Users are users - everywhere

Am talking about computer users. Computers users in Dubai, Nairobi, London, Kampala or Los Angeles have one thing in common - they call the computer guy when they are at their wits end. They also tend to pile all their computing problems on the computer guy. Users look at the computer guy and see strange things.

Recently, i embarked on revamping a choking small network of about fifty mixed static and dynamic users largely depending on a SAAS infrastructure. After about two weeks of traffic sampling and random tests, i proposed a couple of changes on the Internet provider's interface. That got done. For the first time, the online speed tests reported the right bandwidth for the network.

Going forward, i got approval for more changes on the internal network. But as in any transition, a few things get in the way and you get a glitch here and there. At times like these, users who have no clue what you are doing come up with crazy suggestions - to help you - or, to help the company. They suggest restarting the router. They suggest (behind your back) getting someone else who knows what he is doing.

As usual, i fixed the problems. Just another network. Done.

When users call me and say: "my computer is not working", i switch from normal hearing mode to selective hearing mode. That way, i start with a problem and end with a solution. That trick works all the time.

~/`~/`.