Yep -
"If users are made to understand that the system administrator's job is to
make computers run, and not to make them happy, they can, in fact, be made
happy most of the time. If users are allowed to believe that the system
administrator's job is to make them happy, they can, in fact, never be made
happy." - Barb Dijker in "Managing Support Staff", LISA '97
(And I wholeheartedly agree)
Evan
-----Original Message-----
From: Bennett Todd [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2000 6:00 PM
To: Jesus Gonzalez
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [OT] L0pht crack policy
2000-06-12-17:47:31 Jesus Gonzalez:
> [ User breaks machine, asks IT to fix it, had changed admin
> passwd, refused to give his private admin passwd to IT ]
> It was at this point that we had no choice but to fix his machine
> and lock it down.
Nope, it's at that point that you wandered into trouble, and
ultimately ruined things.
When you discovered he had whacked his own box, and was intending
to keep you locked out, the response to "please fix my computer"
becomes "No".
Combined with a formal complaint routed to his manager, citing the
violations of company policy, that should have ended the problem for
you: either this person would no longer be demanding your support,
or else they'd behave.
> Again, giving him all the tools he needs, AND even willing to
> install any software he feels is necessary. That's it. We're not
> unreasonable by any means.
That's your problem. Effective support requires being unreasonable,
sometimes. I forget just where I read it, but I recall someone
describing the job of systems admin, and saying something like "your
job is to make their computers work well and help them get their
work done. Your job is not to make them like you. If you try to make
them like you, you'll fail --- and their computers won't work."
Anybody know whose quote where I'm sorta vaguely half-remembering?
-Bennett
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