"X has put me in a bad mood" - this is childish, yes?

[Anna1976]

AIBU to think that every time something unexpected happens, the appropriate response is to work out how to fix it or work around it, and get on with life with a minimum of fuss?

My parents seem to think that the appropriate response is "the computer is playing up, this has put me in a bad mood, therefore I am entitled to stamp and shout, growl at people, and complain a lot about how stupid the computer shop people are, and about how much i hate that stupid little wheel that just goes round and round and round, and how stupid youare for having bought me the computer and set it up in the first place"

I'm trying not to get drawn into their childish shite, but would love to have something effective to say to them along the lines of "grow up". But telling 70-somethings to grow up is pointless, isn't it - especially ones with no empathy

I do get frustrated :-) I can however cope with most things re the laptop and I do use memory sticks to store photographs . When I was attacked by a Mega virus I took the laptop to a local repair shop who did a total clean and reboot of the hard drive. The tablet is another matter-it appears to have a malevolent mind of its own. I have had it since Dec 2011 and it has been replaced once, repaired once and threatens to develop terminal nastiest.I have developed a sort of fondness for it though and I would hate to be without it now. Thanks for your replies to me and good luck with your parents. I really started using a computer properly in 2006 when I had breast cancer though I have had one for a little longer I think.

Thegreylady - I like the idea of the tablet having a mind of its own ;-)
You sound like you're doing excellently if you've only been using a computer since 2006!

If you worry about the laptop dying or something - the simplest solution is antiviral software and external backups. The local computer repair shop should be able to help you with both of those.

(1) have antivirus software on there, set to update hourly. Big brand-name antiviral software is probably the way to go - they can afford to put the resources into keeping their software up to date. You might want to scan your computer the first time in the company of someone who knows how to interpret "clean up or delete?" kinds of questions.

(2) have an external hard drive backing up hourly. If set up correctly, even if your laptop dies, you would be able to retrieve everything from the external hard drive. It's mildly fiddly to set up the first time, but very much worth it.

Tablets don't seem to have antiviral software available for them yet. The tablet is presumably being backed up to your laptop, anyway.

PS. Sorry to hear about the breast cancer. Hope that you're doing ok.

Thanks Anna you are so kind. Touch wood I am OK now though I couldn't do a ten mile hike to save my life :-). I,m not sure I ever could. I am lucky in having a friend who is very patient with my computer problems and he and his wife will come over and sort it out if needed. I use AVG free on the laptop but I also have a Malware thingy which I run once a month just in case. My dh is 77 and he has just started using a tablet (never a laptop). I bought him a cheap tablet for Christmas and he cheerfully Google's model railway shops and sends the occasional email. He mostly uses it to play solitaire though!

Sounds good, thegreylady

This is a bit like my DH getting irrationally cross with himself when he spills something/drops something. He gets so worked up and then kind of sulks at himself