Administrators Vs Users?
Battle of the wills?
Sunday, February 20, 2005 by ChaosMachine | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
Ok here is a thread not related to skinning. I'll get right to it. I'm managing a fair number of computers and peripherals at my work. I’m trying to do a good job and be on top of the job but I have really big problems when users do not follow simple instructions, and when things go wrong, the administrator is to blame. The ISP is off line for a day, my fault. Someone pulled out the cable from the network Pinter? My fault! Etc.
Soooooo what do you think? Is it always the administrator’s fault, or users? Comments are welcome. Anything to make this computerized world we live and work a better place.. (Violins and romantic music on the background)
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DesignCaddy
Reply #2 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:19 PM
Reply #2 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:19 PM
may not be your fault, but.. think about it as simply being your job to answer the repetetive calls and do the silly things that get everything running again. we've got two guys in our IT department who kill themselves for us, and 80% of their time is wasted dealing with people who don't follow instructions. picking up after human errors. its just the way things work. all you can do is post some signs.. "this doesn't work? check a. the cable is connected to the computer b. it is plugged in to the power socket c. ....." and have some stuff up about stuff that is out of your control .. mass email when the isp is down.. silly stuff. its all you can do. our guys have comics up about that sort of stuff that gets the point across. at least that way, if ytou've got a step by step trouble shooting thing for people, and they don't want to do it, when you walk up there and plug the damn thing back in and it solves their problem, they feel like the jackass and you can walk away smiling.
"Make it idiot proof, and someone will build a better idiot"
"Make it idiot proof, and someone will build a better idiot"
Bichur
Reply #3 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:22 PM
Reply #3 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:22 PM
I an a lead for a group that uses computers. When something goes phhhht they come to me. If I can't fix it, I go to our functional coordinator/sysadmin. From there it goes to IT. 99% I can right the wrong & I've owned a comp for only 2 yrs. 99.9% of the time it still the users. get in a hurry, clear off error messages without reading them (over and over), deny they got one when I ask, etc., lose the printer and don't know how to find it, etc etc etc.
Where I work, it's the USERS. GIGO still applies.
Where I work, it's the USERS. GIGO still applies.
ChaosMachine
Reply #4 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:36 PM
Reply #4 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:36 PM
Ok thank you guys for your input. So far we are in a in equal terms. One for the administrator, one for the users and one in the middle. Now how about this. I have even made an intranet page discribing the most frequent errors and their solutions. I send emails linking to that intranet page. And still the same questions comes up! Shall i turn to Conan the Barbarian from my rage or just played cool? Hmm? 
tjesterb
Reply #5 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:00 PM
Reply #5 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:00 PM
Generally speaking computers don't screw themselves up.
Unless of course you ask the user.
Unless of course you ask the user.
horiz0n
Reply #6 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:13 PM
Reply #6 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:13 PM
This is easy to understand, the guy in charge always takes the initial blame and responsibility (since he/she is the the leader and assumes responsibiltiy of everyone under them *perks of the job*), then he goes to the person ranked under him and blames him, then he goes to the person under him and blames him, then he goes to the person under him and blames him...eventually the janitor gets fired. Unless his name is T-man
Jafo
Reply #8 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:19 PM
Reply #8 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:19 PM
The buck stops..........................................................................way over there----->
ChaosMachine
Reply #9 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:55 PM
Reply #9 Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:55 PM
Personnaly i agry with tjesterb. I have heard so many "I didn't do it i'm telling you. Honest!". Now another question. What do you do when users are not 'get it' the first time? What a respectful administrator do after the MILLIONTH time he/she has been asked the same question. What is a reasenable punishment?
Bichur
Reply #10 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:12 AM
Reply #10 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:12 AM
I got no answer, I'm not an admin, just a workleader.
I tend to get terse and a little harsh after a while.
Without meaning to, so far I apparently caused 1 to go hysterical, 3 women cried, 1 man sniffled and had to go outside for a while, don't know off hand how many times several have run to the union due to my attitude (learn it or go home, please) & I had to take down my picture of a man with his head morphed up his arse, with the caption - nope, no user manual in here.
All in all, i'd say the admins got it worse, y'all have to be distanced. Me, I'm semi supvsr, at least I can let them know.
I tend to get terse and a little harsh after a while.
Without meaning to, so far I apparently caused 1 to go hysterical, 3 women cried, 1 man sniffled and had to go outside for a while, don't know off hand how many times several have run to the union due to my attitude (learn it or go home, please) & I had to take down my picture of a man with his head morphed up his arse, with the caption - nope, no user manual in here.
All in all, i'd say the admins got it worse, y'all have to be distanced. Me, I'm semi supvsr, at least I can let them know.
Jafo
Reply #11 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:14 AM
Reply #11 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:14 AM
If it's the millionth person to ask the same question....publish a book of answers.
If it's the millionth time the same person asks the question....have him neutered and pureed...
ChaosMachine
Reply #12 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:24 AM 
So true, so true Jafo and bichur. Jafo I wish i could, Bichur so far I haven't made anyone cry (Although i do want to blast them!) . Like i said there is a intranet page. How difficult it is to double click and navigate to FAQ section. Oh i forget, it's not a video game. Hmmmmm...
Reply #12 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:24 AM
So true, so true Jafo and bichur. Jafo I wish i could, Bichur so far I haven't made anyone cry (Although i do want to blast them!) . Like i said there is a intranet page. How difficult it is to double click and navigate to FAQ section. Oh i forget, it's not a video game. Hmmmmm...
Bichur
Reply #13 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:25 AM
Reply #13 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:25 AM
If this doesn't work... 
You're left with this...
You're left with this...
ChaosMachine
Reply #14 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:27 AM 
I know Bichur. But does it worth damaging your health for someone else? And if it is, how much do we have to be paid?
Reply #14 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:27 AM
I know Bichur. But does it worth damaging your health for someone else? And if it is, how much do we have to be paid?
~Angelic DestinE
Reply #15 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:37 AM
Reply #15 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:37 AM
I've been on both sides of the spectrum in the work place. When I was a lower level employee it seemed the supervisors always wanted to blame the direct care employees for things that went wrong (and we're talking interaction in the behavioral health setting). So when a patient killed themself it was always "what didn't you do or say right?" Somebody has to take the fall for the lawsuit, right? When I was promoted the pressure became even worse because I was being squeeze-blamed by the DSE's who claimed they weren't trained correctly, and the real high-ups who just didn't want to be guilty of anything. IMO, the middle management gets blamed the most. It's always our fault even if we're out sick that day, have a death in the family, or have nothing whatsoever to do with the situation.
I don't work anymore. That's about the only perk to being terminally ill.
Next.
I don't work anymore. That's about the only perk to being terminally ill.
Next.
Bichur
Reply #16 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:38 AM
Reply #16 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:38 AM
Yo Chaos, I'm part Polish & part German. Too dumb to know better, to stubborn to stop & either way I'm thickheaded enough it doesn't hurt.
Bichur
Reply #17 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:40 AM
Reply #17 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:40 AM
I don't work either, that's a perk of being a career govt employee.
ChaosMachine
Reply #18 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:50 AM
Reply #18 Monday, February 21, 2005 12:50 AM
I agree with Angel. Some times top Managment do not see 'minor' things like maintaining a health company culture as proper procedures goes. It is money after all right? I can teach them, but that means they have to stop working for one, two or whatever hours. And that can be measured in something real, like money. So its out of the question. The pressure on the administrators to bring the system up again it can't or doesn't be calculated. I know you can make a system almost crash proof (well sort of) but that costs money. You know what I mean?
Bichur
Reply #19 Monday, February 21, 2005 1:12 AM
Reply #19 Monday, February 21, 2005 1:12 AM
Admins are the human equivalent of a microwave in the I want it & I want it now society. So hurry up and fix it already!! 
ChaosMachine
Reply #20 Monday, February 21, 2005 1:15 AM
Reply #20 Monday, February 21, 2005 1:15 AM
Bichur, how did you know I was lazying around? Do you have a web-cam or what!!
I fixed all the problems for today. Tommorow, well it is another day.
I fixed all the problems for today. Tommorow, well it is another day.
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Reply #1 Sunday, February 20, 2005 10:12 PM
It is always the administrator's fault.
....or so I am told....