"Good with Computers", "Tech Savvy"?

[Kwesi]

What do these phrases mean to you? To my Mom, who is barely proficient with MS Word and email clients, I'm amazing with computers and technology. To my Dad, whose job requires extensive knowledge of over half of the MS Office Suite and of general hardware and software, I'm a "wizard" (his own words, lol). I really don't know what they mean because from person to person is seems to vary so radically. I just had a friend ask me if WoW was a good game. I've never played it in my life and he knows this but when I asked him why he asked me he said: "idk you know more about computers in general."

Despite their ambiguity what tasks do you think should be easy for someone who bears these labels?

I say:

-Able to replace hardrives and memory with ease (with instructions if needed).

Feel free to add

[Komakino]

"good with computers" means, for me, that you should be able to turn on any computer with any operating system and be able to find your way around and open common programs, change basic system settings and perform basic tasks like word processing, etc. You should also be able to perform simple hardware maintenance tasks like replacing RAM or a hard disk.

The trouble is, these days when people say "Good with computers" they tend to mean "good with windows".

[tk421]

good with computers:
to me that means able to operate a PC on a daily basis without making me have to fix it.

tech savvy:
not intimidated by technology. able to cope with jargon.

on a daily basis I troubleshoot software and hardware issues, package software for distribution, image pc's and push software via SCCM, build images, perform complex software installs, surf the web, drink coffee, instruct users on high level concepts, drink coffee, do user / pc / phone moves, surf the web, manage inventory, perform in depth environment reporting and analysis, drink coffee, manage projects, interface with vendors, and drink coffee.



did i mention that IT guys tend to be highly caffeinated?

[Sonic_Death]

To me, it doesn't take much to fall into these categories.

Although I have a vast knowledge of various software, hardware, operating systems, and other computer stuff, I obviously do not know everything. This is not how people perceive me and other people like me though, because from my experience, we are thought of as all knowing.

When people ask me for any computer related assistance, and I do not know what the issue is, I google it first and foremost (or look on the mfg's website when it applies). Albeit I may have more experience with computer issues, know what to look for, and am good at browsing forums for answers, it is not something overly specialized that the average person could not do. People are flat out lazy nowadays.

I also am generally good at navigating through electronics in general, and that is where the tech savvy part may lie. I stay fairly up to date on technology and am aware of what is going on and what's new, sure, but I would equate it to being more than that. It may just be an inquisitive mind kind of thing where I am interested in seeing how things work and tinkering with them, but I can usually ascertain how to fix something fairly easily. To me it may be common sense, but not everyone is so inclined or interested in such matters, making it harder for them. Computers, in my mind, is one giant problem waiting to be solved.


Bottom line - Once you become labeled as the "computer guy", that is it. All of a sudden, I can instantly tell people what the best price on something is, what they should buy, what brand is better, how they should set something up, etc... I won't say I don't enjoy it at times, but I've often overextended myself helping people who really could've fixed it themselves if they put any effort into finding a solution.

[Jazz Ad]

I'd say it takes not being intimidated by computers and being able to find your way through various online help pages and forums to solve whatever computer issue is presented to you.
Things that seem very easy when you are but almost impossible when you aren't.

[Komakino]

Originally Posted by Sonic_Death

When people ask me for any computer related assistance, and I do not know what the issue is, I google it first and foremost (or look on the mfg's website when it applies). Albeit I may have more experience with computer issues, know what to look for, and am good at browsing forums for answers, it is not something overly specialized that the average person could not do. People are flat out lazy nowadays.

Definitely this. 90% of 'being good with computers' is just knowing what to search for. I use Linux at home and haven't really administered a windows computer for about 10 years now, but of course most of my non-tech savvy friends use it, so when I get called over to help out I end up googling for answers a lot of the time. Of course I still find solutions because once the problem is identified google can find a solution Also, don't underestimate the power of the phrase "windows equivalent" when searching!

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by Komakino

Definitely this. 90% of 'being good with computers' is just knowing what to search for. I use Linux at home and haven't really administered a windows computer for about 10 years now, but of course most of my non-tech savvy friends use it, so when I get called over to help out I end up googling for answers a lot of the time. Of course I still find solutions because once the problem is identified google can find a solution Also, don't underestimate the power of the phrase "windows equivalent" when searching!

Big +1 to the "Google it" theorem. I even made a thread about it some months ago. Everything that I know how to do related to... well actually just everything non-academic I probably googled for. Despite my Dad's knowledge of computers he's actually taught me very little. Google is the best teacher I've ever had, lol.

[Komakino]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Big +1 to the "Google it" theorem. I even made a thread about it some months ago. Everything that I know how to do related to... well actually just everything non-academic I probably googled for. Despite my Dad's knowledge of computers he's actually taught me very little. Google is the best teacher I've ever had, lol.

Teaching someone computing (whatever that really means these days) is actually very hard. The real way to learn computing is simply to do it and then to find a solution when it goes wrong. That's how I learned: changing DOS/windows settings, breaking stuff, finding a solution, fixing it, repeat. Later, when I started using Linux, it was the same story: try to do something, break it, find a solution on google or forums, fix it, learn something from the experience

I don't think it's possible to teach someone 'computing'. You can teach someone to program, you can teach someone to use certain applications, and you can teach them about hardware / software layers, but I don't think you can teach 'computing'; that just comes from playing and learning.

[MJ5150]

Someone tech savvy knows how to setup a home network, troubleshoot and resolve connectivity issues, resolve OS and application errors, is knowledgeable on the current trends, and can rebuild a PC.

-Mike

[McHaven]

I'm my family's go-to guy for everything electronic. There are a few things I really know, otherwise I'm following this:

[DerHoggz]

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

I'd say it takes not being intimidated by computers and being able to find your way through various online help pages and forums to solve whatever computer issue is presented to you.
Things that seem very easy when you are but almost impossible when you aren't.

This is pretty much what I was going to say. Being able to adapt.

[ez-rhino]

People throw that phrase around quite loosely.

To be Tech Savvy is so much more than just computers and internet crap.

Engineering types have very high expectations of those who make this type of claim of themselves.

"Tech Savvy" means you can, at any time, diagnose, troubleshoot and repair pretty much any type of electronic component (down to component level), install any type of software on any platform, and handle/configure electronic component installations blindfolded (drives, periphereals, networks, etc.).

But that's just my interpretation.

[Valerus]

I can pretty much fix any problem, except actual "fixing" broken computer parts. I can't fix a fried HDD or a dead stick of RAM. I've done a lot of troubleshooting on my Dell XPS 720 and I've been going three years strong with it!

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by Valerus

I can pretty much fix any problem, except actual "fixing" broken computer parts.

++1

The physical fixing of machine parts is the real problem for me

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by champbassist

++1

The physical fixing of machine parts is the real problem for me

Why bother? Stuff has gotten so cheap. I think part of computer savvy is choosing your battles.

With that said, I do fix things at the hardware level when I can, just like anything else in my house.

[Pilgrim]

Swappping parts is easy if you've ever worked on cars. Computer parts are a snap.

I think what makes one appear to be sharp with computers (without formal training) is the ability to learn from experience, and dogged persistence. I have no formal training with them but there are few things I can't do - although it sometimes takes me 3x as long as someone who knows what they're doing. I've also learned to deal with wireless networks, although it's a huge pain in the butt.

Google searching and the ability to scan forums for comments related to your problem or task - and following those threads - are lifesavers.

[Rocks]

The band I'm in they referred to this one lady as being the computer techie that handled their computer issues. One day at practice he tried to play a song off his laptop through the PA and he wasn't getting any sound, he called her down to look at it and she fooled with it for a few minutes and said "It says device not found" and walked away, she gave up. Myself, I'm was a network engineer, did Novell networks, NT, Linux, built hundred of PC's from parts. I walked over to the PC and went into device manager, clicked on the sound card and told it to look for a driver. Within about a minute it found it, downloaded it and it worked. The "techie" had no idea how to do this....

[bassybill]

Good with computers = being able to use your computer in a personally productive way on a daily basis for an extended period of time without messing it up owing to poor file management or lack of knowledge about basic do's and don'ts.

Tech savvy = being knowledgeable enough to be pretty much self-sufficient dealing with a series of technical challenges (often other people's) over an extended period + a certain intuitive knack for how the things work or fail to work.

I'd disagree with the statement that you need to know more than one operating system to claim competence. I'm pretty good with anything Microsoft but not so hot with Mac stuff and haven't a clue with Linux. If I needed to, I'd work on that - but I don't.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by fdeck

Why bother? Stuff has gotten so cheap. I think part of computer savvy is choosing your battles.

It has, but, even so, not everyone can afford it, y'know

But, in general, I do replace parts more often than I bother trying to repair them.

[Staccato]

'Good with Computers' is a sh&% expression used too often by grandmothers that are computer illiterate...

'Tech Savy' is an antiquated expression for someone that has technical skills in a certain area (of expertise).