Had to share...
Mar. 23rd, 2006 10:59 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
azzy23.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
techrecoveryGuy calls in. He's asian, very thick accent, which doesn't usually bother me at all.
His issue:
One of our products uses an environtment variable "system_dir".
His question:
His windows 2000 systems run this product in c:\winnt\system32. He is wondering if "system_dir" also applies to c:\windows\system32 on his 2003 and XP machines.
My answer:
Yes, it is the same.
His second question:
Can I provide him with documentation of this?
My answer:
No, I don't have any documentation of this, but Microsoft probably will have something official.
His response:
Complete Man-Wiggins. Why can't we give him this documentation?!
My response:
We can't provide anything that could put us at legal liability for a product we didn't create.
Here's the rest. He flips out, says that we DID write this product. I clarify that yes, we wrote the product that runs in "system_dir", but we didn't create environmental variables in his OS. That would be Microsoft. He doesn't understand. I happily guide his rude ass to the environment variables settings in his OS. This takes around 20 minutes, because this guy WILL NOT LET ME FINISH A SENTANCE. Not one sentance, and I'm not exaggerating. I finally get irritated, and just sit there quietly. He spins for a few minutes, then raises his voice, saying: "I don't understand why this question is so hard for you to answer!!" I calmly reply, "It's not a technically difficult question, sir, but it is very difficult to answer any question when I'm interuppted everytime I speak. Would you like me to answer your question?"
"YES!"
"Will you let me finish my sentance this time?"
"yes.".... AND THEN HE LAUGHS.
I take a breath. I exhale. I say: "Ok. As you can see in the enviroment variables, Microsoft has defined the variable "windir" as c:\windows. Since the system32 folder must be in the "windir" (whatever that directory may be), it can be logically assumed by the system that c:\windir\system32 is the same as "system_dir". This variable setting allows us to run correctly on any OS, because the system32 is always in the windir. So you see, Microsoft has created this convention, and they would have to-"
"THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT I ASKED YOU. I want to speak to a different technician."
*SUPER happy voice* "Absolutely, sir! One moment, please."
I get a 2nd level tech, explain the issue. After about 10 minutes of laughter, I pick up the customer.
"Sir, I've gotten you a 2nd level technic-"
"I sent you an email, did you read it?"
"No sir."
"Read it please. It's my question, maybe it will help you understand what I want to know."
"Ok." I read the email, it says:
My windows 2000 systems run this product in c:\winnt\system32. I am wondering if "system_dir" also applies to c:\windows\system32 on my 2003 and XP machines?"
I say:
YES. YES. YES, IT'S THE SAME, YES. THAT'S WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU THIS WHOLE TIME. THE ANSWER IS YES.
"Oh. Okay, that's all I needed." *click*
AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!WHY GOD WHY!!ONE!!!eleventyleven!!
*pant pant pant*
Sorry that was so long...
His issue:
One of our products uses an environtment variable "system_dir".
His question:
His windows 2000 systems run this product in c:\winnt\system32. He is wondering if "system_dir" also applies to c:\windows\system32 on his 2003 and XP machines.
My answer:
Yes, it is the same.
His second question:
Can I provide him with documentation of this?
My answer:
No, I don't have any documentation of this, but Microsoft probably will have something official.
His response:
Complete Man-Wiggins. Why can't we give him this documentation?!
My response:
We can't provide anything that could put us at legal liability for a product we didn't create.
Here's the rest. He flips out, says that we DID write this product. I clarify that yes, we wrote the product that runs in "system_dir", but we didn't create environmental variables in his OS. That would be Microsoft. He doesn't understand. I happily guide his rude ass to the environment variables settings in his OS. This takes around 20 minutes, because this guy WILL NOT LET ME FINISH A SENTANCE. Not one sentance, and I'm not exaggerating. I finally get irritated, and just sit there quietly. He spins for a few minutes, then raises his voice, saying: "I don't understand why this question is so hard for you to answer!!" I calmly reply, "It's not a technically difficult question, sir, but it is very difficult to answer any question when I'm interuppted everytime I speak. Would you like me to answer your question?"
"YES!"
"Will you let me finish my sentance this time?"
"yes.".... AND THEN HE LAUGHS.
I take a breath. I exhale. I say: "Ok. As you can see in the enviroment variables, Microsoft has defined the variable "windir" as c:\windows. Since the system32 folder must be in the "windir" (whatever that directory may be), it can be logically assumed by the system that c:\windir\system32 is the same as "system_dir". This variable setting allows us to run correctly on any OS, because the system32 is always in the windir. So you see, Microsoft has created this convention, and they would have to-"
"THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT I ASKED YOU. I want to speak to a different technician."
*SUPER happy voice* "Absolutely, sir! One moment, please."
I get a 2nd level tech, explain the issue. After about 10 minutes of laughter, I pick up the customer.
"Sir, I've gotten you a 2nd level technic-"
"I sent you an email, did you read it?"
"No sir."
"Read it please. It's my question, maybe it will help you understand what I want to know."
"Ok." I read the email, it says:
My windows 2000 systems run this product in c:\winnt\system32. I am wondering if "system_dir" also applies to c:\windows\system32 on my 2003 and XP machines?"
I say:
YES. YES. YES, IT'S THE SAME, YES. THAT'S WHAT I'VE TOLD YOU THIS WHOLE TIME. THE ANSWER IS YES.
"Oh. Okay, that's all I needed." *click*
AAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!WHY GOD WHY!!ONE!!!eleventyleven!!
*pant pant pant*
Sorry that was so long...
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 05:31 am (UTC)*huggles*
no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 05:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 07:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 01:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 07:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 07:36 pm (UTC)Aaaagh! Smash it. Smash it in the face, with a chair!
/or maybe I have a bad imagination
no subject
Date: 2006-03-24 08:05 pm (UTC)For the Stabbening
Date: 2006-03-24 06:05 am (UTC)