OS = Operating System
Most computer users understand that you need an operating system to use a computer practically, even if it is not clear why. But many users don't.
* Tech Support: "May I ask what operating system you are running today?"
* Customer: "A computer."
* Tech Support: "Do you know what operating system you're on?"
* Customer: "Hmmm...what would be a good answer?"
* Me: "First you need to open DOS-prompt. I'll guide you--"
* Customer: "MY COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE DOS! YOU THINK I RUN THAT ANCIENT SOFTWARE?"
* My Friend: "What's your operating system?"
* Me: "Linux."
* My Friend: "You better uninstall it!"
* Me: "Why?"
* My Friend: "The government uses Linux to look through your computer and see your every move. They use it as a security camera into your world."
* Me: "Sure...."
* Friend: "I heard about this thing called 'Linux'."
* Me: "Oh, I use Linux."
* Friend: "What is it?"
* Me: "An operating system."
* Friend: "Like Firefox?"
* Customer: "How much do Windows cost?"
* Tech Support: "Windows costs about $100."
* Customer: "Oh, that's kind of expensive. Can I buy just one window?"
* Tech Support: "What version of Windows do you have installed?"
* Customer: "... Double glazed."
* Tech Support: "Ok, we're going to check your modem settings. First thing we need to do is make sure all programs are closed."
* Customer: "How do I know if everything is closed?"
* Me: "Make sure all windows are closed."
* Customer: "But...I'm in the basement. I don't have any windows here."
* Tech Support: "How can I help you?"
* Customer: "Well, everything is working fine, but there is one program that is not."
* Tech Support: "What program is it?"
* Customer: "It's called 'MSDOS Prompt'."
* Tech Support: "What's wrong with it?"
* Customer: "Well, I click on it, a black screen shows up with NOTHING but a sign that reads: 'C:\WINDOWS>', and it just sits there and doesn't do anything. I have to turn off the system to go back to Windows.
* Me: "What operating system are you running?"
* Student: "Hunh?"
* Me: "Do you have a Mac or a PC?"
* Student: "Um, I don't know."
* Me: "Ok. What does the screen look like?"
* Student: "It's yellow."
* Me: "Ok. What does it say on the computer CPU?"
* Student: "What's that?"
* Me: "The big grey box."
* Student: "It doesn't say anything."
* Me: "Never mind that...do you have a little 'Start' button at the bottom of the monitor?"
* Student: "Monitor?"
* Me: "The thing that looks like a TV sceen sitting on the grey box."
* Student: "Oh! That! No. No start button."
* Me: "Ok. Is there a little apple symbol anywhere on the screen?"
* Student: (very puzzled) "Why would I have fruit on my computer?"
* Woman 1: "What is that little trash can on the screen?"
* Woman 2: "My son says that is call the 'recycle bin'. He tells me when I don't want a Word document anymore and I delete it, it really goes in there."
* Woman 1: "Why in the recycle thingy? Can't you just erase it?"
* Woman 2: "Oh no, Word wouldn't work for very long if I did that, I would run out of blank pages."
* Woman 1: "Why?"
* Woman 2: "Because it cleans the words off the pages, then sends the blank sheets back to Word so they can be used again. That's why it's called the recycle bin."
* Me: "You really should exit Windows before you shut down."
* Friend: "Why?"
* Me: "Well, otherwise you could end up with fragmented files and hard drive errors and that sort of thing."
* Friend: "Oh well. Who cares about hard drive errors?"
Talking to a Mac user:
* Tech Support: "When was the last time you rebuilt the desktop?"
* Customer: "Did what?"
* Tech Support: "How long have you owned this computer?"
* Customer: "Four years."
Most computer users understand that you need an operating system to use a computer practically, even if it is not clear why. But many users don't.
* Tech Support: "May I ask what operating system you are running today?"
* Customer: "A computer."
* Tech Support: "Do you know what operating system you're on?"
* Customer: "Hmmm...what would be a good answer?"
* Me: "First you need to open DOS-prompt. I'll guide you--"
* Customer: "MY COMPUTER DOES NOT HAVE DOS! YOU THINK I RUN THAT ANCIENT SOFTWARE?"
* My Friend: "What's your operating system?"
* Me: "Linux."
* My Friend: "You better uninstall it!"
* Me: "Why?"
* My Friend: "The government uses Linux to look through your computer and see your every move. They use it as a security camera into your world."
* Me: "Sure...."
* Friend: "I heard about this thing called 'Linux'."
* Me: "Oh, I use Linux."
* Friend: "What is it?"
* Me: "An operating system."
* Friend: "Like Firefox?"
* Customer: "How much do Windows cost?"
* Tech Support: "Windows costs about $100."
* Customer: "Oh, that's kind of expensive. Can I buy just one window?"
* Tech Support: "What version of Windows do you have installed?"
* Customer: "... Double glazed."
* Tech Support: "Ok, we're going to check your modem settings. First thing we need to do is make sure all programs are closed."
* Customer: "How do I know if everything is closed?"
* Me: "Make sure all windows are closed."
* Customer: "But...I'm in the basement. I don't have any windows here."
* Tech Support: "How can I help you?"
* Customer: "Well, everything is working fine, but there is one program that is not."
* Tech Support: "What program is it?"
* Customer: "It's called 'MSDOS Prompt'."
* Tech Support: "What's wrong with it?"
* Customer: "Well, I click on it, a black screen shows up with NOTHING but a sign that reads: 'C:\WINDOWS>', and it just sits there and doesn't do anything. I have to turn off the system to go back to Windows.
* Me: "What operating system are you running?"
* Student: "Hunh?"
* Me: "Do you have a Mac or a PC?"
* Student: "Um, I don't know."
* Me: "Ok. What does the screen look like?"
* Student: "It's yellow."
* Me: "Ok. What does it say on the computer CPU?"
* Student: "What's that?"
* Me: "The big grey box."
* Student: "It doesn't say anything."
* Me: "Never mind that...do you have a little 'Start' button at the bottom of the monitor?"
* Student: "Monitor?"
* Me: "The thing that looks like a TV sceen sitting on the grey box."
* Student: "Oh! That! No. No start button."
* Me: "Ok. Is there a little apple symbol anywhere on the screen?"
* Student: (very puzzled) "Why would I have fruit on my computer?"
* Woman 1: "What is that little trash can on the screen?"
* Woman 2: "My son says that is call the 'recycle bin'. He tells me when I don't want a Word document anymore and I delete it, it really goes in there."
* Woman 1: "Why in the recycle thingy? Can't you just erase it?"
* Woman 2: "Oh no, Word wouldn't work for very long if I did that, I would run out of blank pages."
* Woman 1: "Why?"
* Woman 2: "Because it cleans the words off the pages, then sends the blank sheets back to Word so they can be used again. That's why it's called the recycle bin."
* Me: "You really should exit Windows before you shut down."
* Friend: "Why?"
* Me: "Well, otherwise you could end up with fragmented files and hard drive errors and that sort of thing."
* Friend: "Oh well. Who cares about hard drive errors?"
Talking to a Mac user:
* Tech Support: "When was the last time you rebuilt the desktop?"
* Customer: "Did what?"
* Tech Support: "How long have you owned this computer?"
* Customer: "Four years."