Why you should never Google tech-support numbers

Topic

New Reply

I’m sure that most people here know this but some that are new may find it helpful.

Need help from HP? Or Dell? Or just about any other computer or device maker? Don’t fall into this trap.

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/why-you-should-never-google-tech-support-numbers/?tag=nl.e214&s_cid=e214&ttag=e214&ftag=CAD3c77551

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

Reply | Quote

Replies

Yup – if you want support for (say) a Dell, you go to Dell. It’s obvious really, but surprising how few people think of it.

Reply | Quote

It’s not always that obvious, though. A lot of people–even otherwise intelligent people–can be confused about where the URL box is. They believe they’re typing in a URL when they’re actually entering it into a search box.

The URL box can be obfuscated–think: IE, in which the URL box looks like another open tab; or Firefox, which has two similar looking boxes on the tool bar. Couple that with start pages like MSN or Yahoo or Comcast that give you a prominent search box at the top of the page that looks like a URL box, and it’s no wonder people mistake the search box for the URL box.

Say you tell the average person, “Go to the URL box at the top of the window, type in ‘www.hp.com’, and when you get to HP’s home page click the ‘Support’ button.”

More often than not he’ll unwittingly be typing in a Yahoo search box, end up with a page of search results instead of HP’s home page, and that page will contain links to “HP Support”. After falling victim to the trap lumpy refers to, he’ll adamantly insist he did go to HP’s home page and wonder, “Why does HP’s home page have links to scammers?”

Reply | Quote

I’ve never used URL to describe that dialog box to clients, only Address box. One types [or copies and pastes] the URL in the Address box.

Before you wonder "Am I doing things right," ask "Am I doing the right things?"

Reply | Quote

Lots of computers I have used will do a search on a web address, rather than going to that web address. The only way I’ve been able to force the browser to always go to the web address I type in is to type the entire web address (including the “http://www.”).

It is shocking how much browser activity is tracked by Google and others simply because people don’t realize (or don’t care) that Google et al are returning search results rather than the actual web site you want to go to.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

Reply | Quote