18 Oct
2001
18 Oct
'01
3 a.m.
I just went to a local computer show today. I was
happy to find that a
few vendors had components available from disassembled computers or
whatever. I picked up a 3com 3C905-TX PCI ethernet card, an ATI Mach64
video card, and a very nice Sound Blaster 16, all used of course. The
Mach64 had "Monitor" written in marker on the slot cover. Do office
people really need to remind themselves where to plug the monitor in? I
have also seen a 3.5" floppy drives marked "hard drive a:" and the
5.25"
floppy, marked, "floppy drive b:". What's the deal?
Yes... they really are that dumb... at least the ones that I have to
support here are. I regularly have to mark cables and drives, or they
screw things up. It seems to most staff here, if it doesn't fit, force
it... so the fact that most cables only fit in one place doesn't stop
them (I have found VGA monitors plugged into MALE 9 pin serial ports...
yes, it can be done... lots and lots of force, but it can be done!).
Of course, sometimes labeling everything can backfire... thanks to my
efforts to make my offices idiot proof (make something idiot proof, and
they'll build a bigger idiot)... my boss now thinks EVERYTHING can be
made that way... he routinely complains that he needs written directions
on how to fix problems with the WIndows NT network... so in case
something unexpected goes wrong while I am out of the office, they can
fix it. He doesn't grasp the difference between looking for a port marked
"Mouse" and diagnosing Win NT problems.
So yes, office people CAN be that dumb.
-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>