¶ The Gift of Geek, 2019 Edition

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It’s been a long time since I’ve written about the role we geeks play in the larger family unit, and there’s no better time for a refresher course than today, the day before Thanksgiving.

You see, I am the Family Geek. It is my solemn duty when surrounded by family to check on how everyone is doing with their computers and gadgets. Are there any problems I can solve? Any questions I can answer? Of course there are. And I shall.

So, to quote 2011 me, here is how to give the Gift of Geek.

Some things to be prepared for:

  1. Be available. Set aside some time for one-on-one walkthroughs, or time to talk on the phone if your relative isn’t with you this holiday. That doesn’t mean you have to give up your entire holiday, but set aside a few hours for lending a helping hand.
  2. Be patient. Your relatives aren’t as nerdy as you are. Keep that in mind, and don’t treat them like an idiot. It’s new to them, and it takes time to learn new things. Also, don’t rush through so much to point of making it impossible to retain. Start with the basics. There can always be more phone calls.
  3. Run updates on their devices. One of the things I like to do is make sure everything is up to date on my relatives’ devices. There’s a few of them who never run updates, and there’s a lot that piles up over 6 months.
  4. Backups. On the same note, make sure to set up your relatives for data backup in one way or another. This will save you a headache later.

All four of those tips are as evergreen today as they were years ago. Out of all of those, number 4 is the most important. Do whatever you can to make sure your loved ones have some sort of automatic backup in place.

On iPhones and iPads, that is iCloud backup. You may have to convince your relative to spend a few bucks per month to increase their iCloud storage. 50 GB can be had for 99¢ per month, and 200 GB for $2.99 per month. That is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

On a Mac, Time Machine is the easiest option, and it is built into the Mac. But it does require plugging in a hard drive regularly. Also, a decent portable hard drive can be found for under $80, usually. Might be a good idea for a gift. For a more automatic solution, you can’t go wrong with Backblaze, which costs $5 per computer per month for unlimited storage.

Remember to enjoy yourself this holiday, too. Don’t spend the entire time solving problems, but try to do a checkup on your loved ones to make sure the basics are being met.

And if you are a loved one who is on the receiving end of the Gift of Geek, be sure to show your appreciation to your Family Geek. A genuine thank you goes a long way, and the willingness to heed advice does as well.