Source: Pearls Before Swine Comic Strip on GoComics.com
I’ve been on both sides of the tech support line. An early call I fielded:
Me: “Can you describe to me what’s on the screen?”
Them: “Nothing! That’s why I’m calling you!”
Me: “Nothing?”
Them: “Nothing!”
Me: “You’re sure the screen is completely blank?”
Them: “Yes, totally blank, except for an error message!”
I suppose that’s why I try to be patient and amenable whenever I’m the caller…
…like the one time where the guy asked me to try something that, although it wasn’t nearly as simplistic as “Is it unplugged?”, as a Seasoned Technical Professional I knew it was ultimately nonsensical, off-topic, and clearly just something that was on the guy’s checklist. But because I also knew we weren’t going to get any further towards solving the real problem until I humored him, I did it.
It of course worked.
(I think his comment when I reacted to that was, “I know, right?”)