# What were you THINKING? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 397
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8311 "2026-09-21T05:14:01Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Fuck off Beck, not every thread is about you.  Are you new here?         (just kidding, I know you’re not) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8312 "2026-09-21T05:32:46Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I know what I need to know. No, you obviously don’t. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > And this afternoon, I took the bull by the horns and wiped the computer. Once I got rid of the McAfee popups, it’s been smooth sailing ever since (so far). DId you use a paper towel to wipe it? What does “smooth sailing” mean? Do your printers now work? Just exactly what the hell are you saying? No wonder techs get frustrated with you. People trying to provide tech support are not interested in poetic allegories – they want specific symptoms and error messages. That whole thread you started was a waste of time, and I’m sorry to say, that’s all on you. Please learn to be more informative and systematic about how you discuss problems. > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Fuck off Beck, not every thread is about you. You tend to be an abrasive asshole in general. You apparently need more happiness in your life. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8313 "2026-09-21T08:24:00Z")
Called it! ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8314 "2026-09-21T09:55:24Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > That whole thread you started was a waste of time, and I’m sorry to say, that’s all on you. Yes, some time of some people, which they graciously volunteered to try to help someone, was largely wasted. All those who tried to help are probably, and understandably, thinking some variation of this right now: > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Jesus Christ you are a bigger idiot than anyone even thought possible. > > How do people like you actually function on a day to day basis? However, in my opinion, actually saying this to someone’s face, or worse, writing it on a message board to be indelibly stamped for the foreseeable future, is vile. Especially considering that whatever she did with her computer was to her own property, affected no-one but her, and with the results of which she is reportedly satisfied. By all means, @Eyebrows_0f_Doom, vow to never help her again, or vow to never help anyone again, slam the door and turn the key. But keep your vicious inner nature to yourself. In case anyone can’t tell, I agree with this: > [@wolfpup](#): > > You tend to be an abrasive asshole in general. You apparently need more happiness in your life. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8315 "2026-09-21T11:46:36Z")
This is the pit right? ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8316 "2026-09-21T13:20:45Z")
Some people are off limits. Well, actually one person. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8317 "2026-09-21T14:26:03Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > How’s 'bout you fuck off, nobody asked your input. Who asked for yours? ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8318 "2026-09-21T15:15:04Z")
Sure I’m abrasive to clueless idiots who have a history here of posting racist comments. (Not in the mentioned thread but in many in the past.) Nearwildheaven isn’t some innocent in need of white knighting. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8319 "2026-09-21T15:46:26Z")
People have varying tolerance for racism, which is inversely proportional to their willingness to white knight for racists. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8320 "2026-09-21T15:53:22Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Sure I’m abrasive to clueless idiots who have a history here of posting racist comments. Yeah, this also makes me not give the poster any slack whatsoever either. Fuck 'em. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8321 "2026-09-21T16:31:32Z")
Forget it, Jake.\* It’s Chinatown, a.k.a. the Pit. \*If you think you’re the Jake I’m addressing, you are. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8322 "2026-09-21T16:44:22Z")
@Mighty_Mouse: Total agreement. With a side order of “You don’t have to be stupid to be a racist. Way too many smart racists out there. But being stupid sure helps.” @CairoCarol: There oughta be a Carly Simon song in there somewhere. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8323 "2026-09-21T20:10:28Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > However, in my opinion, actually saying this to someone’s face, or worse, writing it on a message board to be indelibly stamped for the foreseeable future, is vile. In the general context of civilized discourse, including online discourse on anonymous messageboards, I completely agree with you. But as @SuntanLotion pointed out, this is the BBQ Pit forum. It exists for the specific purpose of allowing posters to heap vile scathing abuse not only on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune IRL, but also on one another. Anybody who can’t stand being called a dysfunctional idiot, or worse, by an irritated fellow poster really ought to stay out of the Pit. (And that’s not a self-serving take, as I personally don’t care to do overt name-calling even in the Pit, as a general thing. But rules is rules, and the rules is that Dopers don’t actually have to keep their vicious inner nature to themselves in the BBQ Pit forum.) ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8324 "2026-09-21T21:03:52Z")
Well if nothing else I’ve learned how to be more useful when I’m calling my IT guys about a tech issue. It’s not too bad usually because they just remote in and can see what’s happening for themselves. Remote desktop had to be a major technology boon for IT people. Prior to that I’m not sure how you did the job at all. Incidentally, “Have you tried turning it off and then on again?” works for a lot more than computers. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8325 "2026-09-21T21:18:43Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Remote desktop had to be a major technology boon for IT people. Prior to that I’m not sure how you did the job at all. That’s easy to answer: by moving our asses to the desks that had the issues. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8326 "2026-09-21T21:25:05Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Remote desktop had to be a major technology boon for IT people. Prior to that I’m not sure how you did the job at all. I used to do regular training classes on our software over conference calls. A class of 5-10 people that I am giving instructions to on a voice call. Including how to install the software from a floppy disk on a pre-windows PC. With people who were often quite new to using computers at all. Not sure how I survived. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8327 "2026-09-21T21:29:10Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > > [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > > > However, in my opinion, actually saying this to someone’s face, or worse, writing it on a message board to be indelibly stamped for the foreseeable future, is vile. > > In the general context of civilized discourse, including online discourse on anonymous messageboards, I completely agree with you. > > But as @SuntanLotion pointed out, this is the BBQ Pit forum. It exists for the specific purpose of allowing posters to heap vile scathing abuse not only on the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune IRL, but also on one another. Anybody who can’t stand being called a dysfunctional idiot, or worse, by an irritated fellow poster really ought to stay out of the Pit. > > (And that’s not a self-serving take, as I personally don’t care to do overt name-calling even in the Pit, as a general thing. But rules is rules, and the rules is that Dopers don’t actually have to keep their vicious inner nature to themselves in the BBQ Pit forum.) Minor mention to this - but _specifically_ this thread was created to try to _correct_ posters, or call out moments of temporary insanity. No, it does NOT change the rules of the Pit, or require people to be constructive, but ideally anyone who: > [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Sure I’m abrasive to clueless idiots who have a history here of posting racist comments. Should have their own Pit thread already, and be discussed there, at least if it’s for their _habitual_ behavior. Not that I’m the boss around here anyway, but that’s the platonic ideal of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8328 "2026-09-21T21:36:13Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > Not sure how I survived. IME the big advantage to telecons, zooms, remote desktops, etc., for that work is that no matter how infuriating the other party is, I can’t get my hands around their throat by remote control. So no risk of my arrest for murder. No matter how justified it / they would have been. 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8329 "2026-09-21T22:10:08Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > That’s easy to answer: by moving our asses to the desks that had the issues. Boy, it really speaks to how our times have changed that I never even considered that. I’ve never worked for an agency that had its own IT department though. At my current agency we contract one company, but they’ve been with us for decades and have a very solid understanding of the issues involved with confidentiality and security when it comes to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. They are great guys and I think we’re very lucky to have them. And usually they can solve issues remotely but sometimes they will come out on site. It’s a whole event when they do, though. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2026, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/8330 "2026-09-21T22:25:04Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > > > That’s easy to answer: by moving our asses to the desks that had the issues. > > Boy, it really speaks to how our times have changed that I never even considered that. In-person support is always best when available. But remote desktop sharing isn’t some new thing from the pandemic. We were using pcAnywhere in 1994 or 1995 for remote support. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > And usually they can solve issues remotely but sometimes they will come out on site. It’s a whole event when they do, though. Yeah, when your computer won’t boot or your hardware fails, there aren’t a lot of other options. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=396) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=398)