Length of Shower: call this 1-800 number for troubleshooting this problem into an answer--I like to consider myself a patient person. I can wait to be paid from people who owe me for long periods of time. I can wait patiently at red lights or for cars to make that always longer than necessary left turn. But when it comes to electronics not working I become a red-headed child with a temper and no afternoon snack!
So, the other day I was happily going through my day when I needed to print out my simple resume. But little did I know how complex it would become. It started simple enough. I printed a test print to make sure that everything was looking good. It didn't look so good, however, because the left side of the page had all the words cut off. I remained patient and calm and starting looking for how to fix the problem. Oh, I just needed to print the paper with a command called "borderless printing." No problem. But do I give that command from the computer or the printer or both? I went for both. Then I printed again.
It printed fine as far as borders go, but this time it printed in all a dull grey ink. Huh? How did that happen? Remaining calm I looked through the operating manual for the printer and then tried several things, but to no avail. "Fine" I thought, "I'll just call them." So call them I did. I was on the phone with a very nice man named Malcolm who talked be through several things dealing with the printer. We ran a test sheet, which proved that the ink and printing was fine. I printed a different document from my computer and that also turned out fine. However, the one thing I wanted to actually print was still not correct.
That's when Malcolm informed me that this was a problem stemming from the computer program I was using (WORD by Microsoft) not being compatible with both my Macintosh Operating System and the Canon printer I was using. "This happens sometimes when Microsoft software goes through the MAC system and then into our printers" he informed me "but it is a problem with Microsoft and I can no longer help you. Contact them."
Oh great! Now I have to call another big company and be put on hold again only to go through a bunch of tests with them and blah blah blah. "I've spent over an hour already on a simple problem!" I yelled inside my head.
As I did my best to contain the steam coming out of my ears, I refused to call them and instead made myself some lunch to feel better. After a brief lunch I decided that I could probably re-type my resume in a word document and make some slightly different marginal changes and it would print fine. I did just that and, in fact, it printed fine.
How about that!? I fixed the problem myself by avoiding the issue all together and doing more work for myself but in the end somehow saving myself precious time by not calling yet another major company. Take that you big companies who don't want to play nice together only to cause the consumer frustration. Sometimes avoiding the problem DOES help :)
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