I'm the head tech support for a fairly popular piece of software, so I can sympathize with you all. The problem, as Parabrat and Watchdog have pointed out, is that the general populace is either ignorant (I use that in a literal sense and not the degrading one) of how to use a computer or they're too lazy to figure it out themselves. It bothered me so much that I put a link to
this in my signature. The irony of course, is that the people it is intended for won't read it either.
So what have I tried to do that I think works best? The same thing I do to a fellow student that is having trouble with their latest assignment: point them in the right direction, but don't tell them what to do. That way, they can get used to looking at the faq or reading the manual for pertinent information on the topic they're curious about instead of just getting an answer. That is, of course, for the people who don't like to help themselves first.
Honestly, we're fighting a losing war. As computers become more and more commodities, people aren't going to learn more about them; people will just expect things to work without having to fix something. As a for instance, my parents tend to have difficulties doing anything with their computer, so I occasionally get phone calls asking how to do things. Most of the time it's just something they can change in the options of whatever particular program they're using at the moment, but they don't think to look there and try it themselves. They just get flustered, and I think that's how a lot of people view computers and more broadly, electronics in general. Think: setting the time on the VCR. How many people do you know that don't do that because they're either too lazy or get frustrated doing it?
Well, that was much longer than I had intended it. I just thought I'd throw my two cents in (as well as that nice link).
-Ecks
