Methods and Motivations for Informal Technical Support
Computer Help at Home: Methods and Motivations for Informal Technical Support Erika Shehan Poole, Marshini Chetty, Tom Morgan, Rebecca E. Grinter, and W. Keith Edwards GVU Center and School of Interactive Computing Georgia Institute of Technology 85 5th St NW Atlanta, GA 30308 USA {erika, marshini, baggins, beki, keith}@cc.gatech.edu ABSTRACT home, as well as the complexity of the infrastructure Prior research suggests that people may ask their family and connecting these devices, has increased. Despite the rapid friends for computer help. But what influences whether and uptake of residential networked computing, however, a how a “helper” will provide help? To answer this question, number of researchers have remarked on user experience we conducted a qualitative investigation of people who difficulties associated with home computer and network participated in computer support activities with family and setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting friends in the past year. We describe how factors including [8,10,12,15,17,20,30,32,34]. Moreover, as residential maintenance of one’s personal identity as a computer expert computing infrastructures have become more complex, and accountability to one’s social network determine who professional technical support services have not sufficiently receives help and the quality of help provided. We also matured alongside the technologies [10,15,30]. discuss the complex, fractured relationship between the numerous stakeholders involved in the upkeep of home Thus, residential computing infrastructure setup and computing infrastructures. Based on our findings, we maintenance requires having someone with technical provide implications for the design of systems to support knowledge to take primary responsibility for the care and informal help-giving in residential settings.
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