Saturday, February 09, 2008

"Disque-Wad" Condescension

My experience at the Apple Store with smarty-pants technicians has been 100% positive. In fact, they are all so sweet and helpful, I'd like to have a permanent tech just at my beck and call, but then there would be no joy in visiting the Apple Store. James Lileks is only 99% satisfied:

Well, no, but when I got the video card from Skinny McLatte at the computer store, he told me to be careful putting the card in, and noted that my cotton sweater might build up a charge. Especially if I had carpet. I'm not quick to pick up condescention, but this fellow oozed it. Yes, that's me, Mr. N00b; here I am replacing a video card, which I've managed to extract from the machine all by myself instead of lugging it all to the shop and saying IT BROKE YOU FIX, and you're going to treat me like someone who pets the cat for five minutes before he touches the motherboard. Criminey. My experience with Apple Store employees is 99% positive, but this guy chapped my arse straight away. The good ones listen to what you say and detect actual small nodules of useful information; the few arrogant dique-wads can't be bothered to hear your diagnosis, because you cannot possibly know what's going wrong.
Well, we've all experienced this sort of thing and it is indeed, irritating.

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