I have been working in technology with hardware and software for a long time. I have seen to good, the bad and the unexplainable.
Here are some of the unexplainable things…
Why do software problems just work when I do the same thing that others have done to fix it? I see things fixed in many ways by many people, but sometimes things just seem to fix themselves. Has this happened to you? I claim no magic, no horse whisperer kind of connection, no electromagnetic fields. But sometimes things just work when try to get them running by doing what others have tried (or at least they said they tried it).
Why do things work when I just walk over to someones desk? This is akin to the one before only this time I don’t even touch anything. I just get close and things work.
Why are there others like me that I see these same things happen to also? I see it happen when some others do the same things I do (usually those who seem to be very adept at using the software). They may not know how it happens either.
Why can’t I apply this same effect when I need to fix my leaking faucet or a sprinkler pipe? When I touch anything mechanical, it becomes worse. If I try to fix a leaking faucet, the handle snaps off the water valve and it gushes water all over the floor before I even touch the faucet to start fixing that. Now I have two problems to fix.
There are just some strange things that happen which I cannot explain… does this happen to you? Can you explain it?
5 Comments To "Some Things Cannot be Explained"
#1 Comment By Donovan On September 21, 2010 @ 6:53 AM
1 word, midichlorians
#2 Comment By Sean On September 21, 2010 @ 1:22 PM
I know the feeling. I generally always try to have users repeat the steps on their computer while I’m watching. I often find that they are not actually doing what they say they were doing, or I notice some other discrepancy when I watch them that helps explain things. I wrote about this over at CADDtips.com [1]
Then again, the magic that I bring just by touching things is great job security!
#3 Comment By Robin Capper On September 22, 2010 @ 11:08 PM
“Computers are 90% logic and 9% luck.
The other 11% has something to do with math.”
Not sure of origin but saw this posted by “Mags” on the MindManager Forum
#4 Comment By Tim McDougald On October 1, 2010 @ 4:37 PM
While I totally agree with both Donovan and Robin, I too have the same issue where things suddenly work right when I walk up to the desk. I can not explain it either.
My Dad was always real good at this on the mechanical end of things, I remember calling him once and asking him to “come touch my car” because it wouldn’t start. :-/
#5 Comment By Wayne On October 11, 2010 @ 1:14 PM
Sometimes I think people just like to complain, and when you walk up… you let the wind out of their sails. Problem solved.