Rob J. Nauta (rob@redwood.nl) wrote:
: illumine@gate.net (Aaron Zollman) writes:
: >"Magicnet, this is Aaron... How can I help you?"
: >"I have Internet on my machine, and..."
: >"You do?"
: >"Excuse me?"
: >"The Internet is made up of a large number of computers connected by 
: >miles of wire.. I think you should rephrase that."

: I wrote the helpdesk rules for the provider I volunteer for, where there
: are around 10 volunteers each doing an evening of helpdesking (for free
: even), and it includes rules for this because I expected things like this.
: It reminds the helpdesk people not to explain Internet, but if someone
: calls with questions like 'Are you Internet ?' or 'How can I tap in to
: the digital highway ?' not to act snotty and ridicule the clients but
: to just say 'yes' or recite the standard story and tell them to call the
: modem number for more info.

This generates a number of problems in that it allows the user to feel
that their totally inaccurate usage of "technical terms" is appropriate,
so later you end up getting calls like the following:

You: Help desk.
Them: Internet is broken.
You: I see. Can I ask what specifically is wrong?
Them: *INTERNET* is broken.
You: I understand. Let's discuss the specific symptoms. Can you clarify
     what has gone amiss?
Them: Are you stupid? I *told* you. *INTERNET* is broken.

And then forever after it's ALL YOUR FAULT because YOU are TOO STUPID to
understand what the user means when they say things like "INTERNET is
broken." Thus, it reduces problems to insist that they learn appropriate
language in the first place. If you're going to have to discuss
technical issues with them, make them learn the language to discuss it
in.
                                Tom
--
How many beer brewers does it take to change a lightbulb?

One third less than for a regular bulb.