So I get this email from a user...and I'm having troubles not responding like an asshole

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vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
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I think it's time to dig me up a computer for my office at home. I know you assured me that our e-mails are safe...but in light of the situation...I am unwilling to continue to use my personal computer for emails and attachments that are potentially fatal to my system that MYCOMPANY may not cover in the event of a disaster. I download information from 3-5 stores weekly, sometimes several times a week from any given store. Anyone of them could be suspect for corrupt files.

As you know I have had many problems in the past with the laptop computer you provided my with. Due to a number of problems encountered with my current laptop I have not used it for quite some time now. For example, it is a hassle to get on the net to send or receive emails with it as you and I have discussed. It would not be a problem for me to check the laptop back in to you in trade for a better one. If I have a choice...I would prefer a laptop versus a home/office system as my travels are constant.
Please look into this as I am a bit nervous of receiving any downloaded information without visiting a store or the office to access my email for work purposes.
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I feel like responding...

Dear Clueless User,

Please don't blame me because you are too fscking inept to change your Dial Up Numbers in your nationwide dial up service. Please don't blame me because you are too blind to notice the 9, or 8, or 7 or whatever number that is listed on the phone of almost every hotel room that is sometimes needed to be added to the front of the dial up number.

As for issues with actual email usage, we haven't used pop mail in 3 years. There are no needs to change incoming or outgoing mail servers since the web access for email is much, much easier to use.

As far as viruses go, you use a web mail that is immune to autoexecuting viruses. The mail server that hosts the mail has a virus scanner that updates every two hours and strips most potentially harmful attachments. If you are to get a virus, you would have to actually download the attachment to your personal computer, then double click the attachment from there. And at that point you'd have to be ignorant enough to ignore the multiple emails I have sent out about watching attachments before you download, and also stupid enough to to not have a virus scanner on your own PC.

On top of these policies, you have constant emails from me warning you about virus threats the day before they outbreak, as well as an endless amount of media coverage that has accompanied most recent viruses.

**Sigh**
 
A

Amorphus

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
5,561
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Well, I already thought he was inept, but in light of the situation put forth in your reply, I'd like to submit that he is much more clueless than I had previously thought. :)
 
R

Reel

Diamond Member
Jul 14, 2001
4,484
0
76
Sign him up for gay porn and make sure they all get through the filter to his email then tell the boss that you have noticed unusual mail activity on his email account and you think he is misusing company time and resources.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
I really wasn't expecting an email like this from this guy. He's usually a cool guy and would just come in and ask me about it rather than send an email like this.

The futility of this is that I'm doomed in whatever I do. This is the same user that had me go over to his home and see why his web browsing was nuked and why his machine was running so slow and why he was getting popups. So, I go over to his home, look over some things, run ad aware and find...oh...over a 1000 items worth of spyware. He has like 8 different file sharing apps, a couple different P2P utlilites, and God knows what else on there. I never could get IE running and he didn't want to format.

So I put firebird on there and that worked fine. :confused:
 
T

TMPadmin

Golden Member
Jul 23, 2001
1,886
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Hmm? Sorry to be the opposition but isn't part of our job to help those who do not know any better? If this were one of my users I would have to take the time to explain to him, show in (in Detail) how things work. I know how STUPID some users can be but that is why we are computer professionals and they are users. We should know everything about computer and if we don't know something, we tell them we do and look it up. We as computer professional are better, a step above the masses. We can make great things happen, or bring down the network at will. Even bring it back up in record time and save the company thousands or millions even billions of dollars. We know, they don't. It is our job to give them the information they need to do the work they need to do. Face it, if it weren't for the ignorant users we wouldn't have a job.

Take a 1/2 hour or even an entire hour to explain and show this guy how things work. Your efforts now can save you dozens of hours and headaches in the future.

edit: If all fails: Tell him to stop working from home, he has a computer at work doesn't he? Or tell him to put in a request with his boss for a laptop.

tmpadmin
 
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vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Originally posted by: TMPadmin
Hmm? Sorry to be the opposition but isn't part of our job to help those who do not know any better? If this were one of my users I would have to take the time to explain to him, show in (in Detail) how things work. I know how STUPID some users can be but that is why we are computer professionals and they are users. We should know everything about computer and if we don't know something, we tell them we do and look it up. We as computer professional are better, a step above the masses. We can make great things happen, or bring down the network at will. Even bring it back up in record time and save the company thousands or millions even billions of dollars. We know, they don't. It is our job to give them the information they need to do the work they need to do. Face it, if it weren't for the ignorant users we wouldn't have a job.

Take a 1/2 hour or even an entire hour to explain and show this guy how things work. Your efforts now can save you dozens of hours and headaches in the future.

tmpadmin
Click to expand...

Yes, but see, the issue is I HAVE taken the time to show him this. MULTIPLE times. And I even type up nice little "how to's" in a text file and dump the text files on their desktops to use.

I can not make the lazy "un"lazy.
 
A

AlienCraft

Lifer
Nov 23, 2002
10,539
0
0
Originally posted by: vi_edit
I really wasn't expecting an email like this from this guy. He's usually a cool guy and would just come in and ask me about it rather than send an email like this.

The futility of this is that I'm doomed in whatever I do. This is the same user that had me go over to his home and see why his web browsing was nuked and why his machine was running so slow and why he was getting popups. So, I go over to his home, look over some things, run ad aware and find...oh...over a 1000 items worth of spyware. He has like 8 different file sharing apps, a couple different P2P utlilites, and God knows what else on there. I never could get IE running and he didn't want to format.

So I put firebird on there and that worked fine. :confused:
Click to expand...
AHHH there it is. You did a good deed. Now you must be punished.
Follow your workplace doctrine to the letter, even if this means it sounds like Intro to Computers 101. It's about paper trail in a corporate environment and C.Y.A.

 
D

DaWhim

Lifer
Feb 3, 2003
12,985
1
81
the computer illiterate never failed to amaze me

*sigh*

sorry, bro. now go to have a :beer::D:beer:
 
C

Conky

Lifer
May 9, 2001
10,709
0
0
I am getting out of the computer consulting business. I have one elderly client who is insisting I install Windows95 on her brand new system because she believes WindowsXP is much buggier and she doesn't know how to do anything with it.
rolleye.gif
I told her I would not be a party to such nonsense.

 
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amcdonald

Diamond Member
Feb 4, 2003
4,012
0
0
If its not someone higher up, tell him bluntly the problem lies in his errors.
He's going to complain to someone higher up eventually, if he hasn't already.
Let him know that you have made every effort to help him (how to files) and he needs to put forth more effort.
 
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slycat

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
5,656
0
0
...but in light of the situation...


what did he mean by that...what situation?
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,484
8,345
126
Originally posted by: slycat
...but in light of the situation...


what did he mean by that...what situation?
Click to expand...

He was referring to the recent "DOOM" virus that is spreading around. Even though I have not a single reported instance of the email showing up in any inbox.
rolleye.gif
 
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TMPadmin

Golden Member
Jul 23, 2001
1,886
0
0
This guy is requesting a laptop, that's his first demand. In my position (IT Manager) I assess the users uses for such request based on the work he does and his frequency working outside of the office. I then will make a reccomendation to their manager and to accounting (accounting only if there is a necessity for funds available for such a purchase). I then leave it to their manager to make the request to get the laptop. I also made it very clear that I DO NOT support home computers. I only will help install citrix clients and debug them if any issues arise. If the user has issues with using citrix after 1/2 hour - hour of teaching I would reccomend he go to a computer training class at his expense not the company's since I'm sure it was in his job description that he have some computer knowledge.

I lost my train of thought so I'll end here.

Good Luck!
 
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