Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

Spirit_2

Sue overall it sounds like a fab day yesterday. A tough journey but you did it, good to know that you can, even though it sounds exhausting. My heart goes out to Josh, it is difficult navigating such life changing times and even the most confident young people can find it a challenge. If you believe fB all freshers have a whale of a time. What most mums know is that in reality many find it tough and are a bit lonely. Josh has battled more than others to find his way, so this may just be a bit of a hurdle.

michaels

Who says having kids cramps your style. Went out late on Friday evening and didn't get home till 5.30 on Sunday

Now of course we have the worry of 'is she breathing too fast, is she wheezing too much' etc. I will get at an o2 sat meter tomorrow.

The NHS is great but if you paid you would feel you had the right to ask what was going on, when things would happen etc instead of feeling powerless and just having to be grateful.

vivatifosi

Sue, really pleased for you and the boys. The timing of getting the new car could not have been better.

silvercar

SingleSue wrote: »

The drive went extremely well yesterday except my relief driver didn't want to take over the driving because he didn't feel confident driving a new (to him) car. Rather defeated the object of his coming along and it did leave me extemely tired for the end part of the journey home but I am incredibly proud of myself for actually being able to drive there in the first place.

Well done! :j

Josh was like a little boy lost when we left (although he covered well), he didn't go out last night and sat in his room playing cards alone. He is unable to get on the halls internet as he doesn't have a laptop (we have a shared home laptop which he was unable to take), only his Ipad and that is not helping matters as he cannot use the internet to distract himself or talk to friends at home.

Is there a plan for getting him online. I can only imagine how socially isolating it will be not to be online. I know that some students with special needs get access to some fund that provides a laptop. Is this his plan or will he use his student funding?

Generali

michaels wrote: »

Who says having kids cramps your style. Went out late on Friday evening and didn't get home till 5.30 on Sunday

Now of course we have the worry of 'is she breathing too fast, is she wheezing too much' etc. I will get at an o2 sat meter tomorrow.

The NHS is great but if you paid you would feel you had the right to ask what was going on, when things would happen etc instead of feeling powerless and just having to be grateful.

That's part of what I like about Aussie health care. They want to understand what does and ddoesn't work for you and the outcomes that you are looking for. They don't just force a solution on you and get angry with you if you anything other than pathetically grateful.

LydiaJ

GDB2222 wrote: »

I have one of two responses. The main one is to ask them to hold on whilst I turn on my computer. Then I put the phone down and get on with something else. That keeps them busy for a few minutes whilst they are not scamming someone else. Or, if I am feeling particularly public spirited, I let them take me through their script, being sure to make lots of mistakes.

The other response is to have a chat and ask them whether they can't get an honest job. Several of them have told me how bad they feel about what they are doing. I'm still not going to let them near my computer though.

DS dealt with one of these people while I was out last week, as a public service to keep them busy harmlessly talking to him for as long as possible. Here's his account of what happened:

Her: I am from Windows tech support and I have detected a virus on your computer.

Him: Oh, have you got my IP address?

Her: No, I have your computer security codes.

Him: Wait, so how did you scan my computer without my IP address?

Her: No, you see we have your security codes.

Him: Oh, all right then. Can you read them out to me just so I know you have the right computer?

Her: No, no, I cannot do that, because, well, err, you might be a different person and then you could steal the computer identity.

Him: Oh all right then. Can I tell you the code and you can say if it is correct or not?

Her: No, no, it will be fine.

Him: Oh all right then. Is this about the Mac? [We haven't actually got any Macs]

Her: No, this is Windows. How many computers do you have?

Him: Umm... let me see... err. two plus five and then... err... twelve. [We actually have five]

Her: Twelve? Wow! All right.

Him: Right, which one do you want to start with first then?

Her: Um...

Him: So, which operating system... Windows Vista, Windows 8, Windows XP, Windows 98? [DS's actual computers run Windows 7 and Windows 10 but he made sure not to mention those.]

Her: Yes Windows.

Him: Do tablet laptops count?

Her: No. No tablets.

Him: No, it is a tablet/laptop hybrid. [This is actually true]

Her: Are you at your first computer?

Him: Yes. The Mac. [Remember - we haven't really got one of those.]

Her: No. No Macs, sir. Windows.

Him: Right, here we go. I have one in front of me.

Her: Right sir, can you locate the Windows key on your keyboard?

Him: You mean the start button?

Her: Yes, the Windows key. Can you also find R?

Him: Yes I can.

Her: Now press them at the same time.

Him: [Quickly googles to find out that this will open up Run] Right yes.

Her: Has anything opened up sir?

Him: Yes, Run has opened up.

Her: So do you know a lot about computers, then sir?

Him: Yes I do.

Her: Right, now please type in "cmd"

Him: [Not doing anything to the computer] Yes, right.

Her: Has anything opened up?

Him: Yes a command window has opened up - a black box.

Her: Now type in this [says a string of letters]

Him: [Pretending to type] Done that

Her: Now hit enter on the keyboard.

Him: Uh oh!

Her: What?

Him: An error message has come up. It says that my water injectors have gone offline. [Referring to part of a steam engine]

Her: All right.

Him: Should I move on to a different computer?

Her: Yes all right.

Him: What about a Mac?

Her: No, no Macs, sir.

Him: I am in front of a different computer now.

[Same list of instructions occurs. DS pretends to type stuff in.]

Her: Now read that back to me before you hit enter.

Him: [Realises he can't do that because he hasn't typed any of it anyway.] I need to go and find my glasses. Hold on. [Makes stamping noises while finding paper and pen] I have my glasses. Please give me the list of letters again.

Her: [Reads letters again] Can you read that back to me?

Him: [Writes letters on paper and reads them back to her]

Her: Hit enter

Him: Oh no! My computer overheated because it is so hot where I am right now, in England. What company did you say you were from again?

Her: Windows tech support.

Him: Oh, so you are like, in America, then?

Her: Oh no. I am in Oxfordshire.

Him: [Thinking this is a blantant lie.] Should we move on to a Mac then?

Her: No, no Macs. Only Windows.

Him: I am in front of my Panasonic 2987 mark B 27 beta point 6 computer, J class.

Her: Right. Good. [Goes through instructions again.] Hit enter.

Him: Oh no! It is not working. It has crashed. I bet it is because this is using Windows 98, which will not be compatible with all this fancy new technology. I still do not understand how you were able to detect my computer without using its IP address.

Her: Can you use a different system?

Him: Mac?

Her: NO! Only PCs sir. Do you have internet?

Him: Yes, I am connected on the [name of his school in spite of the fact that this is taking place at home] internet using the boiler enhancer mechanism. It may be a problem that I have modified the computers with the portable USB TM device.

Her: All right sir. So you have internet, then?

Him: Yes I do.

Her: Please go to [lists URL]

Him: A warning has come up. It says that ... Where did you say you came from again?

Her: Oxfordshire.

Him: What city in Oxfordshire?

Her: Oxfordshire

Him: So should I be using Google then?

Her: Sorry, what?

Him: Google.... you know Google, right?

Her: No

Him: And you say you live in Oxfordshire?

Her: I have only been there for 3 months.

Him: Do you know what? I am good with computers, and I know when I am being scammed. I am not going to give you any information which I should not be giving you. Try someone more gullible. Goodbye. [Puts phone down]

He says that next time he intends to tell the person that his computer is voice activated and then "be" the computer in conversation with them.

mystic_trev

I use a klaxon down the phone. I bet there's a few deaf Indians out there

SingleSue

Josh had a much better day today, it started quietly with a walk to the second nearest Asda as his quest for Coke life yesterday was unsuccessful at the closest one. This trip was much more successful as he found his required drink....walk was much further though.

There had been discussions amongst the flat about finding somewhere that did a carvery for lunchtime but in the end, nothing came of it.

However this evening, Josh, another lad in the same flat and 6 others from other flats went for a stroll in and around the local park which is opposite the university. Lots of talking and very grown up behaviour followed (hmm, thought they were supposed to be not very grown up students!). Following that, 6 of them including Josh went to their campus SU, played pool and had a quiet drink...much more Josh's style than the foam party held at the other SU as part of Freshers.

Whilst he was there (and waiting his game on the pool table), he found a workaround for his internet issue after reading about someone else having issues and the upshot of is that he now online!

He is now a much happier Joshie.

Re the laptop, he has a needs assessment very soon and that will give him access to receiving a laptop. He will need to pay the first £200 and any upgrade costs over and above what they provide but mum and dad have already said they will help him with those costs as a going away to uni pressie.

In further news, his non medical helpers are already in place, the uni have been brilliant in providing them before the needs assessment has taken place and the funding provided. He meets his first one tomorrow lunchtime and he will be with him for the rest of the day.

ivyleaf

Oh Sue, that's brilliant news. You must have been so worried, but it looks as it things are starting to work out :T

Lydia That was brilliant! I'm not nearly so imaginative if one of these people phones me. If they say there is a problem with my computer I just say "No, there isn't." and put the phone down.

michaels So glad to hear you've been able to take DD home I hope you got some sleep last night and weren't on tenterhooks all night listening to her breathing.

Chewy Thanks for posting that lovely pic The girls look more different now (speaking as someone who's only seen a couple of pics, obviously) than when they were tiny.

So pleased, my brother sent me a couple of DVDs from Germany and only one arrived a couple of weeks ago, so we thought the other one was gone and my brother (who worked for the Post Office many years ago and saw a lot of theft by agency workers) was convinced it had been stolen. It has just been delivered! Goodness knows where it's been in the meantime, but it's here now. If anyone had stolen it they'd have been very disappointed to find it's an old series with Trevor Eve, called In the Heat of the Sun, I think brother said.

The other one is Fortunes of War, which I'm looking forward to seeing again

michaels

ivyleaf wrote: »

michaels So glad to hear you've been able to take DD home I hope you got some sleep last night and weren't on tenterhooks all night listening to her breathing.

Thanks IL - of course at bedtime she started up an evil sounding cough and slight whizziness and when the alarm went off at 3AM for her medication (subutamol puff) it was hard to go back to sleep for me as her breathign was pretty noisy. However it was noisey but reasonable speed (30 breaths a minue ot the 60 when we first took her in) and her neck and stomach were caviating so I decided she would be OK and she was but I really don't liek that being unsure feeling where the options are to assume all is OK or drive out to the hospital (30 minutes in the cold and dark) and probably get readmitted for a few days. This morning she was very bright and kept asking why she wasn't allowed to go to school, even the medicines that were so disgusting at hospital seemed to be fine to take, especially with the threat of a return to hospital if she didn't take them. Kids bouce back so quickly.

Now I have a strange headache. When I was in SA and got pneumonia it was after being very close to DD2 caring for her when she had it first and it started with a funny headache...