# Idiotic IT cuntomer - some people should not be allowed to own any IT equipment **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763 "2013-12-07T18:16:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/21 "2013-12-08T20:01:59Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > \*\*Fuji \*\*- Nah, I wouldn’t have it changed. But I do think the expletives you choose to use reflect something of your beliefs. Would you be defending the use of the n-word as a replacement for “cuntomer”? Just curious. For me, I find both similarly ugly, and telling. Would you agree, or not so much? …“Cunt” has the same type of racially charged historical background? It’s been used for centuries to describe people who are to be considered less than human, or at least less valuable? It’s usage has retained this level of toxicity throughout societal change? No. Calling someone a “cunt” is not even remotely comparable to calling them a “nigger”. It’s not even comparable to calling them a “fag”. Seriously, look up the etymology and usage of the word. Big fuckin’ difference. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mr.Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Me)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/22 "2013-12-08T20:23:40Z")
Well I for one think that cuntomer is a perfectly cromulent word in this instance. As to the OP, I hope that’s the end of it. Reminds me of the website [Acts of Gord](http://www.actsofgord.com/). Some people are so obnoxiously stupid they don’t _deserve_ technology. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/23 "2013-12-08T20:36:26Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > …“Cunt” has the same type of racially charged historical background? It’s been used for centuries to describe people who are to be considered less than human, or at least less valuable? It’s usage has retained this level of toxicity throughout societal change? No. Calling someone a “cunt” is not even remotely comparable to calling them a “nigger”. It’s not even comparable to calling them a “fag”. Seriously, look up the etymology and usage of the word. Big fuckin’ difference. So you get annoyed with your daughter and call her the c-word? I guess I just see less difference than you do. YMMV, I guess. The etymology means less to me than the current cultural meaning. And what’s the deal with calling someone a cigarette, anyway? 🙂 From urban dictionary, first definition: Derogatory term for a woman. Considered by many to be the most offensive word in the English language. ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/24 "2013-12-08T21:07:23Z")
People need to remember a few things: (1) the OP is in Ireland, where “cunt” is more of a generic insult than woman-directed hate speech; (2) This board is based in the U.S., where that is far, far from the case. Evidence for (1): The movie _Snatch_, wherein the perfidious Brick-Top refers to _himself_ as “an 'horrible cunt.” Evidence for (2): The BBQ Pit Sticky entitled “Restricted language in the Pit.” I would also direct your attention to the following from the BBQ Pit Forum Rules: [QUOTE=The Gormless Weenie] **Don’t go nuts in thread titles** Profanity is permitted, but don’t get carried away. We reserve the right to do something about thread titles we think are over the top. **Observe the Pit language rules** A few expressions are not to be directed at other posters; a few others should be used sparingly - here’s a list. [this was a link to the sticky above] We may update the list from time to time. We reserve the right to take appropriate action in cases of posts we find exceptionally cruel, shocking, or crazy, regardless of target. [/QUOTE] While there is no clear prohibition on using any of the prohibited speech in thread titles (as long as it’s not directed at another poster), it should catch your notice that “cunt” is #1 on the list - it’s the word that caught the owners’ eyes in the first place, because it’s really that bad here. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/25 "2013-12-08T22:47:05Z")
> [@Doughbag](#): > > This idiot cuntomer just told me that I sold him a not working Laptop, and that I have to replace it or give him his money back and reimburse him for the hassle. I had a similar claim because I could not make the new computer run a copy of thunderbird that looked EXACTLY like his old one on the windows 2000 copy. Got all his contacts migrated, all his email. It does not “look right”. After 3 phone calls griping about similar minor visual issues I get this email: “So far I very unhappy as to how this unit operates. I have come to the conclusion that it is not programmed properly. Your knowledge of popular operating systems seems to be greatly lacking. At this time I’d like to return it for full refund of my purchase price.” I replied that I would happily do so but would deduct the 4 hours in labor we spent tailoring the system to his desires from his refund. We will normally have the customer review their new system in the shop, and happily spend an hour or so helping familiarize them with the new system and make any little personalized tweaks. His session ran 4 hours…luckily it was a very slow day. Never heard back…and his system still shows online on my remote support systems all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/26 "2013-12-09T14:04:43Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > People need to remember a few things: (1) the OP is in Ireland, where “cunt” is more of a generic insult than woman-directed hate speech; (2) This board is based in the U.S., where that is far, far from the case. > > Evidence for (1): The movie _Snatch_, wherein the perfidious Brick-Top refers to _himself_ as “an 'horrible cunt.” > > Evidence for (2): The BBQ Pit Sticky entitled “Restricted language in the Pit.” > > I would also direct your attention to the following from the BBQ Pit Forum Rules: > > While there is no clear prohibition on using any of the prohibited speech in thread titles (as long as it’s not directed at another poster), it should catch your notice that “cunt” is #1 on the list - it’s the word that caught the owners’ eyes in the first place, because it’s really that bad here. Jeppers, its really mindboggling to me, how people get their nickers in a twist about my choice of insult to a customer by replacing the “S” with a “N”. Calling this guy a fuckomer or wankomer just doesn’t have the same ring, doesn’t it now. Also, as **Nametag** pointed out, I live in Ireland. However, I’m not a native here and English is not my native language, so I learn it accordingly to the customs here in Ireland – if they use it properly or not is another story. The “C” word here in Ireland is a genderless generic insult, anything or anyone can be called “a cunt”. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/27 "2013-12-09T14:15:05Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > I had a similar claim because I could not make the new computer run a copy of thunderbird that looked EXACTLY like his old one on the windows 2000 copy. > > Got all his contacts migrated, all his email. > > It does not “look right”. After 3 phone calls griping about similar minor visual issues I get this email: > > “So far I very unhappy as to how this unit operates. I have come to the conclusion that it is not programmed properly. Your knowledge of popular operating systems seems to be greatly lacking. At this time I’d like to return it for full refund of my purchase price.” > > I replied that I would happily do so but would deduct the 4 hours in labor we spent tailoring the system to his desires from his refund. We will normally have the customer review their new system in the shop, and happily spend an hour or so helping familiarize them with the new system and make any little personalized tweaks. His session ran 4 hours…luckily it was a very slow day. Never heard back…and his system still shows online on my remote support systems all the time. I’ve got a customer that complains that his computer changes his “homepage” on a regular basis “_…there is always a different picture there…"_ He’s referring to the google doodle and asked me to stop the changes, since he finds this irritating. He also wanted me to stop google, from changing the log in procedures for his Gmail account. This guy is irritated, but understood, after me explaining to him that this out of my hand and control and that is just google. IT can be funny at times…… ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/28 "2013-12-09T14:27:18Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > So you get annoyed with your daughter and call her the c-word? I guess I just see less difference than you do. YMMV, I guess. The etymology means less to me than the current cultural meaning. And what’s the deal with calling someone a cigarette, anyway? 🙂 > > From urban dictionary, first definition: Derogatory term for a woman. Considered by many to be the most offensive word in the English language. …and in the [Cambridge Dictionary](http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cunt) the first definition is _an offensive word for a very unpleasant or stupid perso_. Which was the definition in which it was meant. There is nothing wrong with calling someone a cigarette. One of my friends gets very irritated and furious when I call him \*Larry \*– beats me why, but it’s very funny. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/29 "2013-12-09T16:54:20Z")
> [@Doughbag](#): > > …and in the [Cambridge Dictionary](http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cunt) the first definition is _an offensive word for a very unpleasant or stupid perso_. Which was the definition in which it was meant. > > There is nothing wrong with calling someone a cigarette. One of my friends gets very irritated and furious when I call him \*Larry \*– beats me why, but it’s very funny. [My name is Larry.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvLikiVraHE) ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/30 "2013-12-09T17:43:14Z")
> [@Doughbag](#): > > …and in the [Cambridge Dictionary](http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cunt) the first definition is _an offensive word for a very unpleasant or stupid perso_. Which was the definition in which it was meant. > > There is nothing wrong with calling someone a cigarette. One of my friends gets very irritated and furious when I call him \*Larry \*– beats me why, but it’s very funny. So now you know, and I do, that how language is used varies across the pond. On this side, it’s use is pretty clearly an indication to a great many, perhaps a majority, of great misogyny. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/31 "2013-12-09T19:03:29Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I want to say THANK YOU to all the good vendors out there, the ones who’ve always taken good care of me as a customer. I deal with them politely and respectfully, I follow their advice, I trust them to do my repairs and upgrades – and, so far, they’ve always stood behind their products and services. That’s probably because your approach is entirely different than the customer in the OP. If he had said “I seem to have messed up my computer” or “I’m not sure what happened,” and then accepted that it was his own actions that caused the problem when it was explained, I expect the OP would have done his best to take care of him in the most cost-effective way possible. I think people who generally get good service do so for 2 main reasons. 1. They’re polite and nice, so service people are disposed to be nice and helpful in return, and 2. They understand the realities of the constraints that service people are under, so they accept that they may not get exactly what they want. Because of #2, they are likely to see an imperfect customer service situation as neutral or even good where the jerky person would think of it as bad. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/32 "2013-12-09T22:14:13Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > \*\*Fuji \*\*- Nah, I wouldn’t have it changed. But I do think the expletives you choose to use reflect something of your beliefs. Would you be defending the use of the n-word as a replacement for “cuntomer”? Just curious. For me, I find both similarly ugly, and telling. Would you agree, or not so much? Both words are offensive, but the n-word is worse than cuntomer. You can tell because people are using the word “cuntomer” in this thread, but are not using the n-word. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/33 "2013-12-09T22:28:21Z")
> [@Doughbag](#): > > …and in the [Cambridge Dictionary](http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cunt) the first definition is _an offensive word for a very unpleasant or stupid perso_. Which was the definition in which it was meant. > > There is nothing wrong with calling someone a cigarette. One of my friends gets very irritated and furious when I call him \*Larry \*– beats me why, but it’s very funny. When I was in high school a guy named Larry would buy some of the kids beer on the weekend. He was…casual about his hygiene… Some guys started to use “Larry” as an adjective, as in an upon seeing a friend driving an ugly dirty car would laugh and say “That thing is _ **so** _ Larry!” ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/34 "2013-12-10T02:49:11Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > That’s probably because your approach is entirely different than the customer in the OP. If he had said “I seem to have messed up my computer” or “I’m not sure what happened,” and then accepted that it was his own actions that caused the problem when it was explained, I expect the OP would have done his best to take care of him in the most cost-effective way possible. . . . Yes! (And agreement with the rest of your post, too.) I once bought a replacement tail-light lens for my car. While installing it…I broke it. I went back to the same auto parts store, and, with a woebegone laugh, asked to buy the exact same lens again. The salesman asked what happened. I told him. He gave me an encouraging smile, and sold it to me at a reduced price. It was a damn fine bit of customer relations, because I’m now ferociously loyal to that store and wouldn’t ever go anywhere else! That’s the right kind of store…not least because I’m the right kind of customer! ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/35 "2013-12-10T03:36:20Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > Both words are offensive, but the n-word is worse than cuntomer. You can tell because people are using the word “cuntomer” in this thread, but are not using the n-word. By that logic, then, the q-ward and the z-word and the aa-word\* are equally bad… - _aardv@rk_ ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/36 "2013-12-10T11:31:37Z")
Is their poetry in iambic cuntometer? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/37 "2013-12-10T12:09:47Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > > [@Fuji](#): > > > > You’ve GOT to be fucking kidding me. > > Kudos on being smart enough to recognize when someone’s kidding. Some people didn’t think you could do it. Awesome post, 74westy. (No, I’m not kidding). ---
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/38 "2013-12-10T15:20:40Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Awesome post, 74westy. (No, I’m not kidding). What was so “awesome” about it? :dubious: I saw the two linked threads (read the first one for a page or so until my eyes glazed over - don’t give a crap about “Elevatorgate”), and I fail to see how this ranks as a witty rejoinder to my exhortation to **74westy** to stay the fuck out of the Pit if they get the vapors from naughty words. In fact, as **Miller** specifcally [stated](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16904131&postcount=29) (from **74westy** ’s second link): > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Miller** > > To be clear, I don’t personally have any particular objection to the word “cunt.” People are free to use it in their thread titles if they want, at least in the Pit. Provided, as noted above, they aren’t using it to refer to other posters, per Ed’s requirements. **74westy** ’s first [response](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16910672&postcount=6) to the OP (“_Would a mod please change the headline to Idiotic IT [very bad word]omer?_”) was pure [Helen Lovejoy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh2sWSVRrmo)-ism. Keep clutching those pearls, Princess. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/39 "2013-12-10T16:04:17Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > \*\*Fuji \*\*- Nah, I wouldn’t have it changed. But I do think the expletives you choose to use reflect something of your beliefs. Would you be defending the use of the n-word as a replacement for “cuntomer”? Just curious. For me, I find both similarly ugly, and telling. Would you agree, or not so much? Oh, shut the fuck up for cunt’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2013, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763/40 "2013-12-10T18:15:17Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > That’s probably because your approach is entirely different than the customer in the OP. If he had said “I seem to have messed up my computer” or “I’m not sure what happened,” and then accepted that it was his own actions that caused the problem when it was explained, I expect the OP would have done his best to take care of him in the most cost-effective way possible. Exactly, this is what normally happens; customer brings in faulty IT equipment and I fix it up for them. 99.99% of the time is works just fine, but the odd 0.01% something weird of funny happens. This idiotic customer was just a special breed of gobshite. > [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > So now you know, and I do, that how language is used varies across the pond. On this side, it’s use is pretty clearly an indication to a great many, perhaps a majority, of great misogyny. I sure do and I’m glad that you now understand that “Cunt,” in Irish-English, is the same as it is in Euro-English. Its primary use is vulgar, but not obscene. It is not primarily a rude term for “vagina” nor “bad woman,” and its subject is usually not feminine at all. “Cunt” is just an irreverent way of refering to a fellow. The word may also be used in adjectival form — “Cuntin’.” > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Is their poetry in iambic cuntometer? Guess, sweet feck all, it’s all gobshite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idiotic-it-cuntomer-some-people-should-not-be-allowed-to-own-any-it-equipment/675763.md?page=3)