I used to hang out in the chat room on weekday evenings late last year, but since I seemed to be the only "techie" person who could find his pulse I would quickly get swamped with noobs. Example:
WebUser253: HLP!!1 My cmptr isnt wrking right!!!1
Me: Ummm... Could you be a bit more specific? What OS are you running?
WebUse253: idk, whts a OS??ROFLOFLBBQ!!!shift+1!!1
***WebUser345 enters #computerhope
WebUser345: HLP PLZ!! MY copmuter cant print I need to print why cant I print help!!!
Me: Okay, hang on for a just sec while I take care of this other person first, okay?
WebUser345: k
***WebUser437 enters #computerhope
WebUser437: MY computers slow. o, do u have any codez??
WebUser253: helOOO!!11
Me: I'll be right with you 253
Me: WebUser437, no cracks in here. Have you run Spyboat/Ad-Aware
WebUser345: HEELLPP!!!!
***WebUser105 enters #computerhope
WebUser105: I dropped my laptop out my cars window on the highway, can you help me???
Me: AAAHHHHH!!!!
Seriously. I'd spend hours just trying to figure out if the person's keyboard was USB or Serial. Add the fact that a new WebUser would saunter in every 45 minutes or so with the same: "U need to hlp meee! My scrn iz alll blu and says STOP at teh top!!1" plea and I started to wonder if I shouldn't change my job searches from I.T. to something easier like rodeo clown or enlist in the Marines. One lady even asked for help with her grandkids old 16 bit NES (I actually kinda solved her problem though!). My suggestion: Use DCC chat to keep the confusion to a minimum and use Remote Assistance if at all possible!
Keep a paper bag close by in case you need to breathe into it. Oh, and log your chats. You might look back years from now and laugh. Or you might not.
Seriously, if enough helpers were present, it could work out pretty nice. Its funny and a bit ironic that more noobs know about and find their way onto the channel than techs.
--Oober Noober