For some clarity, I’m using an app on my phone that’s having a specific issue. When I attempt to open the app, it shows the company name, it then freezes, and closes. When I try to open the app again, it does the same thing but then gives me an error message after the app closes. The message was saved as a screen capture so I could send it to support. Even after saying all of this, the company asks for a screen recording of the issue as if some new information is going to be uncovered, to which I refuse. Why do you need a screen recording to understand that when I click on the app, it opens to the company logo, it freezes, and then it closes? Are these words simply not enough to understand what’s happening?
So reddit I must ask, am I the Ahole for refusing to send a screen recording to tech support even though the words used to describe the issue are more than sufficient?
If you were a software engineer they could take your word for it. Is it particularly onerous to take a screen recording? YTA.
YTA, this is a weird point to try to make, especially against the people you’re going to for help.
Literally I was like bro do you want your shit fixed or not lol
YTA My SO works in IT and at my job I need to collaborate with tech support. A screenshot or screen recording takes the least effort and is much clearer than a description in text. I always send a screenshot and they can figure it out quite quickly, because all the information they need is in the screenshot.
YTA, if you want your problem to be fixed, send a screen recording.
It’s not that hard.
I work in tech support. Sometimes someone reports a bug to me, I ask the devs about it, and they request a screen recording. When that happens part of what’s going on is that I’m being told that the developers don’t have enough information to start an investigation.
There may well be more information available in the screen recording if being watched by someone with a trained eye than you realise.
Now, I’ve no idea if the person you’re talking to has spoken to a dev about your issue and the request has come from them, or if they request a screen recording from everyone who contacts them, but if I had requested a screen recording from you, you wouldn’t be the asshole if you didn’t send it, but YWBTA if you didn’t send it and expected the issue to be investigated regardless.
YTA
So you know exactly what the support needs to fix your problem? Then go fix it itself. Do you think they have nothing else to do, but watch your screen video? They wouldn’t ask for it if it wouldn’t be necessary.
A video would show so much more information. Like small reactions of the app or the time it needs to show the error message.
That said: you are an asshole for wanting them to fix the problem, without giving them information they ask for and then thinking that you know better.
Yeah, YTA. You want it fixed? Then send a video. What are you worried about? If it’s privacy which seeing other apps on the screen, you just move the app to a separate new page by itself and they won’t see other apps.
You would have had it done and sent to them while typing this post out.
YTA
User descriptions of problems are often incomplete or leave out things that the user didn’t realize was important or focus on the wrong detail.
This is why tech support wants screen shots, screen shares and screen recordings. So they can see for themselves.
If you don’t want to give them what they need to help you, they will just move on to other issues and not help you.
It’s weird to come here for such a question, but sure. YTA. Bro, just get it over and done with and send the damn screen recording. In the time it took you to complain and write this reddit post, you could have quite literally sent them a recording. This shit took far more effort 🤣💀
Also, they need to see the issue physically to pinpoint what’s going on. You need to remember that they deal with a lot of people, as well. You might think you’re being clear, but it could be anything unless they see it. And also, I’m sure they’ve seen a hundred people explaining something, only for the issue to look very different.
YTA. You need help, they asked for more information to help with the query. You are not in the position to tell them what they do and don’t require to help you.
You’re the reason some IT techs hate their jobs.
YTA definitely. Take 30 damn seconds and record your screen, or don’t complain that the app still isn’t working for you. They’re asking you for what they need. Holy shit.
YTA. They are trying to help you. So that means you should be doing everything possible to make their job easier. Because when you do, that means the issue gets taken care of that much faster. But no, you want to be a snit and act like you shouldn’t have to put in the extra effort.
Do you know how to build apps? Do you understand the architecture underneath? Have you ever worked in tech support? If the answer to any of those is no, then sorry, YTA.
In the word of Gregory House, everybody lies. Not intentionally I’m sure. But you can describe something and miss a step or a button that your recording will show. The reason they want a recording is they can’t reproduce the error you’re describing with those steps. So instead of telling you to GTFO they want to help you funnily enough.
If you want it fixed, send the recording. – signed, a frustrated software engineer that can’t fix “it doesn’t work”