Use Linux on the desktop” is not an answer to any of these as a *first* step. Nor is “just use Signal/LibreOffice/Fastmail/Proton/other things we know are better” because that's a demand, not an encouragement. Show, don't tell or demand.

#techsupport #familytechsupport

The fix worked 😭

I don't have to go around again and waste a good part of my afternoon.

I was dreading the prospect of having to call up again.

#FamilyTechSupport

I have to go and help my Mum sort out her smartphone later and it's going to involve calling up her service provider.

Wish me luck.

#FamilyTechSupport

Visiting mom for our quarterly visit. She notes to me, last night, that she hasn't received email since Friday night. Since I host her email, I check mine and I've bee getting email fine all day (as has my wife, whose address I also host). My eyes are too bleary, by the time she notes this gap, for me to be able to see what might be going on.

Today, I check things out and find that her domain had expired at midnight on Friday. So, I re-upped her domain-registration through 2030, a few moments ago (and set calendar events for each of the domains I manage to provide a better reminder of pending expirations than the emails that my Registrar is supposed to send).

#FamilyTechSupport

When your remote hands to connect up the car battery charger are your 78 year old mother's...

#familytechsupport

My parents have an AirTag-equipped Apple TV remote. They called me tonight, saying they moved the remote but don’t remember to which room. I had them launch Find My, on their old (pre-U1 chip) iPhone XR. They made the AirTag beep. I could hear the beep over FaceTime. Eventually they heard it. After AN HOUR of searching we decided I’m visiting Saturday and will find it then. On the bright side they now know how to use the Remote function on iOS’s Control Center. #FamilyTechSupport

Does anyone know how to find a breakdown of what is included in Storage: Other on an unrooted #Samsung #Galaxy A02s phone?

My elderly uncle's phone is almost out of storage. Looking at his storage stats, there is 21Gb in Other, but I can't find it! Samsung's docs are completely unhelpful:
"The “Other” storage category contains data from apps you have installed on your smartphone or tablet. It includes items such as system files, cached data, and temporary files that do not fall into any other storage categories.
The data contained in the “Other” storage category cannot be deleted directly from your device. However, you can clear some of it by deleting cache or app data."

I've looked at the apps on his phone and none are using nearly that much. Downloaded CX File Explorer, but I don't see anything obvious with that either. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

#Android #FamilyTechSupport

What would #Christmas be without doing #FamilyTechSupport

@jchyip

So does OutLook on Windows 10. There was an update this week.

#familytechsupport

***Several Months Ago***
Me: You should take another line on my plan. you'll have lots of data and it'll cost you less, and you can get a new phone.
Mother: I don't want that. I like Koodo. They have great support. And I don't care about data.
(Note: She had 1 GB + unlimited calling for $35.)
***Fast Forward to Today***
Mother: I changed my mind, I'm going on a long trip and suddenly I care about data.
Me: Ok, join my plan.
Mother: No, I like Koodo. I have more loyalty to this company than any cell phone company in Canada will ever have to me.
Me: Fine, go get a better plan. You're way overpaying in 2024.
Mother: I don't want to use the internet, let's call them.
Koodo: We don't take calls anymore, but you can text with our AI and it might see fit to allow you to schedule a callback.
Real person from Koodo: You should log into the online portal for our best plans, I can't give the same promotions.
Me: 💭How do you like your support now?💭
After she reluctantly logged in, we finally got her set up on another $35 plan with 30 GB data. It's still overpriced, but now everyone's happy, I guess.
#FamilyTechSupport

Anyone any tips for getting remote family to start using #XMPP rather than WhatsApp etc? Offered to setup accounts and send login details? Apart from transatlantic flights any other tips? #FamilyTechSupport

ETA: solved!! Thank you to everyone who offered such helpful suggestions...

#FamilyTechSupport question: is there any simple way to copy non-camera-roll images from a non-jailbroken #iPhone to a Windows laptop?

My FIL has pictures of his great-grandkids were texted to him, and he'd like to get them on his computer. I tried just grabbing them via USB, as we do on Android, but Apple only exposes his camera roll that way. The Internet is not encouraging - looks like he could share a folder from his laptop and mount it on the iPhone, but that's a lot for an 83-year-old (sharp, but non-technical) to handle! Especially since I'd want it unshared when not actively in use...

Any suggestions will be most appreciated!

What's in your #FamilyTechSupport kit this year? Or do you avoid it at all costs?

It's inevitable that someone will bring a laptop or invite me over to "have a look". I honestly don't mind, gives my ears a break. 😆

* RealVNC (use to be TeamViewer)
* Screwdriver kit
* CR2032, AA, AAA Batteries
* 1Password or Bitwarden
* Linux Boot Stick (for fun)

I honestly steer away from virus protectors. They all seem like bloatware. Is that wrong?

#InfoSec #FamilyTechSupport

OK major victory today, I might FINALLY have convinced my father to occasionally restart his computer.

(I remember back in the day an IT guy telling me my computer is like a fridge, you can just leave it permanently on. I don't remember why he felt the need to tell me that.)

#FamilyTechSupport

Gerade läuft eine interessante #Diskussion auf #DLF über die #exklusiven Aspekte der derzeitigen #Digitalisierung am Beispiel von #Seniorinnen und #Senioren.
#Radio #Teilhabe #Inklusion #Deutschlandfunk #Exklusion #barrierefreiheit #ableism #Lebenszeit #Familytechsupport

https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/

Doing the #FamilyTechSupport thing on my parents computer.

So far Windows has installed updates and rebooted 4 times yet every time it somehow seems to find yet another update to install.

#Microsoft why is this so hard? Why can’t it just find all the updates it needs and install them in one go?

I mean why call them “cumulative“ updates if every time you install one Windows Updates finds another one?!

I just sent out a mass text to family, warning them about #threads. I even sent a screenshot of the App Store privacy report and every single one just said "Thanks". Knowing my family, "Thanks" means "Thanks for the text but I'll download it anyway and use it regardless of how intrusive it is.".

#familytechsupport #warning #instagram #facebook #meta #privacy