New Words

[hisamishness.livejournal.com]

I just built a new word, and boy does it tickle the tongue on the way out.

Stupidiocy tm -- The cumulative result of Stupid people doing Idiotic things. This often results in an oily stain on your soul similar in permanence to a mix of engine gunk and black toner.

The latest example -- someone submits a list of 500+ names that need to be added to a distribution list. (Exchange) The list is in Excel. First and last names in the same field. The names are NOT formatted the same way the Exchange usernames are displayed. (ie: Bob Smith, when there are 4 different Bob Smiths whose names display with different unit names tacked on the end)  Thank goodness that one is not in my queue.... ;-)


x-posted to my LJ

Comments

[jjjiii]

"Username BobSmithNoTheOtherOne already exists. Please enter a valid UID."

[phrogg.livejournal.com]

"Username NoNotThatOneTheOtherOtherBobSmith is too long. Please enter a valid UID."

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

Export to text, re-import as space delimited. Presto, first name and last name in adjacent columns.

[hisamishness.livejournal.com]

That is the minor part of the issue.

We have Metric Fucktons* of entries in our GAL. Users with multiple matches to their 'everyday' names are the rule, not the exception, and the admins have no way to know which might be the person HR wants included.

* I've always loved that phrase - happy I finally found a place to use it.

[mirar.livejournal.com]

...that's when you export it to a text file and feed it to a insert-your-favourite-languge-here script. (If you end up spending more time writing the script than it would have been feeding the 500+ names manually, at least you had fun!)

[scottish-alth.livejournal.com]

Also saves you the problem of doing the same NEXT month, when half of them leave/change their name and another 200 folk join the company all called Bob Smith, Jim Anderson and so on.
HisAmishness - we had a similar set up at my last job, I am one of two Scottish_alth's... no one ever e-mailed me correctly even though we both had department names included.

[siliconshaman.livejournal.com]

I like it... very useful word.

[hisamishness.livejournal.com]

Can't Script -- no way to know WHICH Bob Smith they mean.

[notthebuddha.livejournal.com]

The way I've always gotten through this is to document that they didn't specify which Bob was which plus that I took the following steps:
- asked for more info.
- in the mean time, set the Bobs up in the same order as on another list.
- also in the mean time, put something in place to make rearranging them fairly quick when the correct ordering info does arrive.
- track an ever growing list of who has been contacted and re-contacted about the matter.

[jill-idle.livejournal.com]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=stupidiocy

[hisamishness.livejournal.com]

I have sampled their reality and reject it in favor of my own. :-)