Impletmented new login script at work, proves people are idiots

[Joemonkey]

Boss tasked me with creating a new login script, one like another facility uses that pops up an IE window with company logo, lists the username, computer name, progress of drive mapping, etc. The old login script mapped drives in the background, and users had no idea (which is usually a good thing). The script was originally set to display "Login Script" and have a window that shows each drive as it is mapped, then disappear.

After talking it over w/ some peers, we decided we should maybe put "This is the new login script, any issues call the helpdesk at x1111" and a 10 second Wscript.sleep in there before the auto-close for a couple weeks to give the slow people plenty of time to read what was on the screen. We thought about sending an email, but figured "hey, if they just read the words in the window, everything should be fine"

Set up the new login script over lunch, and we expected a few calls since we did say to call if there were any ISSUES, but so far we've had no less than 10 calls with people wondering what the heck this new thing is, do they have a virus, what the heck is happening, why is it staying up so long, what are all these letters, etc.

I've been in IT long enough I should know that any little change will cause an uproar with the users, but it still always amazes me how people freak out and say "what the hell is this!" when the explanation is right there in black and white. Tomorrow morning should be very interesting...

 

[trmiv]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
We thought about sending an email, but figured "hey, if they just read the words in the window, everything should be fine"

That was your first mistake.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

Send emails always.

 

[paulxcook]

You work in IT and you thought they would actually read the words on their screen before calling?

 

[TruePaige]

You just can't win. =p

 

[TuxDave]

Originally posted by: trmiv

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
We thought about sending an email, but figured "hey, if they just read the words in the window, everything should be fine"

That was your first mistake.

I agree, a change like that should be confirmed by IT in some sort of official communications. Otherwise would you be ok with the opposite where a user see's a strange new window asking for user information that says "Trust me!" and he should assume it's safe?

 

[reeserock]

Hopefully you have been educating your clients to not believe new oddball things that appear on their screen out of the blue.

 

[cmdrmoocow]

If things that were obvious to you as an IT person were obvious to the rest of the workforce, IT departments would be significantly smaller. Perhaps for the first week, you could have set the message to:
"IT has updated the login script.
If there are any issues, call the helpdesk at xXXXX"

It makes it a little more explicit that <entity> did <action> to <thing>.

 

[hiromizu]

Damn..you'd be totally axed if you did that here.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: hiromizu
Damn..you'd be totally axed if you did that here.

You'd be axed if you did exactly what your bosses asked? wow.

And yes, I realize seeing something new pop up may be odd, but if it has the company logo, site name, well known IT helpdesk phone number, your username and computer name, and the drive letters you are used to seeing, you'd think the little light bulb would go off.

 

[hiromizu]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: hiromizu
Damn..you'd be totally axed if you did that here.

You'd be axed if you did exactly what your bosses asked? wow.

And yes, I realize seeing something new pop up may be odd, but if it has the company logo, site name, well known IT helpdesk phone number, your username and computer name, and the drive letters you are used to seeing, you'd think the little light bulb would go off.

Maybe not axed but your boss would probably get some ball busting from upper management which in turn is passed onto you through derivatives.

 

[nakedfrog]

You needed proof?

 

[Zorro]

Email


/thread

 

[Homerboy]

Common JoeMonkey... you know the drill.

NOTHING IS IDIOT PROOF. Only idiot-resistant.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: Zorro
Email


/thread

See, every time we send an email about a change, we get hundreds of helpdesk calls asking "what is this about? what should I expect? what's it going to do? when is it going to happen? will it make me thirsty? why are you doing this to us? does this mean i'm fired?"

or rather "WHO MOVED MY CHEESE??"

Sometimes it's just better to push something out (provided you've tested the hell out of it) and make the users read and think for themselves

 

[torpid]

IT tells users to be wary of any pop up windows and other things because they might be viruses. I'd say it's actually a GOOD thing that people are calling in suspicious of a new screen about which they had no prior knowledge. The only thing that proves people are idiots is that you don't inform user to expect a new screen upon login.

 

[thirdeye]

Originally posted by: Zorro
Email


/thread

Yeah really. I know better than to not do this. Hell I still get calls even with a weeks notice via email.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: paulxcook
You work in IT and you thought they would actually read the words on their screen before calling?

We already know they don't read emails we send! Thought a different medium would have a more profound effect

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
Boss tasked me with creating a new login script, one like another facility uses that pops up an IE window with company logo, lists the username, computer name, progress of drive mapping, etc. The old login script mapped drives in the background, and users had no idea (which is usually a good thing). The script was originally set to display "Login Script" and have a window that shows each drive as it is mapped, then disappear.

After talking it over w/ some peers, we decided we should maybe put "This is the new login script, any issues call the helpdesk at x1111" and a 10 second Wscript.sleep in there before the auto-close for a couple weeks to give the slow people plenty of time to read what was on the screen. We thought about sending an email, but figured "hey, if they just read the words in the window, everything should be fine"

Set up the new login script over lunch, and we expected a few calls since we did say to call if there were any ISSUES, but so far we've had no less than 10 calls with people wondering what the heck this new thing is, do they have a virus, what the heck is happening, why is it staying up so long, what are all these letters, etc.

I've been in IT long enough I should know that any little change will cause an uproar with the users, but it still always amazes me how people freak out and say "what the hell is this!" when the explanation is right there in black and white. Tomorrow morning should be very interesting...

Sounds like you've got some smart users. I'm sorry, but when my login box changes unexpectedly without any warning from IT that a change has been made, I assume the worst. I mean, hey, if it was a virus, you wouldn't just want people clicking it assuming it was all good even though there had been absolutely no message from IT beforehand, right? That's just common sense; if you don't know what it is, it's potentially harmful, and you should check with IT before you proceed with an action that, for all you know, could infect the whole network with a virus.

Always send an e-mail beforehand. Your boss is an idiot for not doing this simple, crucial step.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
See, every time we send an email about a change, we get hundreds of helpdesk calls asking "what is this about? what should I expect? what's it going to do? when is it going to happen? will it make me thirsty? why are you doing this to us? does this mean i'm fired?"

or rather "WHO MOVED MY CHEESE??"

Maybe you should send out more detailed emails.

Sometimes it's just better to push something out (provided you've tested the hell out of it) and make the users read and think for themselves

Not it isn't.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: torpid
IT tells users to be wary of any pop up windows and other things because they might be viruses. I'd say it's actually a GOOD thing that people are calling in suspicious of a new screen about which they had no prior knowledge. The only thing that proves people are idiots is that you don't inform user to expect a new screen upon login.

Again...

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
it has the company logo, site name, well known IT helpdesk phone number, your username and computer name, and the drive letters you are used to seeing

Also, some programs require drives to be mapped before they will run correctly, so having this visual control where people can see whether or not they have the Q: drive yet will help with those issues.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

i hear ya, we joined folks to the domain and ppl complained, "I never had to log in this way."
"i want my files in my documents not the Z drive."

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: torpid

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
See, every time we send an email about a change, we get hundreds of helpdesk calls asking "what is this about? what should I expect? what's it going to do? when is it going to happen? will it make me thirsty? why are you doing this to us? does this mean i'm fired?"

or rather "WHO MOVED MY CHEESE??"

Maybe you should send out more detailed emails.

Sometimes it's just better to push something out (provided you've tested the hell out of it) and make the users read and think for themselves

Not it isn't.

Your users read emails sent from IT? Especially ones with lots of details? First time for everything I guess...

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
i hear ya, we joined folks to the domain and ppl complained, "I never had to log in this way."
"i want my files in my documents not the Z drive."

so redirect their my documents to the Z: drive via group policy

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: Joemonkey

Originally posted by: torpid
IT tells users to be wary of any pop up windows and other things because they might be viruses. I'd say it's actually a GOOD thing that people are calling in suspicious of a new screen about which they had no prior knowledge. The only thing that proves people are idiots is that you don't inform user to expect a new screen upon login.

Again...

Originally posted by: Joemonkey
it has the company logo, site name, well known IT helpdesk phone number, your username and computer name, and the drive letters you are used to seeing

Also, some programs require drives to be mapped before they will run correctly, so having this visual control where people can see whether or not they have the Q: drive yet will help with those issues.

The fact is that you put up a new screen that no user had seen or was expecting. You expect users to have enough technical expertise to be able to differentiate these screens but it makes no sense. It is probably trivial to spoof the page you are showing. Bank phishing scams have phone numbers and logos too. You don't want users to just assume everything is normal at all times. In fact most IT departments spend great amounts of time and money educating users on paying attention and assuming everything is bad.