Problems with your computer? Seems family members, friends are the go-to 'expert'

Gordon Peters
Tuesday, 04 May 2010 02:45

Your IT - Home IT

A survey of 1,200 full and part-time Australian workers has revealed 80 per cent of workers have asked a friend or family member for help with their home computer - with 20 per cent asking for help at least once a month.

The Newspoll study commissioned by remote access software company, LogMeIn, found that more Australian workers have asked a friend or family member to fix a problem with their home computer, compared to 53 per cent of respondents who revealed they asked an IT professional for help.

According to the research, out of the 80 per cent of respondents who have asked for help with their home computer from a friend or family member, females (89 per cent) were more likely to ask for help compared to males (73 per cent), while the study also found 17 per cent of workers have never asked a friend or family for help with their home computer.

According to LogMeIn senior business manager, Matt Fleming 'there's a resident 'geek' in every family or network of friends that people turn to for help with computer glitches,' and he says 'If you're that go-to person, you don't always have the time to physically be there to provide help. Also, as anyone will tell you trying to assist someone over the phone can be frustrating when you're not sitting in front of the same computer screen.'

Talking up LogMeIn's own technology, Fleming clams that with LogMeIn's remote technology,'it is now simple to log-in to another home computer no matter where you are or the time of day. Whether you're on a notebook, desktop or iPhone all you need is an Internet connection to remotely access a desktop.'

'It is simple to quickly and securely take control of a desktop and walk your friend or family member through the problem without having to physically be there. Computer gurus can now solve problems at a fraction of the time it usually takes,' Fleming says.

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