It’s really hard to give computer instructions to people who don’t understand computers at all.

But it’s even harder to help someone who thinks they know what they are doing, but they have no idea.

See what this worker encountered.

Do you know Dell’s address?

This was years ago in the print shop at a University.

To set the stage, I was working for a man who printed out an email with a hyperlink and asked me to check out the site behind the link.

I had to explain that I needed the email forwarded to get the address behind the link.

That was just the beginning of this guy’s ignorance.

He didn’t know you could forward email.

He had ordered a new PC and was trying to get it going.

One of the assistants came back to my office and asked me if I knew Dell’s address?

Me: Not off the top of my head, why?

Her: I don’t know, he’s trying to fill out a form from IT.

Some sleuthing is in order and the resolution is something to behold.

I went to see what he was doing, as I’m pretty sure IT wasn’t asking for Dell’s address.

I go to his office. It was the form to get a new PC on the network. It needed the hardware address.

I almost never laugh at a question, no matter how dumb.

That one got me.

Here is what people are talking about.

They have some explaining to do!

Indeed. Be clear!

Be nice.

Hardy har har.

Does this guy even know how to shut down his computer?

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.