People's Understanding of Internet and E-mail

[TiG]

As some of you may be aware I stupidly decided to take up IT at my current place of work (worst mistake I ever made in job satisfaction), and thankfully i've only got 9 days left here.

But today has been another one of those classic highlights for me on A) The stupidity of people and B) the way that they don't tally up what technologies sit together to make a solution.

Our Main internet pipe is down, i'm running on the backup one that is for a completely different purpose (support solution, external vpns etc, wouldn't support our main E-mail bandwidth requirements - hardly anyone knows this one exists either). But i've gone round and communicated the fact that Zen is down, ETA to fix is 10am so shortly, and since letting them know our internet is down, i've had 4 different people say they are expecting an e-mail, why hasn't it come in yet?.

Please give me strength, i was fine on request 1 and 2, but after 4 people (10% of our business comes and asks the same question - i really do have to wonder)

The INTERNET IS DOWN = E-mail is down at least from external customers, don't worry they are stored via the backup mx records, they'll turn back up shortly after the internet is back up. It's just shocking in a very complicated technology company even the technical phone switch engineers are complaining of why isn't e-mail coming in, after knowing the internet is down!.

TiG

[Jay]

People just don't listen, that is the problem

IT is like this...

1. If its works its normal

2. If it doesn't work its bad

3. There is no good.

In IT never expect the users to do the right thing, say thank you or use their own problem solving abilitys. One good thing to keep in mind, if no one notices what you are doing you are doing a good job.

[peterb]

The technology is taken for granted!

I get comments to the effect that "The internet isn't working" - what is meant is that there is a problem with web browsing or the e mail client isn't connecting - but it is all labelled under the generic term of "The internet". There is no differentiation (or mental connection) between the service (e mail) and the enabler (the internet connection).

[Moby-Dick]

its all about the communication - and telling them exactly whats going to work and what isn't.

then burying all those that upset you underneath the server room floor.

[peterb]

.....then burying all those that upset you underneath the server room floor.

Which is why server rooms have suspended flooring!

[Steve B]

Go BoFH on their ass

[dave87]

Basement, Water, High Voltage?

Perfect.

[Lee H]

I hear the following a hell of a lot when I ask for an email address.

" Sorry... it's not working, my computer is broke "

Since when has an e-mail address been solely based on an active PC

[TiG]

No its not all about communication, that makes it worse. You send an e-mail around advising of a failure and what it affects, guarenteed i'll get additional phone calls with this isn't working. So how does you can't find an e-mail relate to the file server undergoing maintenance?.

Are people as stupid with things other than IT?, or do we suffer stupidity syndrome with anything technology based?.

TiG

[cougarslam]

pretty much anything tech based.

roll on pervasive computing thats when the real problems will start.

[[GSV]Trig]

Do you not have an excuse sheet full of random technobable reasons as to why things dont work?

[Jay]

I love it when you giving some one your email and they ask

"is that in upper or lower case?"

[badass]

Its simply because the vast majority of your workforce dont engage their brains day to day. As soon as something thats nor normal happens, they dont sit back and think for a second - they phone you instead. Now, due to having a seperate helpdesk number, and a contractor on that number, I simply dont bother to answer the phone for internal calls

[Jay]

100% true.... They just don't think and make you think for them.

[Zadock]

I'm not in IT myself but my understanding is above average because I'm interested and read... What i find irritating is that some people know nothing but they seem to think its cool that they have no IT know-how like it somehow implies that they have a life where the person who does know is a geek and doesn't. Very sad.

[nichomach]

What i find irritating is that some people know nothing but they seem to think its cool that they have no IT know-how like it somehow implies that they have a life where the person who does know is a geek and doesn't. Very sad.

"OK, now you need to click on the "File" menu..."
"Don't get technical with me, I don't know all this technical stuff"
- Translation - "I am a jerk and proud of it. I know that I should be able to open a Word document to do my job, but I am determined that I won't, but that you will do my job for me. No, I don't want to learn, either."

"OK, now we need to check a couple of details on your PC...can you see the icon on your desktop labelled <name of dialup connection>?"
"Forget it, I can't be bothered with all that mumbo jumbo, I'll drop my laptop in the office when I'm in"
- Then why the **** have you just wasted my time calling me to complain about your dialup connection, and asking me to sort it for you?

"OK, we need to restart your modem and router, it's a really simple quick job..."
"I don't know what those are"
"That's OK, they look like..."<cut off in mid sentence>
"I DON'T DO TECHNICAL STUFF. Can't you send someone out?" ("Out" being a 2 hour trip in each direction)