
Tips for being the family holiday sysadmin - khess
https://www.redhat.com/sysadmin/family-holiday-sysadmin
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bmurray7jhu
> Many of the common complaints, such as "my computer is slow," have known
> solutions: registry cleaners for Windows

Registry cleaners are rarely, if ever, the solution for a slow PC.

~~~
merlincorey
One of the main use of every registry cleaner is to remove start up programs,
especially otherwise hidden ones.

This process, even when undertaken by a non-expert removing things at random,
will cause the computer to start less software when turning on and logging in,
which will make it seem to be much faster.

If one of those programs was something with a large resident memory set or CPU
usage then it really is objectively faster.

~~~
sp332
Hit Ctrl-Shift-Escape, click the Startup tab, disable things to your heart's
content. This is not a good reason to install a registry cleaner.

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sevencolors
For those who don't mind being a hero. And getting an extra slice of pie

[https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/in-which-i-fix-my-
girlfr...](https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/in-which-i-fix-my-girlfriends-
grandparents-wifi-and-am-hailed-as-a-conquering-hero)

~~~
scrooched_moose
The biggest problem with that story is rural Iowa is almost exclusively
Mediacom, who are even worse than Comcast.

~~~
sevencolors
This fictional story twas written in the year of 2012

~~~
scrooched_moose
Yeah, but it's always been like that. Comcast has never had a presence in Iowa
that I'm aware of. It's been Mediacom since cable internet was available.

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jbob2000
One word of advice that is missing from this article: if you provide the
solution, you own the outcome.

Say you updated uncle joe to the latest version of outlook. Great! Now he will
call you when he doesn’t understand the new interface. Or you told your aunt
to buy this model of laptop. Great! She will call you when it doesn’t boot up
one day.

My advice is to tell people where they can go for proper support. You want to
buy a new laptop? Talk to the guys at Best Buy or Apple. You want to upgrade
outlook? Talk to Microsoft customer support. Your computer is slow? Take it to
the local tech shop.

~~~
darishante
Yeah, this -- the reason, why my answer to tech support outside of job is a
firm "no". No to friends, no to family, no to anyone. I don't want to deal
with panicked requests starting "you did something to fix my computer, now it
ate my grant application, deadline is tomorrow, help!" And I don't deal with
sudden stress particularly well.

~~~
snypox
Interesting approach. I don’t like to take the blame either, but I’d never
tell my mom and dad to screw themselves. I usually fix whatever is up with
their laptops, fortunately they don’t call me up too often. I usually try to
go for long term solutions and explain everything carefully.

~~~
lotsofpulp
It’s a much better use of my time to just buy my parents iOS devices and point
them to the Apple store if something goes wrong. Fighting malware and people’s
propensity to click on sketchy links is too taxing.

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atarian
One of the best investments I ever made was replacing my parents' ailing
Windows machines with Mac Minis. I no longer come home to a laundry list of
issues that I need to fix.

~~~
switch007
My Mum loves her Macbook Air. All I have to do occasionally is click the
update button when she's a bit too scared. She manages everything else. It's
the best thing ever.

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chaostheory
The real answer is to just get everyone an Apple device. Those physical Apple
locations have free classes and year long in person support at the store. One
on one in person support only costs approx $100 if the many free classes
aren’t enough

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RickJWagner
I work as a support engineer. A while back, one of my managers suggested we
should make a t-shirt that reads "Yes, I can fix your computer!"

I'm glad we didn't go forward with that idea. I'd never be able to go out in
public.

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chinathrow
6) Upgrade their Windows 7 before it comes back to you once its EOL in January
2020

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HorstG
Upgrading Windows7 to Windows 10 usually needs a hardware upgrade. And
installing windows and office and decrappifying it takes ages.

Rather replace with your favourite Linux, no hardware upgrade necessary,
LibreOffice is included, Spyware, Phone-Home-Functions and other crap missing
by default. Saves lots of time.

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bvelica
To be honest as a sysadmin sometimes I just say to my friends and family that
I am just a lousy sysadmin... And if they are sure they want to leave their pc
on my hands... It works!

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ww520
Strategic incompetency goes a long way when it comes to this kind of
situation.

