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WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE STUPID?

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by fluxit

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

As an IT guru, have you ever been accused of being arrogant, cocky, of having an attitude? Have you ever had some one else in the company always attempt to rephrase your comments in 'lay' terms whenever you are in a meeting or in front of others? Italways irritated me. In fact, I had one guy make gratuitous insults routinely not even knowing what he was doing.

For example, we were rolling out new software builds. We asked everyone to use windows explorer file find feature and check thier local drives for files they want to keep. We emailed everyone very detailed procedures to look for the files using the common extensions for the files typically created. Then we scanned the drives ourselves before installing the new build and copied any files we found to the user directory. Well, one person had a file unusually named and it got erased as the build was loaded. He went into a spin. His boss came in and remarked to the IT guys that that we were like bank robbers. You can't rob the bank and then try to make it right later.

I felt there was some level of responsibility on the user. Afterall he knew where the file was, its name, and never took action to protect it. Even after being given detailed instructions before hand.

Don't people / users have some level of responsibility to know how to use thier software and systems? It seems they can find illicit sites, thier webbased email and chatrooms while at work.

57 replies

by packratt

This is a simple matter of perspective...

Your perspective = you do your job and by notifying users of expected changes and providing the methods for protecting their data and then providing the service of making the changes without problem on your part that you have done your job successfully.

User's perspective = I was too lazy to do what the IT person asked so I will use this opportunity to stab the relatively defenseless and unvaluable IT person in the back and use that person as a scapegoat, you have done your job in the user's eyes... The job of an effective excuse.

Boss's Perspective = My employee is worth more to me than the IT person so I will blame the IT person no matter what they tried to do to protect our data. You have also served your purpose as a punching bag since IT is unimportant to this boss.

Get used to being considered a worthless excuse for a scapegoat and punching bag, because that is the job of an IT professional in the workplace... No matter how successful you are at the job you think you are supposed to do.

by fluxit

What a poor outlook they have. I guess I should not have been the one going to Dale Carnegie.

by ebob

Assuming that the user has the responsibility, and the skills to do the required task, AND assuming the user knows (s)he has that responsibility AND assuming the user accepts that resonsibility AND assuming the user will use the skills appropriatelyto exercise that responsibility...

Well, that's a big leap of faith. A leap I wouldn't want to make.

I find the tough part is making sure when communicating with the user, that I don't talk too "duumy down", but I also want to make sure that they really DO UNDERSTAND when they are moving their heads up and down in a nodding agreement type motion.

If there is ever any doubt, I err on the side of extreme paranoia.

This is perhaps where the DCC stuff comes in. I let the poor beleagured users tell me how they are going to protect their data. Bonus: then it really does become their responsibility.

by packratt

Ok... So if this person doesn't know how to type should I do that for him or her when it is a part of their job responsibilities? This person is too lazy to save a file, should I take that on myself to save every file for that person since I'm in IT? That person doesn't want to save files on the network where they will be safe and chooses to put them localy and when the drive crashes it's my fault for not sneaking in at night to move the files to the network where they belonged?

It is not anIT professional's job to baby sit others. We already have enough on our plates as it is. Hire a fricken trainer or someone who knows how to follow directions or read for crying out loud instead of blaming IT for a user's problems with following suggestions.

Sheesh, I'd hate to work for you, you would have me doing EVERYONE'S JOB for them!

by james r linn

There are many people in the workforce who have spent most of their career without personal computers. Some of them pick up technology easily, some don't. The ones that don't, often fear technology and technological change will end their career before they are ready. They become computer phobes. You can't use language simple enough for them. You can't say things enough times. They tend to glaze over when tech talk happens. And they lash out when tech stuff bites them, because that reinforces their fear.

Don't be angry and arrogant, be sympathetic. After all, they may be right - they may end their careers sooner than they'd hoped because of tchnology.

James

by radiic

Sleep in it. Just remember you Chose to be in the IT field. And it was a great choice. :) Just keep smiling. Users are always going to blame the IT department when info is missing. Ill bet the farm though that all your users found a place for their mp3's and avi's and jpegs to be safe. Not to mention their favorites list so they can get back to that illicit site.

Just remember that when they have a printing problem or something...who do they call>? YOU. So just roll with it. Chances are if you have a good MIS director he knows how the game is played. Let him do what he gets paid to do and that is to clean up other managers pride.

Rad

by nettek

This is an example of why IT departments have policies and procedures. In summary, our P&P explicitly states that a personal folder is provided on a server for every employee. That folder is backed up daily, is only accessible by that user, and theuser may create as many subfolders as they desire to organize their files. The user is responsible for storing all important documents in that folder and its subfolders. The IT dept. is not responsible, for any reason, for lost data that had been stored on the local drives of employee's PCs.

If you have such a policy, case closed.

by tommadou

Whe have the same policy about localy stored files. Most remarks we get is on the limited size of that personal networkfolder (between 50 to 200 MB). My remark is: you are working for the company not for yourself! If you are preparing a clasified document put it on a networkfolder who has restricted access!
And please clean your folder out! (8 year old files are old. If you need to keep them ask your it guy to burn them on a cd!)

Case closed and backed up!

by tomsal

Well man that does stink. Rest assured though, that at least here at TR many of us feel your pain, so to speak. We are all in the same boat and been down that road many times.

Heck I know exactly what you are talking about and believe me - more than 75% of my users possess very little computer skills. They think that AOL owns the Internet or IS the Internet for example (yeah its that bad).

But I try to educate them and I never joke AT them, though to ligthen the mood I will joke WITH them. It seems to help the learning experience, when you show you have a light hearted side with a sense of humor I find that makes the user MUCH MUCH more comfortable with you as the support person. I guess because then they see you as someone trying tohelp instead of some "know it all type".

Frustration does come when people don't realize that we (IT people) aren't trying to talk tech terms on purpose - there's just some things that can't be explained without using the correct terminology.Oh well, I guess if it wasn't for the users who didn't know - we'd be valueless for real as IT people.

by pyeager

Computers and programs are easy, relative to interpersonal realtionships. Computers and software always respond the same way to the same set of inputs. Human beings are not quite so predictable.

One way to improve relations with your user community is to get better at speaking in terms that they understand. Not only will this save you the frustration of having every sentence translated by someone who may not understand your intent, it will make communications with your users more effective, making your job easier in the long run.

by timthetoolman

...made it procedure to completely back up each person's hard-drive before rolling out the new image.

And when your boss said "no way, we cant afford the time or money to do that!" then you wouldn't be in this predicament now.

When dealing with user's data. You must plan for the worst case.

by rdschaefer

I don't remember who originally said it, but Arthur C. Clark re-iterated it "Any technology, sufficiently advanced, is indistinguishable from magic" or something like that. At some point, it is impossible to explain to a Lucite what you are doing in terms they will understand.

My 'favorite' are those people who don't know the difference between disk space and memory.

Ralph

by radiic

Gotta love the people who call you up and tell you they are running out of memory on their pc. How do you know this>? "Well The pie shape thingy looks like it is almost used." Hmnnn as you scratch your head. You mean your hard drive is almost filled. "Oh yea. That too." Yikes you think. Well I guess well have to get you 60 gig drive looks like you filled up that 20 gig drive too fast. (must be the mp3 collection hes building) and by the way I guess well have to upgrade you to 512Mg of ram. Sounds like the 256Mg is too little for you. ;)

If I only had a dime for each time...Retirement Here I come....LOL

Rad

by james r linn

are the people who don't know the difference between Lucite and Luddite.

Did that make you feel good?

Revelling in someone else's ignorance is not beneficial for anyone.

I've spent many hours in front of a classroom teaching people about computers. And I've spent many hours in a classroom learning.

Even Steven Hawking is ignorant about something.

Better to focus on why you can't teach these simple concepts to a user - it should be easy right?

James

by rdschaefer

Yea, I noticed the typo on Luddite AFTER I hit the submit button - sorry.

However, I'm not making fun of mere ignorance - the ones I'm talking about REFUSE to learn even after being gently corrected several times.

When I don't know something, I say so then go and learn it.

Ralph

by tomsal

Ok so I'm feeling evil today by picking on common user comments I overhear (its so interesting to hear users talk technology issues when they think no MIS people are around).....

"What OS are you using..I have Windows 97."

"Do you have a 400 megahertz hard drive?"

"I think my memory is low, I need to refill it..."

Yeah...these are REAL LIFE actual things I've overheard....gotta love the ones that keep us paid.

;)

by maxwell edison

You've pointed out some very common challenges that we all face from time to time in the course of our jobs. (Actually, in the course of our lives.) But the biggest challenge of them all is one we define ourselves - how we respond to them.

You stated, "I guess I should not have been the one going to Dale Carnegie".

Please point out where in your initial message you applied any of the Dale Carnegie techniques. In case you can't find your class notes, an outline of those techniques is as follows:

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People:

1. Don't criticize, condemn or complain.

2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.

3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

----------

Six ways to make people like you:

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

2. Smile.

3. Remember that a person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

5. Talk in terms of the other person's interests.

6. Make the other person feel important - and do it sincerely.

----------

Win people to your way of thinking:

1. The only way to get the best of an argument is to avoid it.

2. Show respect for the other person's opinions. Never say, "You're wrong."

3. If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically.

4. Begin in a friendly way.

5. Get the other person saying "yes, yes" immediately.

6. Let the other person do a great deal of the talking.

7. Let the other person feel that the idea is his or hers.

8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view.

9. Be sympathetic with the other person's ideas and desires.

10. Appeal to the nobler motives.

11. Dramatize your ideas.

12. Throw down a challenge.

----------

(continued..)

by maxwell edison

Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

A leader's job often includes changing your people's attitudes and behavior. Some suggestions to accomplish this:

1. Begin with praise and honest appreciation.

2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly.

3. Talk about your own mistakes before criticizing the other person.

4. Ask questions instead of giving direct orders.

5. Let the other person save face.

6. Praise the slightest improvement and praise every improvement. Be "hearty in your approbation and lavish in your praise."

7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

8. Use encouragement. Make the fault seem easy to correct.

9. Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.

----------

I too need to remind myself of those techniques from time to time. Thanks for the opportunity for me to do just that.

Best of luck,

Maxwell

by fluxit

I was sent to Dale Carnegie during more impending issues than Dale Carnegie. I felt priorities were set incorrectly. Having attended innumerable leadership courses far more advanced than Dale Carnegie and coincidentally had the exact same fundamental you have cited above, this was a rehash of old stuff.

I was also putting in the hours. The course was on my scarce personal time. I did volunteer for the course but really had no choice. Then I had to spew how great this course was for me. Thatjust irrated me more.

In short, I already had proven myself as a leader having numerous awards. Do not misunderstand me. Dale Carnegie has valued points and was a part of my early on training. I think my focus was far beyond where the people around me were. In fact, whenever I was not irrated about being there and actually applied myself many people were curious why I was even there. I had a vice president of one of the cruise lines approach me as he was impressed with my command of the subject and wondered if the course was a wise choice for me.

In all truth, I am bitter at my employer rather than Dale Carnegie. I no longer work there.

by rathodr

communication. In your first statement "I was sent to Dale Carnegie...", I immediately guessed there was an employer who intervened and figured the Dale Carnegie Course (DCC) was the solution to any problems you may have been facing.

I hear this quite often. As a DCC instructor, one the greatest challenges we face is demonstrating to the class members that DCC is not only a leadership course, it is also a HUMAN RELATIONS course. The fundamental principles outlined earlier by another writer (well done!) start out by strengthening a person's self confidence -- without which the rest of the principles are built on a house of cards.

When we've built our self-confidence, we can begin to assert ourselves to getting what we want -- in business or personal matters.

Since I am starting to sound like I am lecturing, I'll stop.

Instead of thinking the employer sent you to the DCC for their sake, think of it benefiting you in every aspect of your life and you should be able to see thevalue of that training!!

by maxwell edison

If you are "bitter" at whomever (it doesn't matter at whom or why), there's only one person who created that bitterness, and there's only one person who can do something about it.

That person is one in the same.

Maxwell

by rdschaefer

Please, chill out. Do we REALLY have to mention that we never say these things or act this way TO these people? This is just between us Techs.

Ralph

by maxwell edison

I realize that the writer - or (we) as a collective group - don't say it to them, and (we) limit it to what we say about them to others. However, the immortal words of Earl Nightengale ring true:

"You become what you think about."

Personally,I would rather not think that anyone is "stupid". (And it is the "stupid" remark that tweaked my interest in this discussion.) That only leads to indignation, intolerance and "bitterness".

Taking that thought one step further, a true "leader" (Including the person who is only the leader of his/her own domain) will not say anything "about" a person that he/she would not say "to" that person. So if you wouldn't call that person "stuipd" to his/her face, you should refrain from saying it behind his/her back.

In addition, every person on the face of the earth has something that we ourselves could learn or learn from. If you look for the "stupid" in people, that's what you'll see. If you look for the good in people, that's what you'll find.

Maxwell

by isys

not entered into evidence. We all have experiences like this, but have your users had any computer training? In my organization, we have had people quite literally move from the bondo room one day to program management the next and not even know how to open Microsoft Word. That's not a joke. I published a policy that requires all company information to be stored in a serve folder and made the department managers responsible for training their people. I only source the training resource. So far as the person who translates what I say into "layman's terms", I cut him out of the pattern by asking the person or persons I'm addressing to stop me if I use language they do not understand. As to the bank robber story, remember that this person came in with only one side of the story. If he's amenable to listening to your side you have the opportunity to educate someone to one facet of what makes your job so challenging. And that's what it's all about. Most of the rest of the organization thinks that because they operate a PC at home they can do the same at work. As the IT guys it's up to us to educate them to the differences.

by fluxit

If a person is a professional or even in the work place today. I believe it is incumbent upon that individual to be up to speed with the tools of the trade especially when the tools are nearly standard across all industries. Would an employer hire you if you did not know how to operate a server? NO. Then why should someone not be expected to know how to operate common software.

by flashtube

Bank Robbers! I haven't heard of that one.
When you study technical info all your waking life, you take on a new life of your own. Others seem stupid because they are not on your plane of living. We see bits/bytes in all of our daily living. I associate everything in life to the internal/external workings of computers.
Be patient and understanding of your users. Help them, even on a one to one basis if you can. Do little things for them...they will appreciate it.

IT Manager

by virtualjwn

Information Technology (IT) is the most unappreciated group of people on the face of the planet. A close second may be the US Ambassador to Canada (what does that guy do anyway?) or the person who quality checks the plastic things on the ends of shoelaces. (get the idea?)

Pardon me, I digress.

The fact is, in this field, the only time you know you are doing a good job, is when NOBODY talks to you!

The minute anything goes wrong, you the IT person become (in their eyes) the MOST Evil person ever to walk the face of the Earth (something like a cross between Sadam Hussien and Barbara Streisand, Yikes!)

Most people (please remember not to call them users) are cool. But, there is a percentage of people (5-10% if you are lucky) who will immediately turn on you and blame you for anything and everything they can. (this may include the sinking of the Lucitania, and even the price of gas).

Most of the time, they are late with something for their boss, and if they don't get a "break" they will be in trouble.

Remember that when in this mode, Users (sorry PEOPLE) can talk about 50 decibels higher than normal so that EVERYONE in a two block radius can hear them.

The thing to keep in mind is that IT is a good industry, andyou often (can) have alot of fun doing your work. you have to put your time in with customers though.

You get to work with new technologies, and don't suffer from techno-phobia like alot of folks.

And finally, believe it or not, people do admire the fact that you know so much about computers

How many people have helped your folks, grandparents, friends, etc. fix something only to be told how smart you are, and saved the day, yada.

So bottom line, life is good, So don't let things get to you. IT and Computers can be a great career... they have been for me.

After all, you could be making Pizzas......
(but that's another story!)

J

;)

by maxwell edison

The U.S. Ambassador to Canada is Paul Cellucci, former Governor of Massachusetts.

He was appointeed to oversee a wide scope of diverse international trade issues, including a multilateral protocol on biodiversity, the trade implications of globalcommerce in cultural products, Pacific salmon fishing rights, the future of the Softwood Lumber Agreement, and continental energy issues.

Because the United States and Canada share a 5,500-mile border, the Ambassador also oversees border management (including customs and immigration), law enforcement (including joint efforts to combat international terrorism), environmental collaboration, and continental transportation considerations and responsibilities.

Additionally, the Ambassador oversees a complement of approximately 800 American government personnel in Canada, representing 21 federal agencies.

by maxwell edison

The little plastic things on the end of your shoelaces are called aglets.

(Not to be confused, however, with a Java aglet, an autonomous software agent, or a program that can halt itself, ship itself to another computer on the network, and continue execution at the new computer.)

I'm glad we cleared that up.

Maxwell

by james r linn

to Canada is quite substantial.

Canada does more trade with the US than the US does with the rest of the world combined. Billions of dollars a day travel through each main entry point.

While the American public may not hear much of the trade issues, Canadians sure do, and they are many, despite the fact that free trade was supposed to lower the number of disputes. Canada and the US also have defense issues in NORAD (North American Air Defense), immigration issues, and many other things toworry about. The American Ambassador to Canada has to be one of the busiest postings in the US.

James

by fluxit

The value in the training was already had before even getting there as I had the confidence, I lead people, and I am successful. As I mentioned all that was in my very early on training. In short, I was hired to do something because of my backgroundand the focus shifted on me and priorities were changed. That is way I no longer work there.

by fla_root

I believe that everyone specializes in something. I work as the sole IT person for a small (250+ user) network that covers five cities in two counties. We're a state criminal law office, and handle everything from prostitution to capital sexual battery and murder. I've told my attorneys that I *DON'T* want their job, and they don't want mine!

It does give you a warm, fuzzy feeling to be able to help out your friends, and solve some of their problems. I try very hard not to talk "tech" to them (they don't speak lawyer to me!), and to give them examples that they can understand (Ex: Client/Server=branch banks/main office or an ethernet collision=party phone line). Similarly, I try to schedule workstation updates and maintenance around them, to minimize their "down time". When there's a problem, they know that I'll have it fixed as soon as I can, and will generally squash an obstrperous co-worker for me.

Network redundancy helps, too ...

Keep the users up to date, handhold thosewho need it (you know who they are), and your life will go easier.

by james r linn

Its the attitude.

I've worked in Fortune 100 companies where salespeople got Porches for bonuses and wanted to be catered to hand and foot. They weren't unappreciative, just demanding.

And when I looked at it objectively, I'd much rather thatsalesperson spend every ounce of their energy working on that 100 million dollar sale, rather than worrying about their computer.

Like going to a doctor, there is a line between learning enough to make good decisions, and leaving the hard stuff to the professionals.

Willfull ignorance is one thing, focussing on your work is another - I've seen many times when people assume the first.

James

by yassine_zairi

Okay one thing you do ignore that person
because you made what you have to made you send
an-email explaining everything right
so he & his boss needs format & build to act like humans tell him that by a real e-mail he will understand it 100%.

that's it

by yassine_zairi

He is really an asshole with full respect to those who are reading this
sorry for that ladies & gentelmen

by dbgirl

First of all, I don't like to think that anyone is stupid. I will say that sometimes people do stupid things. I am in IT, and have been for the better part of 8 years. Some of the things I have seen other IT people do make things the users do look much better.

For instance, I know of an owner of a local computer shop that uses some 'unconventional' methods with hardware. As soon as I found out, I have told everyone I know locally to never go there. I went in for drive rails for an oldermodel case. The guy in the shop told me to just do what he does, which is to hold the drive in place with hot wax.

I would rather work with a user that doesn't have a clue than an IT person that tells me they are the best, then tells me they install hard drives with hot wax!

by tomsal

Of course ANYONE and EVERYONE on the planet (myself certainly included) is capable of stupidity. But I disagree, there really are 100% certifiable stupid people in the world. I'm talking flat out complete 24 hours a day/7 days a week/ 365 days a year air heads.

As far as IT doing stupid things....yes you got me there....after all I did install Microsoft products on my computers. ;)

by dbgirl

Everyone is "stupid" about something. Everyone also has their own area of brilliance. Just because they do not understand thing one about computers doesn't mean they are lacking intelligence. I have found that even the people that seem to just beunwilling to learn the basics of their computer can be taught. Many IT people appear stupid to some of the same people they complain about. This is because many IT people have not bothered to learn the basics of human communication. Which happensto be one of the tools for our job. We may be brilliant when working with the machines, but can we work with the people too?

by tomsal

Of course ANYONE and EVERYONE on the planet (myself certainly included) is capable of stupidity. But I disagree, there really are 100% certifiable stupid people in the world. I'm talking flat out complete 24 hours a day/7 days a week/ 365 days a year air heads.

As far as IT doing stupid things....yes you got me there....after all I did install Microsoft products on my computers. ;)

by tomsal

Of course ANYONE and EVERYONE on the planet (myself certainly included) is capable of stupidity. But I disagree, there really are 100% certifiable stupid people in the world. I'm talking flat out complete 24 hours a day/7 days a week/ 365 days a year air heads.

As far as IT doing stupid things....yes you got me there....after all I did install Microsoft products on my computers. ;)

by fluxit

Did you know that is how pick-and-place surface mount circuit boards are made. The surface mount chip is selected from a wax paper ribbon where it is held on by wax, then placed on a warm circuit board so the wax holds the chip in place. After all the chips are placed, the board then passes into a oven where the solder fuses the chip more permanently. While wax is not a permanent method it does serve a purpose. Unfortunately, if the drive is not grounded to the case and rogue currents can evolve due to a potential differences.

by dbgirl

I know and agree that wax has its place. I am just saying that there are some places where it shouldn't be used. I don't think it should be used as a permanent drive mounting solution. I think that anyone who uses such lazy technique on somethingsimple like that will use worse shortcuts elsewhere, and I don't want to find out the hard way where those shortcuts are. Maybe I shouldn't have classified the action as stupid, but rather just plain lazy.

by ebob

"Sheesh, I'd hate to work for you, you would have me doing EVERYONE'S JOB for them!"

I just make sure everybody knows what there job is.

And I assume that the users don't.

As with some other posts in this thread, They (the users) are made aware that if they save the files to some specific drive mapping, it will get backed up. Otherwise, they're on their own.

by fluxit

Many of you made excellent points and I believe that if anyone is going to employ technology they require some degree of proficiency. Afterall, driver licenses are not handed out without attaining a degree of proficiency and then checked routinely.

A good example of people who lack user level skills is recently we were making a powerpoint presentation. I am working diligently on the subject matter I was assigned making the requisite slides. When I looked up 5 people were gathered around oneuser across from me. Everyone was discussing on how to use a feature in powerpoint but could not quite make it work. One person asked me if I knew. I got up looked at what they were doing and in two key strokes completed the operation they were seeking to do and went back to work on my stuff.

Everyone chuckled and wrote it off as me being a computer guru but I have had zero training in powerpoint and rarely ever use it.

People do not need to be technical guru's but they should know how to use thier tools effectively.

But then again people don't change thier oil in thier cars and get tickets for violations in operating a motor vehicle.

Cypercops ticketing people - there is an idea!

by urbanvisions

As someone who is not as computer literate as most you, but who knows more than the average Joe, I can see both points of view. I act as th tech liasion in my company. My job (among many) is to basically be a translater between the IT dept and evreybody else. I get to translate.."my harddrive is broken" to" it sounds like person has had a hard drive crash. I ran a software check and did other things, but to no avail..blah blah.."

I think it boils down to a lack of understanding on both parts. I know our IT people can't understand why people can't do the simplest little things in Word. And the user can't understand what the IT people are talking about. most people still aren't that comfprtable with PC's yet. I know. I taught an intro to computer class at the library. I spent hours teaching people how to use the mouse.

by fluxit

Someone is intervening in order for someone else to not have to live up to thier responsibility. You have found a niche for yourself as one of those five people standing around the computer trying to figure something out.

Another example of whatI am talking about. A CPA firm hires an executive secretary to manage chedules, type correspondence, and prepare reports. All three of these are done on a computer using standard industry software.

Now this secretary has nearly 35 years experience doing these things but for the life of her cannot use a computer. So she 'emails' a document to a peer in another CPA firm to format the document for her. But only afterwards does she find out that the other CPA firm is representing an opposing client in the court case the document was about.

Her boss finds out about this fires her not because she is incompetent at her job but because she emailed a confidential document to the opposing side. I think if she could do her job in the first place by using the computer then the document would have never been sent. Who's responsibility was this?

by isys

Have you ever had someone tell you that they installed a program because it was a "free download from the Internet"? Even after I put out a broadcast explicitly explaining the difference between freeware and licensed software I still have transgressors. I have just proposed that we deduct the cost of the unauthorized software license from the person's pay. It's either that or violate the Personnel policy against bringing firearms to work.

by fluxit

This is how the liberals approach government. Tax the people, make em pay for green house gases, not wear motorcycle helmuts or seatbelts, smoking, etc... In the meantime, there is all this money to do whatever they want. Like politicians, companieswill misuse the concept for gain at your expense.

A better approach I have seen is people are responsible for thier own computer/notebook. Like other professionals and tradesman such as Doctors, machinist, electricians, plumbers, etc... they provide thier own tools even when working for someone else.

One CPA firm provided the a network connection, network services, and a cubical. Every employee purchased thier own notebook, port replicator and other necessary software or hardware they felt they needed. It actually work very well, the accountants were out in the field with clients more, they could communicate with the office by dialing into a web service, work at home. They were more independent. More productive and had exactly what they felt they needed. Of course there were standards.

by dbgirl

To answer the responsibility question, one would need the answer to a couple of other questions.

1) Was this firm using computers to do business before the secretary was hired?

2a) If so, why didn't the hiring process reveal that she couldn't use a computer? If it did reveal that she couldn't use a computer, what training was provided?

2b) If not, what training was provided? Was it adequate?

In reality, responsibility for this should be shared. The company hired this secretaryto do a job, and she lacked the skill to do it. The company should provide adequate training to make sure employees have proper skills. If training is provided, and the employee still does not have the skill to do the job, then the company should take appropriate action - up to and including termination. If training is not provided, then the employee should find an employer that will provide the necessary training.

by fluxit

Many seem to think of the world as black and white. Thinking in terms of 'ifs' which usually means employers and IT people taking the initiative to help poor innocent users who are overwhelmed by the world around them.

The bottom line is people have a responsibility to themselves and thier careers. Peoples priorities are God, themselves, family, and then anything else. If they do not take care of thier career, health and futures then thier families will suffer. This means these poor innocent people who are so overwhelmed by technology need to get off thier big fat dairy-aires and learn on thier own so that they make the money and can care for thier families. There is no other excuse.

And yes it could cost money but I am certain thatthey can find ways to train that are so burdensome financially.

by urbanvisions

Not everybody has a talent or inkling for learning technical matters. A lot of the problems I tend to have with IT pros that I deal with is that they have a very smugish attitude. They, weather they mean to or not, tend to talk to people like they're stupid. That makes a lot of people mad.

In defense of IT personel, people need more computer education. Unfortunaely, it's very expensive and you really don't learn anyhting. I'm talking about the intro to win 98/XP clases. you never learn how to take a computer apart or what the parts are, and I think that people shouldn't have to know know those things. Look at VCR's or DVD players. The average person couldn't fix one to save their lives, and they are usually to afraid to take them apart.Technology is scary for a lot of people. It doesn't help that Windows and Office are a lot more complicated than they need to be

by fluxit

The secret is not taking Dale Carnegie, or sharing responsibility, or even taxing people. The secret is a quantum shift in our thinking to holding people to a level of responsibility.

This is happening as society moves away from the days of large cubical farms towards small home based businesses. Many financial and industry experts forecast that employees will become self-employed. Technology makes this more possible. The end user will have no choice but to become more technology savvy.

by james r linn

I've seen brilliant techies let go, because they couldn't work well with others - to the point of throwing things and yelling.

I've also tried hard to work with techies on educating them about business priorities and concerns. This has proven very challenging, dispite the fact that I've been where they are, and I somehow managed to learn the business side of the company.

IT gets a lot of criticism in many companies and not all of it is undeserved. We should realise that its simply the reverse of our frustartions with people not knowing more about computers - users want us to know more about what they do.

James

by rdschaefer

Most people can't even set the clock on their VCRs even with OSM. I don't expect everyone to become a Tech., just be able to learn how to properly use the tools required for their job.

Ralph

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