Monday, November 3, 2008

I Hope That Monitor Explodes

I'm part of the IT staff where I work (all two of us). I help people move around when they have to move desks, since it involves scary things like unplugging monitor, keyboard, mouse and network cables and then move the person's PC. I have to do this because we're not a big corporation and don't have the resources to get something setup so that people can just sit at whatever PC in the office and have their desktop, document folders, etc automatically appear.

Since most of the workers here don't need that kind of access, it's not a big deal. The biggest complaint though is the main application we use is customized for each individual user. And by customized, I mean they've each setup their own hideous color scheme for the terminal screen emulation we use. Fine, whatever. I'd hate for someone to have to spend 5 minutes of their time setting up whatever eye-bleeding scheme they like.

Here's the part that makes me want to throat punch people though. They have to have "their" keyboard, mouse and monitor. Even though every fucking monitor, keyboard and mouse is the same! I'm helping someone move their shit on Friday, and they ask me, "Can we take my monitor, keyboard and mouse too?"

"No."

"But...I mean...how come?"

"Because it's the exact same equipment." In my view, the conversation was over.

I have to run back into our office to do some other stuff, and when I come back, other guys in the office are moving the...want to guess? That's right, the same stuff I told her no way about moving. "What the hell are you guys moving this stuff for?"

"She wouldn't stop complaining, so we just gave in."

Well that's a brilliant strategy. I just move on cause I've got other people to move. So of course, the next guy, seeing that they caved, asks me move all his stuff from his old desk.

"No, there's no need for me to move that stuff. It's all the same." At this point, I'm starting to see a little bit of a red fog around the edge of my vision.

"They moved hers! I want mine too!"

I'm truly getting pissed at this point. "First off this equipment isn't yours, it's the company's. Second, there is no gdamn difference between the equipment sitting there on your old desk and this equipment. IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME!. If you can give me one logical reason besides 'I want mine' like a 5 year old, I'll do it. Or are you just too lazy to peel off all the bullshit you've stuck all over company equipment?" Which produced a face like I'd just shit all over his chair. I left to help the next person after I stood there for a minute waiting for some kind of a response and receiving nothing but a blank stare.

Of course, when I rolled around by his desk 5 minutes later, he was wearing a smug grin on his face as someone else was moving the 35 pound monitors around to abate his childlike complaints. I came about --><-- that close to just punching him in the balls.

And predictably, the other 3 people moving desks had to have "their" equipment too. Asshats.

FUCK, sometimes I really hate people.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain. It amazes me that a person can use a computer and still have no understanding about how a computer and the various components actually work.

country roads said...

I always keep my stuff too because I don't want other people's cooties. But, I'm the one that does most of the moving. I've heard something about IT departments, but I don't think I've ever actually had an interaction with one.

onthevirg said...

BD - It makes you think the stories about people using their CD trays as drink holders might be true.

Country - That's why they make Lysol man. I try and be pleasant, but some people make it very hard.

Anonymous said...

Wait - you mean they aren't cup holders?????