18 Problems Only Tech Support Workers Will Understand

8. How The Modern World Really Works

To most people, technology is just a black box. Not in the sense of browsing the internet and playing Candy Crush but in the sense of how the technology behind all that actually works. When we use the chip and PIN machines we know there€™s a secure Bluetooth connection to a base unit, usually only one line out so they can only take one payment at a time on all machines, etc. We know when it takes ages then you get declined when there€™s money in the account that it was just a timeout, meanwhile the shopkeep is staring blankly at the terminal and apologising profusely. Techies know the back-end systems that hold everything together and it lets them understand things in more detail. When we see an error message somewhere we tend to know instantly what's wrong and how to fix it. That background knowledge, along with a generally analytical bent, lets techies traverse the technological jungle we live in like trackers and guides of old. We know the shortcuts and the shortcomings and every techie out there has at some point hacked into a hotel wi-fi or had to help reset some computer system/printer. In short, a techie is a good thing to have in your family or circle of friends. But remember, a techie is for life, not just for Christmas.