"Back in the 50s and 60s the operative phrase was "The Ugly American." Maybe it is time for an updated edition?
"Yes you can Google on that phrase." Better Google the whole book, "The Ugly American," if you do that. I read it, and it's not what you think. These were complicated issues then, as now. One of the main differences, though, was that in the 1950's and 60's the phrase "The Ugly American" was applied to Americans abroad, both as (comparatively wealthy) tourists and as diplomats or government officials. None of these categories were obligatory for the rest of us common folk; nobody gets drafted into becoming a tourist in Paris or Rome, and it's VERY hard to get into the U.S. Foreign Service (you have to pass all kinds of exams, go to the right schools, have the right connections, etc.) I hardly need to remind anybody that, in the 21st century, working on a computer is NOT OPTIONAL. It's not a game for the wealthy or for well-connected government officials. It's what we all have to do on the job--to stay in touch--to interact with government--and to get basic information. In order for this to happen, the computers HAVE TO WORK. Since computers still aren't as reliable as toasters, this means that we ordinary citizens are doomed to spend a certain amount of time on the line with tech support. So there you are, at 4:50 p.m., and your boss demands the report at Close of Business today, and the computer is acting up again, and when you finally get through to Tech Support, the guy on the other end of the line is unintelligible to anybody but a Ph.D. linguist or a Berlitz instructor. Is it really so odd or inexcusable to be unhappy about this situation? The fact that hiring unintelligible tech support personnel is helpful to some multinational corporation's bottom line doesn't explain or excuse anything. Wars, pollution, bribery, virtual slavery, inexcusable safety practices, and contract murder have also been tools that have been useful to multinationals' bottom line, especially in some notorious cases overseas. (Remember Bhopal? Remember Kennecott Copper?) Admittedly, murder (et al.) is a lot more serious (and a lot better documented) than hard-to-understand accents. My point is that saying "it's just the modern world and the bottom line, deal with it" is not an excuse, and we shouldn't accept it. At the very least, it's LOUSY CUSTOMER SERVICE. --Constance Warner P.S.: yes, I know there are good corporate actors, too, in computers and otherwise; they have to compete with the boys who commit all sorts of hanky-panky--and worse--to boost their bottom line. -----Original Message----- From: Computer Guys Announcements and Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Piwowar Sent: Monday, July 30, 2007 3:50 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [CGUYS] Can you hear me now? [was: iPhone vs. IT: Clash of >Yes Michael. They should be able to understand me and I should be able to >understand them. I really don't care where they are on the planet, just be >able speak *clearly* in the same language as the caller. Back in the 50s and 60s the operative phrase was "The Ugly American." Maybe it is time for an updated edition? Yes you can Google on that phrase. ************************************************************************ * ==> QUICK LIST-COMMAND REFERENCE - Put the following commands in <== * ==> the body of an email & send 'em to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <== * Join the list: SUBSCRIBE COMPUTERGUYS-L Your Name * Too much mail? Try Daily Digests command: SET COMPUTERGUYS-L DIGEST * Tired of the List? Unsubscribe command: SIGNOFF COMPUTERGUYS-L * New address? From OLD address send: CHANGE COMPUTERGUYS-L YourNewAddress * Need more help? Send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ************************************************************************ * List archive at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ * RSS at www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml * Messages bearing the header "X-No-Archive: yes" will not be archived ************************************************************************
