[silencio]

Oh I'm fully aware people do do this all the time and it happens to pretty much anyone with any kind of job. I'm wondering why people believe their relatives would be willing to do a favor in the first place purely based on relation and even sometimes with the assumption they wouldn't mind doing it at a discounted rate because of that. I'm sure anyone who's spent enough time with family talking about what they do have encountered that before.

[staunch]

My Mom's computer was acting up recently. She called me thinking I'd help her. I told her how rude it was to just call me up expecting instant support. Then I sent her my rate card, a simple NDA, and a standard short-term contract. Really man, I'm with you, some people have such nerve!

[silencio]

aww I'm not that mean ;) my parents are entitled to all the free support they want from me, and the same goes to close friends. however, a third cousin twice removed that I didn't even know existed until recently shouldn't expect the same :p

[quantumhobbit]

You're missing out on some quality WTF moments though if you refuse tech support to family. I once spent 45 minutes on the phone with my sister trying to fix her internet. She finally wondered aloud, "Does it matter if the phone plug doesn't fit perfectly?" "You mean the ethernet cable?" "That's not the same thing a phone wire?" "There's you're problem."