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Tech Stories Archives - May 2008
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1.
V0daf0ne rant #1 of ?
Greetings from surprisingly sunny England! <rant> I hate v0daf0ne. I really, really do. My company has 20+ 3G modems which were advertised as the perfect connectivity solution for our mobile external staff. A week after we deployed them every single one of the modems started acting up; no 3G network signal, spontaneous demands for admin username/password, 30 seconds of connection before the signal drops, modem ports permanantly refusing to reopen even after reboot, etc. After three months (averaging at least three calls a day to the support line) we have got to the point where external staff are ringing up to literaly scream at me that they can't do any work. When they quit (4 so far) and the laptops are returned for data salvage and re-imaging there are never _any_ work-related files on the machines. So they can't connect to do any work, but they can manage to download 6 or 7 GB of music/films/games/ etc!? How? Through long-range telepathy? </rant> Does anyone in the West Midlands area want a network support technician?[By: solderwontdo / 2008-05-01]
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Document, Document, Docu.... - ShujinTribble
...then roll documents into a pointy cone, dip in lemon juice and begin eye-stabbing. -solderwontdo
I feel your pain, i work for $mobile phone company (not voda in case your wondering) and have been up to my eye balls in mobile broadband problems for the last 4 weeks, although looks like there's light at the end of a tunnel, we have a fix going in today, fingers crossed it works -EgoSumNoxNoctis
Momma don't hate my vodaphone, momma don't hate my vodaphone... Sorry, just popped into my head when I read the title. -VFox
Suggestion... don't use the 3G modem provided software. create it as a dialup modem using *99# as the number to call and an AT string as follows: AT+CDGCONT=1;(insert APN name here) hopefully that should work, but my memory is shot an it's been a long time since I did this stuff. -Tarantulus
VFox: My honest-to-$root first reaction was, "oooOOOHHH!!!! **BASTARD!**" Thanks for that trip down Memory Lane -ShujinTribble
Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week. <G> -VFox
yeah if you fidn a decent place to work in west midlands bag me a position too :-P -r3tude
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2.
My name is....
I have a very simple name that is not extremely common (although in this area it is more common than normal). I have worked with a guy for 4 years now. He still calls me by the wrong name. I have corrected him several times in the past. We have socialised outside of work. I have met his wife, we have children that are 2 days apart in age. He still can not get my name right. I'm not sure if I should break out Otis for this or just order new name tags....grrrr[By: frprinterwiz / 2008-05-01]
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Start doing the same thing to him. If his name is Fred, call him Ted! It'll give a halfway normal person a clue. -TieDyedDinosaur
Aw. How many other folks expected the next part to be: "...Inigo Montoya"? -Tekkie
Actually, the first thing that occurred to me when I saw the title was, ". . . wikiwikiwiki, Slim Shady." -Big Bad Mojo
*agrees with Tekkie on this one, had been waiting for the line* -Grue
Heh, When I saw the title of this post, the first thing I thought was the Aqua Teen Hunger Force theme. "My name is...
Shake-Zula. The mic-rula, The old schoolah, Ya wanna trip? I'll bring it to ya...." ;) -rokitt
hmm... simple name, not very common,but common in certain places. ... "Benny" Montoya? ;-) <My name is Ghost. I'm in the LART shelter, prepared to hide!> -TheGhost
"Hello Dave" Tigger in "Only Fools and Horses" -Zoomer
How about me? You know how hard it is to NOT tell people my Nickname/handle of "Shujin" when I meet them? And then it's ALWAYS butchered... "HI, Shoo-gee!" (*SHUTTER!*) -ShujinTribble
So they take a picture of that look on your face, ST? -VFox
VF - You mean THIS face? (^_o) ..yeah. That one. -ShujinTribble
Don't answer or respond in any way to anything other than your actual name. -Stryker One
Acually, the first thing I thought of when I saw the title of the post was, “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” /Princess Bride - had to be said. -MSimmons777
One of my regular substitute teachers (every time a teacher got sick, there she was, first choice for the admins) constantly called me Andrew. Time and time again, I remind her my name was Matthew. I tried having her call me Matt, but somehow that turned into Anthony... -linuxmatt
Do you have 6 fingers on one hand? -lineswine
I have to agree about not answering to anything but your correct name. I go by my middle name, but in high school there was one teacher who insisted on calling me by my first name. Finally, after several requests, one day I just didn't answer her until she called me by my middle name. She never used my first name again. -sassicatz
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3.
Mobile broadband is the work of $atan
Following on from Solderwontdo's voda rant, about 4 weeks ago i recieved a mail from one of our customers saying that their mobile broadband dongle works on their network but when they roamed on our's it wouldnt. It turns out it never worked since inception (about 4 months) but only chose now to tell us, not only that they didnt bother to test that it would work. Roll on 4 weeks of intensive testing and investigations, the problem turns out to be any packet being sent thats exceeds the MTU size of 1500 fragments (as it should do) however the fragments dont reach our firewall and so the packet gets binned. On monday we think we found a fix, emergency change gets put in and is scheduled for 3PM today. Now im ready for pre and post change testing, 3pm comes and goes, 4pm comes and goes, nothing happens. Turns out the change is postponed till next week and no-one decided to inform me so thats my afternoon wasted. "This is EgoSumNoxNoctis calling the Lart shelter, request clearance for an air to ground Lart"
[By: EgoSumNoxNoctis / 2008-05-01]
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Negative Ghost Rider the pattern is full. <someone had to say it> -TechnoTherapist
Sounds like time to find out who ordered the change and have a answering machine /auto response telling anyone who calls in about the problem to contact them for a eta on the fix being implimented -Zoomer
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4.
As BBQ Season Approaches
The first of the TSC BBQ's (of Doom) is a mere month and a half away. So for those who don't frequent the message boards this be a little reminder. http://www.techcomedy.com/members/message_board/viewtopic.php?p=131138#131138[By: DedSysOp / 2008-05-01]
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5.
BBQ Season for the South East?
Going from story http://www.techcomedy.com/single/new_stories.php?content_number=75011 , who would be interested in one for the South East this fall? I've got 90 acres to camp on, 4 hotels within 20 miles for those not willing to tent it, and kid safe horses to trail ride. BBQ pit already dug, a bonfire area, and my land touches the states oldest cemetery for those interested in the midnight macabre. Having the get together depends on the number of parties interested. The location would be North West Alabama (close to Muscle Shoals and Florence) and it can easily be made a 3 day weekend ordeal. So who would be on board?[By: TechnoTherapist / 2008-05-01]
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I would be interested. I'm in Northwest Arkansas so it's an easy drive for me. And screw a hotel, I'd rather camp. -BarmanVarn
I also have a firing range for both pistol and rifle for interested parties... forgot to mention that. -TechnoTherapist
*Makes mental note of TT's GPS coordinates in the event of the apocalypse.* -RiffRaff
For those of us WEST of the Missisippi, we may have to arrange one of our own. Here along the west coast we can do beach BBQ/camp -- AND... we could have a $tarfi$h throwing contest? -GoblinKing
How about TSC BBQs in Blighty? There must be enough UK TSC members within easy reach of each other to be able to arrange a potlatch? -kraftwerk
Somewhere near Dover, perhaps? Oooooh! you mean South East USA! Why didn't you say? -lineswine
sorry, lil too far for me at 913 miles
-HappyCrappy
I agree with GK, we should try to get one here in the rockies. -compbrat
Sounds awesome, but I'm 3000 miles away or so. Bummer. -Slartarama
I'd love to come, but I'm on a grad student's low budget. I suspect that gatherings of this nature will have to wait for me until I graduate. -Seamyst
Ask me again if I ever get back to Georgia... -MadJack
Dammit, I am on the wrong side of the pond. as usual :( -Ara
Depending on when you have the shindig, I would be interested. -conundrum
Gunplay, geeks and Guiness !! I'm in central FL but would be willing to make the trip. -Daywalker
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7.
No more phones.
So I'd been quietly told about a week ago about a new project that the client is doing for a website, and they need people to audit user-submitted content. On Monday I agreed to join the small group who were informed about it. Yesterday, on what is normally my Sunday I got a call from my coach asking me if I could come in today at 9:00am for training and so I was. SimianMilitant was also among this group. It's interesting, we don't have to deal (directly) with starfish. That said, I know that I'll at least hang out here at TSC, though I doubt I'll have much to contribute, other than the odd POTD every once in a while. I think it'll be a few days before my nightshift-turned-dayshift sleep schedule adjusts, though.[By: Seamus / 2008-05-01]
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...we shall look forward to whatever contributions you have - welcome to the world of daylight. -GoblinKing
Nooo! The daylight is evil! EVIL! Don't leave the night! -LazyLemming
The yellow face, it BURNS! -Darkridr
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8.
Veni, vidi, vacuum (for brains) (3 of 3)
Icing on the cake: the head of corporate security is in the cc: list and will be aware (if not already) that an entirely
wrong account was enabled and had the password reset by $IA without verification. I'll have to wait until after the weekend
to follow the rest of that fallout.
Twenty minutes later, I get a reply from $Requestor. I figured on all sorts of possibilities: more freakouts, who's to blame, why didn't it get caught earlier, etc., etc. (I wouldn't be thinking this if there hadn't been a history of this. Really.) Instead, just a terse thank-you.
And my faith in humanity grew three sizes that day. - No, that was my squeedlyspooch that grew. It's either that or my socks are bunching up again.
[By: teivrann / 2008-05-02]
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Oo, the LART that keeps on LARTing. You got your very well-mannered licks in & I expect CorpSec is gonna have a few words, too. -Tekkie
Well, I can't take entire credit for the cc - we have to 'reply to all' with everything. I have a funny feeling someone else added his name there to point out we did something wrong. - Backfire :) -teivrann
you work for my IT department right? LOL - having my own horror stories getting my login straightened out as it seems they didn't suspend my accounts but deleted them...oh well.. -frprinterwiz
I've had something similar happen to me. When I started work for $MailOrderCompany, I was given a user name for the $OrderSystem based on a misspelling of my name. My supervisor said it was more trouble than it was worth to correct it so I let it stay. Years later, I was trying to log in and my user name had gone away. I find out it had been deleted because it didn't match an employee name on the roster. I preferred the misspelling at this time as it was just convenient. Long story short, I had to have my user recreated about three days in a row before the monkey who kept deleting it stopped. -Xiphiplastron
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9.
Veni, vidi, vacuum (for brains) (2 of 3)
*snip*
Hi $test_of_my_sanity,
According to the screenshot below, the UID $wrong_id_provided is what arrived with your original request.
<screenshot: cluebat_01.jpg>
We forwarded this information with the creation request, and as such, no new $UID was created for this user.
<screenshot: cluebat_02.jpg>
I've attached confirmation that it's now been created as $proper_UID, created on ticket# $I_fixed_your_problem:
<screenshot: cluebat_03.jpg>
The user's name on $wrong_id_provided does not match $new_user, and no work should have been done on $wrong_id_provided. The
ID creation ticket $wrong_work_done has been reopened to correct the issue.
$IA: Can you please expedite this as soon as possible? Please let us know if there's anything else you need.
Thanks in advance,
$Enjoying_the_circus.
*snip*
[By: teivrann / 2008-05-02]
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10.
Veni, vidi, vacuum (for brains) (1 of 3)
Ah, the entertainment. It never stops.
Typical process for a new user: $Requestor submits order for the user ID ($UID) plus whatever other access requirements are
needed, all based upon the $UID. Barring any confirmation needed for possible duplicate IDs, it's mostly pretty smooth.
Mostly.
The Law of Quantum Starfish Misconceptions predicts that the number of possible variations on, or deviations from, the above
process are greater in number than the number of atoms in the known universe. Okay, maybe I'm the only one who predicts that,
but reality has a way of sneaking up on you from above. Like jagulars, only it doesn't say 'hallooo' first, it stabs you in
the neck and growls 'Owned'.
The order in question today was a two-part request. Part 1: A form requesting a new user, but is set to 'existing user' and
provides a previously existing $UID. This happens on occasion, usually with rehires - no processing is needed on Part 1. Part
2 is network access creation; this is processed and sent to ID Admin ($IA).
Then comes the notification request from $IA, saying the account has been enabled (not created, like it was requested) and
the password has been reset. (*BZZT*PLOT POINT*BZZT*PLOT POINT*BZZT*PLOT POINT*)
The exchange becomes heated when $Requestor freaks out, asking why she can't create requests for this user, since the $UID
can't be located. The $UID doesn't match the typical format created either, as they're supposed to borrow the first few
letters of the last name. This mismatch shouldn't happen on new IDs; it only happens occasionally when an existing user's
last name is changed for whatever reason (typically marriage), and the actual $UID isn't changed.
$IA says the ID does exist. This marks the beginning of a potential "yes it is, no it's not" match, interrupted only by a
heated demand for a reason why the name doesn't match the ID created. I can tell one of them is searching by $UID, the other
by user's name. Technically both right, but more of a perceptual infinite loop.
This is like a classic Asimovian 'roblock' dilemma that breaks $IA's heuristic understanding of existence (see above, re:
'jagulars'), and they promptly dump it on us and ask for an escalation. I do a few checks on what happened, realize that the
original request provided an entirely wrong $UID (for a user whose gender does not even match the new user's), follow the
history of the email, and fix the problem. And then I start drafting my none-too-passive-aggressive (and
none-too-meticulously worded) reply:
[By: teivrann / 2008-05-02]
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So, since you were asked to 'mediate', did that mean you had an opportunity to make up an entirely different $UID? -TieDyedDinosaur
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12.
Starfish Moments
I've just received an email with one of those godawful inspirational stories, this one involving... starfish! Nothing special, but capped off wonderfully with the closing line: "Please e mail $LADY with your Starfish Moments." We sure have a lot of those here...[By: Spongor / 2008-05-02]
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must be a way to send her each and every TSC post -stiffarm
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13.
WANTED! NT/OT
One girlfriend insane enough to actually date me! Reward if found. <reward amount dependent on quality of item found.> [By: TechnoTherapist / 2008-05-02]
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wuh?! when did this become "match.com"??? -Tarantulus
hey... a guy's gotta try... right? -TechnoTherapist
If I can entice the EvilStepDaughter into a crate will you accept C.O.D. ? -Zoomer
Sure, but how long can I keep her in the crate? -TechnoTherapist
can she use the radio-carbon method to date you? -gashach
Come to Dublin and I'll go on a date with ya :P -Ara
dresses up in womens underwear and shouts "Take me you handsome man" :-P -r3tude
things were seen... that cannot be unseen... -r3dn3x0r
Arn't there companys in russia that specialize in this sort of thing? -garwain
Dude; you're a geek. Program a girlfriend already. -RiffRaff
.. from my heart and from my hand, why don't people understand my intentions? </boingo> -veaudaux
Man... now I have to figure out a way to get to Dublin... -TechnoTherapist
Ara: I'm in Dublin... Oh, Wait... You mean THAT Dublin.. I'm in your Sister city... Dublin, Ohio.. guess no date... :( -VWFtech
I can think of someone who's been geek-hunting for most of this year.... ;-) <bfek9g> -Gromit
seriously... program one. It worked quite nicely in 'Weird Science.' -GoblinKing
If it was feasible to program one, I'd have done it years ago. -TechnoTherapist
I can think of one...do you like being called "Daddy"? -lineswine
Stranger things have happened: My wife and I met on a Usenet .alt group. -MeanDean
ls - I DO! -ShujinTribble
(O_O) ...oh. waitaminute.... -ShujinTribble
Being called Daddy? I can't find any bad there... so the answer would be... YES! -TechnoTherapist
I'm single and not looking, but I don't mind flirting...:P -TranceGemini
<da>that is what this was made for http://www.techcomedy.com/members/message_board/viewtopic.php?t=8294&highlight=single </da>
-compbrat
Dude, I'd send some of my exes your way except for the fact that they're total bunny boilers (have to be to choose me) and are (fortunately) on the wrong continent. I do tend to pass on their names, haunts and preferences to people that have pissed me off though. r3tude, thank you, that mental image has now scarred my mind beyond all recognition (Ouch?) I don't think there's any ammount of brain bleach that can clear that one! -Loon
Yes, but the person I have in mind wants to make anyone & everyone "daddy"...biologically or otherwise. But the miscarriages keep getting in the way. -lineswine
"Fear me, love me, do as I say, and I'll be your slave" /Goblin King - Labyrinth (Bowie) -AngrySup
too far away in age and location mate. and i respect you too much to offer the eldest offspring - she is way high maintenance:) -timelady
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15.
Interesting article
I was pointed towards an interesting article in ComputerWorld: http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9080699&source=NLT_AM&nlid=1 Your help desk career: Dead end or launching pad? The gist of the article is that there are 2 views on whether working help desk is good for your career: It's a dead end and you'll always be a HD tech, or it's a good way to go further in IT.
Having read the article, I tend to agree with the view that it's a launch pad. I started at my current place of employment as help desk. Within months, I was in charge of hardware repair and replacement. Eventually, I was offered a place on the Windows team. My team lead had a similar advancement path.
So, out of curiosity and Friday-spawned boredom, I put it to you my tech brethren and sisteren: Is HD a dead end street or a path to greater things?[By: Grayhawk
/ 2008-05-02 ]
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So far as I've seen at my site (and to a limited extent within the corporation) it's a dead end. Unless you're willing to get that pre-frontal lobotomy and become a member of manglement or luck into an opening in notwork management, once a help desk technician, always a help desk technician. And even there your job is in danger as they continue to outsource positions and entire sites... -VoiceOfSanity
Definitely a Launchpad, especially for those of us (like me) that have the ability, but not the scrap of paper (hereafter known as a certification) that says I do... but it's true that too often I've seen good techs get stuck in the helpdesk rut, and never get out again. -Tarantulus
I started as (read "the only) help desk tech for a private company website helping company agents as well as customers with using the company's website. Did that for 2 years while I took some MCSE prep classes. 1 year later I got my first Sys Admin job, was there for 6 months before I landed my current Sys Admin gig where I am now. Been here for 5 years and it couldn't be better... So, yea. Help desk is a great launching pad - IF you know where you want to go and work toward it.... -JoeLugian
i say launchpad is a good metaphore. it can stand under you while you take off, or hold you while you blow up. -gashach
I would say launchpad. I started as th only helpdesk person at my company and am now the senior server person here. -mrpersonality
I would say launch pad. Starting on the help desk allowed me to see the larger picture. You have to admit we had a very unique picture at that. -formatCdrive
Depends on the place you're at. Where I'm at (law firm) there isn't any way out unless you leave. A co-worker that left recently has a job and they have lots of room for growth/advancement. I don't plan on staying here much longer. -Starfury
Starfury has the right of it. It depends on the company. If there is an upward path from helpdesk, or if there is only one helpdesk tech and it's a company with significant IT needs, helpdesk can be a launchpad -- if you're any good. If the HD job you end up with has nothing above it that is not management, you're doomed. -chazz
It definitely depends on your attitude and how you view it. Think it's a dead end and it will be. -ecoli
ecoli - I'd like to think of it as a launchpad, but I know from practical experience that it can also be very much a dead end. Where I'm at now looked like a launchpad, but the company has changed directions as far as IT goes, and is now outsourcing everything, including site tech support. So what looked promising is now very much becoming extinct in my area of expertise. And unless I'm willing to leave (which would be hard, my pension is already vested) I have to find a new area of expertise, such as web design or database admin... -VoiceOfSanity
I'll second ecoli - it's what you make of it. I've never seen it as more than a stepping stone to the next job, others have quit because they think it's a dead end. The company I work for may be an exception though as we both have and use a training budget, some of which is allocated to the helldesk. If we can provide a valid business case for the course then we get it. I've yet to come up with a valid excuse for LPI certification in a totally Windows company though. It doesn't mean I've stopped trying, just that I haven't succeeded yet! -Loon
For me, it was both. I worked for an outsourcer, and while there it was a dead end job, but that being said, the contacts I made with the client allowed me to get a job there that I wouldn't have had a chance getting by walking through the front door. -Bynar
I started as a Helpdesk tech in my current organization and actually was promoted to Net Admin 5 months later. Previous Net Admin being pushed out the door did help though. One of the many reasons I was promoted was because previous Net Admin kept transferring me his tickets. So I got to demonstrate my knowledge on many occassions. Apparently I impressed the right people as they promoted me and will be hiring a new HD Tech. :) -PCChaos
I'll go midline and say its a winnowing field. You can quickly tell after a while who has the ability to go further and who is barely staying out of the HR office. And people are watching. -Darkridr
Saw this on your blog already, a short & simple reply:
If you're INTERNAL I.T. help desk, you can make your way from there with the requisite drive, determination, etc.
If you're working for an outsource co who's only function is to act as the EXTERNAL customer techsup line, fuhgetabboudit. In places like St.Ream et al, the only way to go up is the less challenging non-tech field of supervision. Like they'd ever let anyone they consider a t1/t2 'script monkey' off the phone queues to manage 'user' PCs or the company network.... Phone Support TSRs in outsource houses? The company I.T. dept sees US as the SF they have to deal with. -MadJack
Where I work, my job is a dead end job. I've been there almost two years. I've seen others hired after me promoted into management. Recently our company took over another one. I was one of the ones brought in on 'the ground floor' of the 'new/old' business. I was told that I was one of the best picks for advancement, into training, management, my choice because of my abilities, attendance whatever. Since I've been in this new department, my hands have been tied even more than they were at the old job. When I questioned my boss about the 'advancement' he had hinted was around the corner, he informed me that I was probably one of his best call handlers and they couldn't afford to put me anywhere else. HHmmm, more I think he doesn't want me going anywhere else in the company because I'm one of the few there that actually deals with the customers, help them where I can and follow through on the calls I can. I'm currently looking for something else. -NanoGeek
While I'm not technically "help desk" in my background, I see a lot of parallels in my security work- a specialized service field, are you able to build it into better opportunities, or are you doomed to stay where you are? I think the management side can work for moving up to a better position, but it's important to think of training for management as learning how to understand how to work with people, and how to explain your field to others in management to show it's real value. If you can actually make it work, you can help others in your area by "defending" their interests with the managers, beancounters, etc., and make it a better place. -Voz
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16.
(NT) Get-That-Job-Karma req. (*BLUSH*)
I know.. I know.. I don't ask for much... but this time I am...
Local confectioners Butterwood ( http://www.cakeart.com/ ) has had a sign up looking for staff to help out.... and since I got a 'Dude, sorry... no job right now, I'll keep you in mind, though!' from the photog guy I wanted to work for (my old wedding photographer)...
So... (Breath) Yeah.. this time, I will ask for that karma you guys have been holding onto for me for the last three years. (Yeah... it's three years as of the 22nd....)
Yes, I'm a proud man.... so this is NOT easy for me - admitting I need help... never mind asking for it.
And I'm sorry this isn't exactly in the tech vein... I just wanted those that've followed my story to know - since I still have every last sympathy email from back then - had intentions of sending a personal thank you to everyone of you individually. Sorry I couldn't do it.
Again, to you, my fraternal brothers and sisters..... Thank YOU.
[By: ShujinTribble / 2008-05-02]
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Chocolate cheesecake karma on the way- -vacuumtubes
blood of the innocent karma on it's way (do you know how hard this stuff is to come by in NYC?) -DedSysOp
Shij, you've given me plenty of laughs, you deserve all the karma I can muster mate... karmakola coming to you on the wings of an angry dragon -Tarantulus
Best of luck, and all the good karma I can spare. -Gunpe
A Karmafield emitter is being set up, resonant coupling to your vicinity is expected in 42 seconds! Good Luck! -TieDyedDinosaur
KarmaKoalas headed your way... don't let them eat too much icing! -Seamyst
** Clears the Luck Dragon for a flyby of Karmaic proportions ** -GoblinKing
I'm loading the skeet launcher with Karma Peanuts and sitting inside with the remote waiting on the squirrels to climb aboard. Karma nut loaded squirrels should be flying your way shortly. -TechnoTherapist
Keeping my fingers AND toes crossed! :) -CathyV
->-- ->-- ->-- ->-- ->-- ->-- Double round of Job-getting-karma-laden lawn-darts-o-doom are en route. -Grayhawk
One Keg-O-Karma on its way! Good luck! -ecoli
A flock of bats winging your way to shower down Karma. -TechnoVampire
I'll slime you with my finest Job Getting™ Ectokarma®. The downside is... well, a tribble covered in slime... you get the picture. <Good luck!> -TheGhost
Cute and fuzzy wolfish karma puppies headed your way! -WolfPup
*** UPDATE *** GEEZE, people! I knew we were good, but..... Just got off the phone with the guy at Butterwood... I go in Monday 8:30 am (after TT's on the bus to school) and we start from there. Not makin' $Gobs-of-Money/hr.. but enough to get me back into the swing of things and stay in the black. -ShujinTribble
....THANK you! -ShujinTribble
K A R M A!!!!!!!!!!!!! -TranceGemini
Awww Yeah, http://www.cakeart.com/product_view.php?vid=89&type=&cname=Pies%20and%20Tarts -Stryker One
Do they ship orders? And is http://www.cakeart.com/rproduct_view.php?vid=92&type=retail&cname= really that price!?!? -SillyGirl
*casts karma* -compbrat
Fantastic! -Grue
Oh geez, now I'm drooling all over my keyboard! -ManyHats
/me couples his Karmatronic Confabulator© to the Sir Adam Beck generating turbine and spools it up... -ThinTheHerd
the argest karmarsupials (ancient megafauna) stye, on way to kick serious karma into the situation. and hugs to tiny one. -timelady
Here's a KarmaKitten™ for you Shujin. Best of luck with that job! -sassicatz
Karma etc. on your way. Actually, already there. -NordicPT
One 3 liter of KarmaKola "Employee Brew" special is on its way. Warning: Explodes on contact with sugar-free candies. You don't want to know why. -Darkridr
Good luck is comeing your way dear hugs -HairTech
Some Karma is on its way. -adarklite
You got my support. I'm trying to get a job as a line cook or oyster shucker in this steakhouse on the beach. I'll give you as much as I can spare! SHAZAM! -billybien
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17.
Leonard returns
for those of you who dont remember leonard, this should remind you http://techcomedy.com/single/single.php?content_number=74627 . so today, i have an install to do first thing when i get in. no biggie, they're usually pretty nice, until i see that it's for Leonard. after whining about the rotten luck, i suck it up and go out for the install. i call before i leave, as is SOP, no answer. this already is a bad foretelling, but i don't worry about it, and hope that he is just not available, boss tells me to go anyway, and bring the company cell phone with.
so i get there, and it's a Public housing High rise, so i look at the address on the order, hmm... no apt #. so i call his number again, still no answer, so i leave a message. wait a while, call again, still no answer.try calling and waiting for about a half an hour, still no response from the customer. so i tell my boss what happened and tell him i'm on my way back.
i get about halfway back and the phone rings. "this is Razmann" i answer, but all i get in response is a *click*. so i forget about it and keep driving back to the office. a few minutes later the phone rings again. i'm pretty sure it's the same person, because the caller ID said private both times, except the person responded this time when i answered, asking if i could please turn around. i explained that i waited for 45 minutes, but eventually told her i would turn around if they could promise that he would be there. so she tells me someone will be there, and to buzz #169 to call his apt.
so i turn around, drive back there, and dial #169 on the keypad, some random lady answeres, i tell her who i'm looking for, and she has no idea who that is. at this point, i'm about ready to just say screw it and go back and refuse to answer my phone any more. but i decide to give him one more chance, and call him again on my phone. this time he does answer, i tell him i'm downstairs, and the code he gave me wasn't working. so he comes down and lets me in, and on the way up, admits to me that he forgot about the install. i kinda figured that and go into the apartment and setup his DSL, took about 5 minutes. so i'm about finished up and I turn his laptop on to test the connection, and he can't remember his computer password. at this point, i'm done. i show him the lights on the DSL modem, and let him know that the 4 lights on it show it is working, and he should be all set as soon as he remembers his password. thanks for playing, see ya later. and also, thanks a lot for making me have to drive in the rain during rush hour.[By: razmann / 2008-05-02]
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as a side note, i'm still half expecting him to call up complaining that the tech never showed -razmann
Did you say.... "FOUR"... lights? -ShujinTribble
That's what you get - Power, DSL, Ethernet, LAN. At least when the DSL 'modem' is also a wireless router connected via cat-5 to a powered NIC. -TieDyedDinosaur
Or is it because you connected both USB (to PC) and LAN (to a Jet-direct Printer)? -TieDyedDinosaur
At rest, our DSL modems show four lights also -- power, status, DSL and LAN. -chazz
the modems we use have a power, DSL, Internet, Ethernet, and USB lights. all but the USB lights were on, indicating everything should be working properly. -razmann
I think I'm the only one who got Shujin's reference. And I'm sitting here naked and acting nervous as a result, but dammit if I'm not confident there may actually be five lights...... -Xiphiplastron
I got it too. I just can't think of a reference without spoiling it. -LazyLemming
I see two lights, and two more lights... which makes - some lights? -Rissa
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19.
Joy of joys!
Well, I've been gifted with the most delightful, salubrious and enjoyable experience that is guaranteed to repeat and repeat and repeat...
The firm I work for has recently set up a deal to supply laptops and PCs to our WAN customers so we can retire the thin client terminals we currently use. They have on site warranty through $supplier therefore it means less work for me as I then only support the application.
Sounds good, doesn't it? Lose the hardware support and concentrate on application only? Glee!
Except for the fact that it doesn't work like that. My WAN customers are, in general, technological morons. This means that selling them kit that is infected with MS Fista is bad enough.
Supplying said kit with a pre install which they have to set up themselves from scratch rather than a working image definitely comes under the heading of "Not Good".
Having $supplier tell them to call you should they have any problems setting any of it up? Better yet!
Having the boss turn around and say "Not our problem until $webapp is installed"? An improvement.
Being allowed to tell $supplier the above? Fscking priceless!
It's not that I dislike $supplier, it's just that the sneaky little gits tried to land Fista installation support in our laps.
Sometimes being the bearer of bad news is just FUN! (As long as it's not bad news for me I'm still grinning!)
I do pity our account manager when he twigged that he couldn't just farm out the support to us but his loss is my gain! [By: Loon / 2008-05-02]
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I believe the most appropriate term is "schardenfreude" *BFEG* -lineswine
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20.
Sentience
I swear, by the IPU, that both of my PC's are becoming sentient... First my laptop seems to develope preferences for bands and songs. On a 200 song playlist, it plays one of the 15 songs from nightwish about every other song, and it plays Seether's Remedy every 15 minutes or so... Does it for other songs too. Then, I had a customer PC with over 20k hits on the A/V which I couldn't get the A/V to run on the PC itself. So I figure I'll toss it into mine. Mysteriously, neither of my PC's would recognize the drive, yet the drive worked in any other PC I stuck it in. Just for testing purposes, my PC's DID then recognize the dozen or so other drives I stuck into them. Musical Preferences and signs of self preservation![By: LazyLemming / 2008-05-02]
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I love "Remedy" too - except that when it comes up in my playlist (either on my computer or in my car with my mp3 player), I usually get the first bit BLASTED because the volume's turned up. You'd think, after practically deafening myself three times, I'd learned my lesson, but noooo... -Seamyst
I don't know about sentient... but I've heard that if you network more than 250 Vista machines together, they'll spontaneously approximate the intellect of a slime mold. -teivrann
If you can manage to get even 2 systems with Vista installed to talk to one another YOU are a genius! -DarthLuke
2 machines? There networks of millions acting as one. Google for 'Stormbot' :) -maciarc
"Migration is futile...You will become one with the Storm!" -billybien
My laptop has a mind of its own about music as well... what player are you using? I swear my WinAmp is a Kinks nut. -Rissa
WinAMP does have a strange tendency of semi-sentience. If I make a playlist out of numerous folders (ie., the entire library of a single band's releases), within the first week of playing it, WinAMP -will- without fail have played all duplicates right after each other. On a randomized playlist, playing at random. It's creepy. It also tends to group songs I jump to at the beginning of new sessions, for some reason. I'd -love- to see the codework. -Calydor
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