charming...

[red-scully.livejournal.com]

Ugh, a user called me up at ten to five on Friday (I shouldn't even have been there, but I had to finish a rebuild for Monday morning and it was taking FOREVER), to say she had logged out and now couldn't log back in. She also said that she had a ticket open to have her shared drives changed on Monday morning because she's moving teams, so she wondered if this had caused the problem. Suspecting the work had already been done by $colleague, I had her check the context she was logging onto (I should clarify that I'm living in Novell hell right now) and compared it to her account, but all was fine and dandy; furthermore, there were no notes in the ticket to suggest the job had been done and she certainly still seemed to be mapped to her current job's shares.

The user then went on to say that $colleague had come round earlier and said something to her about the open ticket, but she didn't know what he'd told her. On a hunch, I asked her to try logging in with the standard password we use for resets, and SURPRISE, it worked just fine. I know that $colleague would never change someone's password without telling them first, so I asked her if he had mentioned that he would do this, and got the following gem of a response:

"Oh, I don't know. I didn't listen to him. We don't bother to pay any attention when you IT people start talking - it's not my job to understand that stuff."

I couldn't decide whether to rage or weep, so I basically told her that next time she might want to try LISTENING, and then stormed off home. OH LORD SAVE ME FROM THESE PEOPLE.

Comments

[docskurlock.livejournal.com]

I get that with a lot of people, INCLUDING family members. It's so aggravating. If we did that to them, they'd pitch a fit and call our bosses, yet it's ok for them to do it to us. Where's my lart? I need a beer.

[spooforbrains.livejournal.com]

Unless this is someone who you have other reason to let off the hook (like they've otherwise been particularly nice to you or something) I'd complain to either your manager or her manager about grievous wastage of IT time. There's being bad with computers (acceptable) and then there's being wilfully stupid.

[wbyonder.livejournal.com]

Don't jump off that cliff!


Oh well, should'a listened.

[red-scully.livejournal.com]

A+ comment!!

[berkeleyfarm.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with this. Run it, politely but firmly, up through channels. That was an unnecessary call.

[trayce.livejournal.com]

So when I'm telling you we're not paying you for a week cause the payroll database is down... oh you're not listening... oh well.

[the-s-guy.livejournal.com]

"I didn't listen to him."

"And that - is why you fail."

A variation on the theme...

[3fgburner.livejournal.com]

A Department Director, couldn't "see" his networked printer. Went down there, poked around a bit. Message popped up: "Windows needs your current credentials. Please lock the PC, and then unlock it with your new password."

Ctl-Alt-Del, spacebar, Ctl-alt-del.

"Type in your latest-current password, please."

"Why? You didn't log me off, did you? I had 5 documents / 3 emails / tons of other stuff open!"

"No, the machine just wanted to be locked and unlocked with your new password."

[DD types password. Let us note, here, that he never logs off or reboots this box, even when he's out of town.]

"Um, did you change your password lately?"

"Yes, while I was on the road."

"And today, you didn't see any little notes here, by the clock, about 'current credentials'?"

"Oh, those -- I thought they were more of those stupid update messages that I always ignore."

::HEADDESK:: ::HEADDESK:: ::HEADDESK:: ::HEADDESK::