Lots of folks in the tech industry take troubleshooting skills for granted. Advice for fixing problems often starts with the phrase "Oh, you just..." implying that fixing technology is a breeze.

Most people in the tech industry also know deep in their dark little hearts that technology and especially computers are disturbing, annoying, fickle, and often maddening.

In an effort to save people from wasting $70 an hour on mobile tech support companies, I've drawn up a few guidelines for approaching issues large and small. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on the problem, but I hope this list will help tame the savage responses of many experts and help newbies find their way a little more easily.

First, take a breath
Before you do anything else, stop and take a big deep breath. Put the device down and walk away. Go outside, play with the dog, watch some mindless TV, eat an ice cream cake. OK, great. Your mind is clear. Now go take another crack at solving the problem.

Sometimes all you need is to clear your head and find a fresh perspective. Then you play around some more, and you find the solution is right in front of your face. The sense of accomplishment you get when this happens is addictive. If it doesn't work, though, follow these next steps before throwing the offending gadget through your neighbor's window. (Never throw it through your own window; that's expensive!)

Steps for troubleshooting
1. Read the manual
I know you don't want to. But just because the manual doesn't always help doesn't mean it will never help. If nothing else, the information in the manual may help you eliminate several possibilities. Have you lost the manual? No excuse. You can usually find it online. In fact, you might even find it right here at CNET in our My Products function.

2. Ask around
This is one that seems natural, but even experts will forget sometimes. Ask your friends, your relatives, people at work, anyone you can think of who might have experience with your type of problem. People love to help, especially with tech stuff, because it makes them feel important. It's what drives egomaniacs to become writers at places like CNET.

3. Go to online forums
If you can't find help in person, you can probably find it online. Many manufacturers operate message boards where users of their products can help each other out. Other message boards operate independently on a specific topic. All of these places have expert users who are more than willing to answer questions if you're polite and respectful. Do a search on your product and look for message boards or forums. If you can't find one dealing with your particular product, try looking for a general help forum such as CNET's forums. And seriously, don't be afraid to ask questions. You may have to wait a day, but it will be worth it.

4. Contact the manufacturer
When all else fails, give the support line a call. Of course these days, the support line might be an e-mail address or an online chat room. But if you're having an inexplicable problem with a product, the manufacturer has some responsibility to address it. You may even be able to take it back to the store where you bought it and get help there for free.

When all else fails
OK, seriously, if all this doesn't work, I would not throw the device through anyone's window. I would seriously think about getting it exchanged. But if it's an old product or a particularly thorny issue such as a plasma TV calibration, it might be worth paying for repair help. Just make sure you've really exhausted all the other options. Good luck out there. Remember: even though some technology is smarter than you, you have thumbs.