Why users suck today [modified]
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No, this is not a rant. I more took it with humor. Now, once upon a time, there was a web application where you (litterally) could order truckloads of expensive stuff. Driving truckloads of expensive stuff across the country makes little sense, so you begin your order by entering your postal code and the program will select a company close to you to deliver. The problem is, that every company has a different minimum order quantity. Some will come if you order at least one metric ton, others may not come for less than four. Also, the prices may vary quite a bit. This application had been running for years and everybody was happy. Then, one day, one of the companies cried out for support. Criminals were trying to rob them by placing orders below their minimum quantity. Even worse, the program even let them order at a far too low price. The support staff valiantly tried to trick the application into placing invalid orders, but to no avail. This is why they quickly agreed to pass the matter on to one of their wizards and be rid of it. The wizard was not happy to interrupt his studies for such trivial matters, but even wizards must earn some money to put some food on the table. So he started to cast all kinds of spells at the web application and did not rest until he finally did it. He found out how the thieves were able to place orders at practically any price or amount. It actually involved a browser, entering a certain sequence of values and then letting the web page crash by using a little validation bug, then pressing the back button in the browser and qickly pressing the order button in the web application. The wizard brought this before his master wizards, who nodded wisely and commanded him to quickly take care of this, so that the thieves will no longer be able to take the food out of our mouth. This he did and soon he was able to send a proud letter in reply to the support request, telling the company that the thieves no longer would plague them. Until the next day. It had happened again. A new order, under the minimum amount and price. The company was very disappointed, the master wizards sadly shook their heads and even the lowly apprentices at the support staff were beginning to show disrespect. So it came to be that the wizard had to interrupt his studies once again. He tried everything he knew to place an invalid order, but his own protective spells held. No doubt, the thieves were powerful wizards and superhackers themselves. The wizard took apart the web application, not resting unti
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I hope you billed them for a hefty amount (for interrupting your studies, of course :) )
"A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." - Thomas Jefferson "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin Edbert Sydney, Australia
The master wizards take care of writing the bills. But I'm sure they will be generous. To themselves. :)
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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Real wizards don't eat ;P
I are n00b.
Look at the apprentices in the support team (when they don't spend their time as toads). Then look at the typical hard working wizard. And, last, take a look at the master wizards. You will quickly discover a steady increase of the volume of their bellies. If they don't eat, then this must be the place where they accumulate all their knowledge and wisdom.
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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Love it. 5. I'm guessing the troubleshooting occured on a dev database with the proper minimums, or the intended minimum was not communicated in the issues log entry.
They simply did not tell me the expected values and obviously had not cared to look at them in the application for a longer time. Since when do users put any useful information into a support request?
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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They simply did not tell me the expected values and obviously had not cared to look at them in the application for a longer time. Since when do users put any useful information into a support request?
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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No, this is not a rant. I more took it with humor. Now, once upon a time, there was a web application where you (litterally) could order truckloads of expensive stuff. Driving truckloads of expensive stuff across the country makes little sense, so you begin your order by entering your postal code and the program will select a company close to you to deliver. The problem is, that every company has a different minimum order quantity. Some will come if you order at least one metric ton, others may not come for less than four. Also, the prices may vary quite a bit. This application had been running for years and everybody was happy. Then, one day, one of the companies cried out for support. Criminals were trying to rob them by placing orders below their minimum quantity. Even worse, the program even let them order at a far too low price. The support staff valiantly tried to trick the application into placing invalid orders, but to no avail. This is why they quickly agreed to pass the matter on to one of their wizards and be rid of it. The wizard was not happy to interrupt his studies for such trivial matters, but even wizards must earn some money to put some food on the table. So he started to cast all kinds of spells at the web application and did not rest until he finally did it. He found out how the thieves were able to place orders at practically any price or amount. It actually involved a browser, entering a certain sequence of values and then letting the web page crash by using a little validation bug, then pressing the back button in the browser and qickly pressing the order button in the web application. The wizard brought this before his master wizards, who nodded wisely and commanded him to quickly take care of this, so that the thieves will no longer be able to take the food out of our mouth. This he did and soon he was able to send a proud letter in reply to the support request, telling the company that the thieves no longer would plague them. Until the next day. It had happened again. A new order, under the minimum amount and price. The company was very disappointed, the master wizards sadly shook their heads and even the lowly apprentices at the support staff were beginning to show disrespect. So it came to be that the wizard had to interrupt his studies once again. He tried everything he knew to place an invalid order, but his own protective spells held. No doubt, the thieves were powerful wizards and superhackers themselves. The wizard took apart the web application, not resting unti
Ouch. I spent several days trying to figure out why Google Analytics wasn't woking. Turns out somebody changed a filter setting so that only one page on the entire site logged visits. :doh:
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Surprisingly, I usually see actual values used to produce the error in trouble requests, but the problem is always more generic than the specific inputs...except in your case!
I would love to add this spell to my spellbook. Is it possible to cast it globally or must I cast it on each user individually? Seriously, usually they don't write much more than "This or that did not work.". And then the ritual of the 'W' must follow. WHAT were you trying to accomplish? WHAT did you enter in WHICH fields in WHAT mask, form or WHATEVER WHAT did or did not happen then? I guess, they really think we magically monitor every one of their moves :)
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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Ouch. I spent several days trying to figure out why Google Analytics wasn't woking. Turns out somebody changed a filter setting so that only one page on the entire site logged visits. :doh:
Great. This only proves, that many wizards spoil the spell :)
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
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I would love to add this spell to my spellbook. Is it possible to cast it globally or must I cast it on each user individually? Seriously, usually they don't write much more than "This or that did not work.". And then the ritual of the 'W' must follow. WHAT were you trying to accomplish? WHAT did you enter in WHICH fields in WHAT mask, form or WHATEVER WHAT did or did not happen then? I guess, they really think we magically monitor every one of their moves :)
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.
In my experience users can believe individual records in a basic CRUD app have special powers (wizardry maybe? ;P ) that actually cause the problem, rather than bad joins in db or fault elsewhere in the software, therefore they give the details. Just kidding. Ahh, who knows...
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No, this is not a rant. I more took it with humor. Now, once upon a time, there was a web application where you (litterally) could order truckloads of expensive stuff. Driving truckloads of expensive stuff across the country makes little sense, so you begin your order by entering your postal code and the program will select a company close to you to deliver. The problem is, that every company has a different minimum order quantity. Some will come if you order at least one metric ton, others may not come for less than four. Also, the prices may vary quite a bit. This application had been running for years and everybody was happy. Then, one day, one of the companies cried out for support. Criminals were trying to rob them by placing orders below their minimum quantity. Even worse, the program even let them order at a far too low price. The support staff valiantly tried to trick the application into placing invalid orders, but to no avail. This is why they quickly agreed to pass the matter on to one of their wizards and be rid of it. The wizard was not happy to interrupt his studies for such trivial matters, but even wizards must earn some money to put some food on the table. So he started to cast all kinds of spells at the web application and did not rest until he finally did it. He found out how the thieves were able to place orders at practically any price or amount. It actually involved a browser, entering a certain sequence of values and then letting the web page crash by using a little validation bug, then pressing the back button in the browser and qickly pressing the order button in the web application. The wizard brought this before his master wizards, who nodded wisely and commanded him to quickly take care of this, so that the thieves will no longer be able to take the food out of our mouth. This he did and soon he was able to send a proud letter in reply to the support request, telling the company that the thieves no longer would plague them. Until the next day. It had happened again. A new order, under the minimum amount and price. The company was very disappointed, the master wizards sadly shook their heads and even the lowly apprentices at the support staff were beginning to show disrespect. So it came to be that the wizard had to interrupt his studies once again. He tried everything he knew to place an invalid order, but his own protective spells held. No doubt, the thieves were powerful wizards and superhackers themselves. The wizard took apart the web application, not resting unti
So this "wizard" didn't verify the data he's checking against, but did blindly believe what the clients said it was? Amateur.
FILETIME to time_t
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | WhoIncludes - Analyzing C++ include file hierarchy -
So this "wizard" didn't verify the data he's checking against, but did blindly believe what the clients said it was? Amateur.
FILETIME to time_t
| FoldWithUs! | sighist | WhoIncludes - Analyzing C++ include file hierarchyNot quite. They insisted that their settings were correct and only they are the only people who know the correct values. Everything would have been resolved quickly if they ever had taken a look. So I had little choice but to go looking for the place where apparently wrong values were used.
A while ago he asked me what he should have printed on my business cards. I said 'Wizard'. I read books which nobody else understand. Then I do something which nobody understands. After that the computer does something which nobody understands. When asked, I say things about the results which nobody understand. But everybody expects miracles from me on a regular basis. Looks to me like the classical definition of a wizard.