[PCWorld]

Post your comments for How to ask for tech help, 2013 edition here

[A41202813]

Using

http://forums.pcworl...new_post&f=2024

Does Not Hurt, Either.

[mrob12]

I've found that www.bleepingcomputer.com is one of the best forums for technical problems, especially those concerning malware.

[dstarfire]

@ Rick: Are there any forums you'd recommend for an experienced techie when help files and google can't get you an answer?

It'd be nice to find a community where people try to solve problems on their own first. I love helping people like that. If I have a solution for somebody like that, it's usually one I had to spend a hours wading through pages to find and thus especially sweet to share.

[YEPYTZME]

Yes dstarfire, there are a couple, one, as mentioned above, bleepingcomputer.com and the other one is techguy.org. I've used both and found them very helpful.

[dstarfire]

Thanks, Mr. Me. I

've fallen behind in the cat and mouse game between tech forums and lazy users (folks that use "Help!" in their subject line, or ask questions that've already been answered several times)

[jtimouri]

I remember my computer averse brother talking to get someone in tech support years ago, who asked him to type "debug". So my brother typed "Dbug" and nothing happened. Tech asked again, my brother responded, nothing happened. After several iterations the tech ended up screaming at him on the telephone, and finally realized what was happening.

Techs need good training. The idea that "in order to have better prisons we need a better class of prisoner" doesn't cut it.

Your advice though is well taken. Ask anyone who works in the complaints department of a retail store. There are ways to complain that are polite and to the point, they make it easier, and more likely, for people to deal with the issues.

[jhep3304]

Quote

Thanks, Mr. Me. I 've fallen behind in the cat and mouse game between tech forums and lazy users (folks that use "Help!" in their subject line, or ask questions that've already been answered several times)

[jhep3304]

Some of these forums list 4,5, even 800 questions even when the user puts in a very specific to the point question. Many if not most do not address the exact issue. I am probably guilty of asking a redundant question after scanning the first hundred or so responses

[ronin7752]

All good points!

[mshonnie]

Quote

@ Rick: Are there any forums you'd recommend for an experienced techie when help files and google can't get you an answer? It'd be nice to find a community where people try to solve problems on their own first. I love helping people like that. If I have a solution for somebody like that, it's usually one I had to spend a hours wading through pages to find and thus especially sweet to share.

Try Protonic.com they have techs that can help you without being in a forum to ask for help, they also can check your computer when you are having problems through the phone, thought I would suggest this site for you, I have an account with them also have had it for years now and have been a great help with other computers of mine

[Heuchera]

I find that every time I google a computer question, dozens of others have had a similar problem, and I'm never at a loss for dozens of good solutions. The two tech sites you mention are very good, as well.

However, googling has been the quickest for me.