Chris Pirillo » tech-questions

How To Cope With Rude People

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 11 May 2010 06:25:49 +0000

If you have dared to think that I’ve been rude to people in any capacity, might I give you a glimpse into the average minute of my average day? Yeah, how long could YOU cope with this before snapping? It’s not that I intend to be rude… it’s that I am tired of having to tolerate others who are acting rude.

When people call in, they tend to ask me the same things over and over. If you want to know something about me, why not check out the blog post created to help answer most of the things asked too often?

If you want to email or call to complain about the chat room, you might want to read through the rules. They are very basic, and ensure that our community runs as smoothly as possible. You may not agree with the rules, and that’s okay. Create your own channel and set up your own style of moderation. You have to remember that we have people of all ages in that channel, and we have sponsors who don’t like to see talk of illegal or disgusting things. I still haven’t figured out what the fascination is with talking about hacks and cracks, anyway.

I love what I do on a daily basis. I’m still passionate about technology and communities. However, I fully admit that there are days it’s difficult to keep cope when it seems as though no one wants to act with maturity and class. If you have a tech question, try to find the answer via a simple Google or Bing search. If the answer is too difficult to understand (or impossible to find), change up your search terms. If you still cannot figure it out, ask someone (like our community or myself).

For the love of god, don’t ask the same simple question that has been done to death and then get mad if I end up sounding rude when I answer you.

How To Cope With Rude People

Tech Questions and Answers

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 11 May 2010 05:59:28 +0000

Tech Questions and Answers

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

After we did another round of live phone calls, I decided to place Pixie on my lap and answer a few of your burning questions (at least, those being posted in the open chat room at the time). Mind you, only the questions were burning; I couldn’t answer questions related to burning sensations.

And to anybody who thinks I was a bit short with my answers – that was intentional. They were scrolling by so fast, I wanted to get to as many as I could. Plus, so many of the questions were impossibly general (answered before several times over in the hour preceding).

If you ask a “what is better” question in our live chat room, you’ll see one of the bots answer you with: “Chris recommends you use what you want to use, download what you want to download, try what you want to try, buy what you want to buy. These choices are all personal in nature, so it’s always difficult to answer the question of “which is better” (so don’t be surprised if Chris doesn’t answer your impossible question).”

Imagine being asked the same question every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year – then imagine how you would answer it for the 1,000,000th time. Imagine that.

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Tech Questions and Answers

Answering Your Tech Questions in an Interview

Chris Pirillo — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:38:59 +0000

Answering Your Tech Questions in an Interview

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

David Risley from PCMechanic wanted to interview me. Instead of just replying to his email questions, I decided to make a video so I can share my opinions with all of you.

Pc Mechanic is a site full of tech information. PCMech is about computers and technology. They define “PC” a little more broadly. Yes, PC stands for personal computer. Much of their content is about personal computers. But, since they first launched, technology has evolved and now there is so much more to talk about than just computers. So, they cover technology. They cover the internet. They cover – yes – computers, hardware, software, etc. I love their tagline… “Helping normal people get their Geek on”. That is great!

A lot has been said about Windows Vista and whether it is ready for prime time or not. I believe you have recently downgraded to Windows XP (as have I), and you have made no secret about your frustrations with Vista. Do you think Vista will eventually be as accepted as XP, or are we looking at the beginning of the end for Windows? This is a good question. Overall, I think Vista will eventually be as widely accepted as XP. It will probably take a couple of years though.
What, if anything, do you think Microsoft needs to do differently in their next version of Windows? In a word… EVERYTHING! Put the backward compatibility into a Virtual Machine. At this point, Microsoft needs something completely new and different in order to compete. I’m not sure whether they are going to be able to do this or not.
I noticed you’re using your MacBook a lot. Are you turning into a dedicated Mac user? Do you plan to ditch Windows altogether when Leopard arrives? The answer to that is… possibly. I’m looking for a sponsor for a new Mac Pro. I already have one designed, and know exactly what I need. If I get one with Leopard on it, then I will be making the official switch.
Do you have any thoughts about the closed nature of Apple? Sure, their machines may run well but that is because they control both hardware and software. Apple makes Microsoft look like an open book. Any thoughts? You are right in one way. That concerns me about Apple… the fact that they are closed in nature. It creates a great user experience, yes. However at some point you have to let it go. The iPhone has been virtually crippled because of the fact that it is so closed. Developers are in the right to complain loudly about Apple not allowing outside development software. It would make Apple even better in my opinion if it were to be more open.
Do you think Apple hardware is much more expensive than PC hardware? Or… do you agree with some of our Mac readers when they say that is a myth? It’s a myth, yes. People who complain about expensive hardware are probably using cheap end model PCs. There are a lot of variables at play. A good gaming rig is going to cost you a lot more than any Mac ever will.
Did you build your own computer? Do you upgrade a lot, or do you tend to stick with a machine for awhile? I used to be into building them, but then I got away from it. You never know who to blame when there is a problem. Is it the hardware? Are the drivers to blame? It just got to be too much of a nightmare. Buying off the shelf is easy, as long as you get the right components.
Your live webcam feed is obviously a hit. What is it like having your office broadcast to the internet all day? Have you had any concerns about privacy? I had to go out and order a separate SDSL connection to dedicate specifically to the video stream. The Comcast business service I have just isn’t enough for me to run everything I need to. There are always privacy concerns, of course. As long as I keep my layers of protection in place, I’m ok.
You are obviously well known for Lockergnome, but also for your stint on TechTV. I have to ask – has any thought gone into your current online video work evolving into an internet-based TechTV-ish network? Well, this is pretty much what I’ve done, really. I’m trying to do my best to integrate the community in as many ways as possible, and to help our members.
Lastly, you’re from the Seattle area. Why is Peets coffee so much better than Starbucks? Let’s put it this way… you could go to the Outback to get a steak. But will it be a “good” steak? Well, maybe. In my opinion, not so much. I equate Starbucks to McDonald’s. It’s consistent, but it’s not quality. I want excellent tasting coffee, and Peets gives me that. I’ve tried many different stores, chains, brands… and none of them compare. Peets is just outstanding. You can even order it online!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

Answering Your Tech Questions in an Interview