Subject:
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Re: My robot was the most fun
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
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Date:
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Mon, 24 Feb 2003 15:50:47 GMT
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Viewed:
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589 times
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In lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto, Chris Magno writes:
> > Did I mention that we bought PMCL? At least *some* of PMCL, like their
> > transit offices in Etobicoke, Midland and somewhere else...
>
>
> no while I was explaining to you the idea of how to ration your buttered
> bread to better "sop" up the gravy of the main mean, you did NOT mention
> the acquisition of PMCL.
>
> Congrats.
Oooohhh... gravy sopped bread... Gaagghghghghhhh (Homer Simpson drool)
Well, it was like 2-3 years ago, they're just getting around to changing the
name on the busses.
>
> > Then we divvied their school bus runs to Laidlaw Ed Services, and their
> > Coach busses to Greyhound, which we also own. :)
>
>
> WOW, will you re-brand all the other school bus's and coach lines.
> maybe something like:
>
> "From Trash to Kids, we promise to deliver your load to the right
> place."
Here's the interesting bit--Laidlaw Waste was sold off like 6-8 years ago,
but due to some negotiating, they could keep the name 'Laidlaw' on their
trucks for how many years after they were sold.
So those Laidlaw Disposal trucks aren't owned by Laidlaw Inc.--they're an
independant company.
What Laidlaw Inc does own:
Laidlaw Education Services (all those school busses)
Greyhound
AMR (American Medical Response)
And that's about it.
We did own CMR but sold that off,
And Safety Kleen, which, as far as I'm told, was the focus of our financial
woes that we're facing at this time.
I work for the school busses, where I serve as Tech Support Analyst, which
is a glorified title for 'surfing the 'net all day and assuaging fears of
fellow employees--"I can't get this document to print!!! Help me!!!"
"Well, click on 'File', then click on 'Print...'." "Oh, there it is! Thanks!!"
I'm responsible for 500ish systems across Canada in 53 different divisions,
and I use Terminal Services, NetMeeting, and Systems Management Server to
diagnose, upgrade and support all the systems in the field--is much fun.
When the phone isn't ringing off the hook, I write support manuals and surf
the 'net, and basically do alotta reading.
If I wasn't in 'cubicleville', I'd have LEGO on my desk, but since I'm out
here, no LEGO. :(
Yeah, my life is one giant Dilbert comic.
>
> > Laidlaw--our stocks may suck but we'll get you to wherever you want to get to :)
>
>
> YA, why do your stocks suck? I can understand what happened to nortel
> (i.e. some staff building lego on company time) but Dave to my
> knowledge you just hang and surf.
Safety Kleen. Grr!!!!
I do answer the phone
"Dave speaking, may I help you?"
"Yeah, Dave, my computer won't turn on..."
"Well, is it plugged in?"
"Yes... wait a minute.. <pause>... K, that did it. Thanks" <click>
K, these may be some outragewous support issues, but here's a real one I had
about a year after I started here.
An executive was in a hotel room out east and called me up--"Dave, I can't
get my dial up connection on my laptop working to get my e-mail..."
So I walked him through the configurations, the settings, the connections,
for about 20-30 minutes.
So then we get into the hardware--
"Your phone cord, is it plugged in to your laptop correctly?"
"Yes"
"What about the other end?"
"Well, that's the thing, I can't find the wall jack in the room to plug in to."
I was just about to throttle him over the phone.
Diplomatically...
"I suggest you call the front desk and ask them to help find the phone jack.
If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call me." And I hung up.
There have been a few. Most deal with what I call 'obtusification of the user'.
"Dave, I can't print!"
Walk him or her trhu a few things... check settings and the like.
I ask, "Did anything change in your branch recently, any new hardware,
moving things around?
"Nope"
"The printer is in the same spot"
"Yep"
Check a few more settings... failed test pages...
"Are you sure nothing has moved?"
"Well, I moved the printer over to her machine yesterday"
Sometimes Adam Sandler quotes are just begging to jump out--"Information
that may have helped me 5 minutes ago!!!" But I'm the epitome of diplomacy.
Of course, it's always the IS department's fault.
"Our systems aren't working--what did you do to them?"
Forgetting that they had some contractors sprucing up the office and rip the
patch panel off the wall so that the entire LAN is basically destroyed.
Sure, they don't mention that part and when I take a trip out to the branch,
they're all ripping me a new one, and I note that there's a mess of network
cables on the ground, "Oh that--we wanted to paint the walls--that stuff's
not important, is it?"
I kid not.
"Is it plugged in?"
"Yes"
"Are the lights on"
"Yes"
"Well, I don't know what's wrong, so I'll drive out to the branch (2 hours
away) and see what I can do."
Show up, plug in, lights come on...
(cleaning people have a tendancy to knock things enuf to unplug them--it's
something I've noted during my time here.
"Fixed" I say
"What was it?" they ask.
I always make something up to make them feel better--"Well, the server was
having some issues with this and that. But don't worry, it's fixed now so
you can go about your business.
I may just come up with a book or a website detailing my experiences as tech
support, kinda like this guy did for his video game store:
http://www.actsofgord.com
I think the site is still up--is a good, but very long, read if you have the
time.
ANyway, 'nuff for now, phone's ringing...
Dave K
>
>
> Chris
>
> Why do solar calculators have an off button?
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | this Gord guy
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| Thanks Dave. I was going to have a lot of fun, earning all about your craft, and the ways in which you deal with fools. -- but you pointed me to a funny Gord page. i don't think i would last very long at your job. not that I could not solve those (...) (22 years ago, 24-Feb-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: My robot was the most fun
|
| (...) no while I was explaining to you the idea of how to ration your buttered bread to better "sop" up the gravy of the main mean, you did NOT mention the acquisition of PMCL. Congrats. (...) WOW, will you re-brand all the other school bus's and (...) (22 years ago, 24-Feb-03, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
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