It really is odd that people get completely halted doing computer stuff if there is one single tiny little step even minutely different than what they were expecting.

Today, for instance, because no matter how senior you are in my field you still end up doing Level 1 helpdesk crap, I was helping a Sales Director add the company holidays calendar. I sent her directions but neglected the fact that she had to choose her own account in a step. It was the only possible choice. There literally were no others.

Nevertheless, this person was halted there claiming that it “wasn’t working.” They’d tried nothing and it all failed. At the very, very simplest of steps in a non-risky situation.

And this is the common case with people and computers. Why?