Mike McQuaid

@mikemcquaid.com

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I'm CTPO at Administrate, Homebrew Project Leader, ex-GitHub Principal Engineer, author of Git in Practice and an OSS and developer productivity leader. Posting mostly automated from mikemcquaid.com. If you want me to read your reply: email me instead.

Don't Take It So Seriously
Hey, simmer down. Computers aren't part of life. They're nothing more than mineral deposits and petroleum products. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Listen to the ocean spray against the deck on the patio; listen to the gurgle of the marble Jacuzzi tub in the master bedroom.
Pretend you're driving the convertible through a grove of sequoias on a sunny day with the wind whipping through your hair and curling over your ears. Pretend you're lying on the deck under the sun as the Pacific Princess chugs south toward the islands with friendly, wide-eyed monkeys that eat coconut chunks from the palm of your hand.
You're up in a hot-air balloon, swirling the first sip of champagne and feeling the bubbles explode atop your tongue. Ahead, to the far left, the castle's spire rises through the clouds, and you can smell Chef Meisterbrau's waiting banquet.
Then slowly open your eyes. It's just a dumb computer. Really. Don't take it too seriously.

Upgrading Software Isn't an Absolute Necessity
Just as the models on the cover of Vogue change their clothes each season (or maybe that should be change their fashions each season), software companies issue perpetual upgrades. Should you automatically buy the upgrade?
Of course not! If you're comfortable with your old software, there's no reason to buy the new version. None!
The software upgrade probably has a few new features in it (although you still haven't had a chance to check out all the features in the current version).
And the upgrade probably has some new bugs in it, too, making it crash in new and different ways. Feel free to look at the box, just as you stare at the ladies on the cover of Vogue. But don't feel obliged to buy something you don't need. (And I apologize for all the parentheticals.)

Most Computer Nerds Love to Help Beginners
It's sad, but almost all computer nerds spend most of their waking hours in front of a computer. They know that's kind of an oddball thing to do, but they can't help it.
Their guilty consciences are what usually make them happy to help begin-ners. By passing on knowledge, they can legitimize the hours they whiled away on their computer stools. Plus, it gives them a chance to brush up on a social skill that's slowly slipping away: the art of actually talking to a person.
v Always be grateful when given help.
Beware of False Nerds. These are people who don't love computers but who went to some sort of school to learn a few by-rote tricks. They may not be helpful nor know anything about computers other than what they're told. You can tell False Nerds because they lack the enthusiasm of the True Nerd, the one who will help you.