Users run into new things with computers all the time (e.g. the original example: maybe the particular user had never run into this situation before, and didn't understand the implications). If they are risk adverse, they will turn to an SME for validation.
The last mid-range system I looked at controlled blast furnances. Each hour that the blast furnance in the steel works was offline was costing the company hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since the operators are steel workers, not IT savvy people, I can understand why they would seek some validation in dealing with a new situation, rather than taking it upon themselves to do something they don't understand the implications of (and possibly be reprimanded or lose their job) Cheers Ken From: Jonathan Link [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, 21 June 2011 11:09 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Stupid user tricks Officials and citizens, both. Let's say that there's plenty of obscurity across the continuum of interfaces that people deal with on a daily basis, they don't exist with computers, alone. On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 11:05 AM, Ken Schaefer <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Nothing in that article that has any statistical evidence that each person commits, on average, 3 felonies a day. Maybe I will have to read the book. But the author estimates that people commit three felonies a day (I assume this is in the US only), and the examples don't state that anyone was actually found guilty of any offence. Merely prosecuted because officials aren't really sure of what the laws mean. From: Jonathan Link [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>] Sent: Tuesday, 21 June 2011 11:00 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Stupid user tricks Most people don't obey laws. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704471504574438900830760842.html On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 10:46 AM, Ken Schaefer <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Surely understanding your legal obligations are also a basic skill? Understanding how to bank is a basic skill? Understanding your employment terms and conditions is a basic skill? I mean, most people obey the law, pay taxes, are employed, have a bank account/mortgage etc.? Sometimes you are going to do something - whether that be to tell the bank to pay someone, or you're going to fill in something on your tax return. And you are not 100% sure if you are right, and you're not sure what the consequences are. So you call an expert that is *being paid by the company* to answer these queries. And if the burden of answering these queries is too much, then get management to pay to automate the solution or educate the users. From: James Rankin [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>] Sent: Tuesday, 21 June 2011 10:39 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Stupid user tricks It's fair enough to make that comparison, but a lot of basic IT skills - the ones that sometimes we get called by users about - are probably just as important as reading, writing and maths in the modern world. You wouldn't expect a user to call you with a question about adding up or punctuation, would you? Wannabe British teachers have to pass a test called a QT test these days that, among other things, tests the basic IT skills. It includes word processing, storing and retrieving documents, sending an email, browsing the Internet, etc. I think it is a pretty good idea. On 21 June 2011 15:31, Ken Schaefer <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Have you never called/talked/emailed any other professional anywhere, in your entire life, with a question that the other person thought was basic? Maybe about your taxes (your accountant), your HR/employment status (HR department), your banking details (your bank) etc.? Sometimes people do not wish to take risks that they can not ascertain. So they call the designated expert. Your job is to answer their queries. That is what puts money in your bank account every week/fortnight/month/whatever period you get paid. -----Original Message----- From: John Aldrich [mailto:[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>] Sent: Tuesday, 21 June 2011 3:13 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Stupid user tricks This morning I got a call as I was getting ready for work. I had "borrowed" a machine from one part of the plant for a couple days and then put it back. The place where I put it had a different sign-on for the AS/400. This morning they called to complain that they were on the wrong screen. I told them to log out and log back in as the correct user. That took care of it. *sigh* Why did they have to call??? Didn't they have enough sense to log on as the correct user before calling??? ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
