The ^Bitter  Network Administrator

                                                A Website Dedicated to Computer Professional...and some not so Professional

Technical Support, The Psychic Friends Network and a Rant 2 Years Too Late
by Doug Chick


It’s not by accident that software companies make their product more difficult rather than easier to use. If they made it too easy you wouldn’t need Training, Support, Books, Cds and everything else that is associated with their software secondary markets. The actual purchase of the software is the just tip of the iceberg, it's the rest where they make their money. I'm convinced that every problem in a computer has been programmed in its predetermined location. Once the unsuspecting user learns the program, pays for maintenance, phone support and more books, they release a service patch to start the cycle over again. These software companies are crafty little devils. Paying for Phone Support has to be one of the most ingenious ways of capturing your clients money ever devised. And the best part is they're all idiots! I’m convinced that I would have a better chance of solving technician problems by phone if I were to call The Psychic Friends Network. Of course, I don't have any actual proof of this conspiracy, or that the Psychic Friends Network would be anymore helpful, but I'm standing firm that phone support people are idiots.

A Rant 2 Years Too Late:
If Microsoft ever makes me re-train for another operating system like they did from NT to Windows 2000, I’ll never again use their product. How does it benefit a network administrator to have the next version of an operating system have a completely different user interface? It doesn’t--More books, more self-study, more training and more money for them. The next change Microsoft makes to NT better look like Linux if they want me to use it. With having to keep up with so much changing technology, I want simplicity not extra steps. It’s like someone replacing the tools in your toolbox and not telling you what they are used for. I will admit that Windows 2000 is a better operating system than NT 4, not accounting for the multitude of security problems, but who asked them to? They didn't ask me if it was alright. 

Software Companies Beware: 
Software companies better be careful on just how much of my time they decide to waste. There is only so much of my day that can be dedicated to learning new software and I don’t want to waste time re-learning old software. It's not like these people provide free training. They need to remember that I base my software purchases on who robbed time away from me being with my family. The more I suffer from having to read technical manuals, installing service packs, having to reinstall a server, the less likely they are to get my money again. I mean, all the companies I will work for as a software decision maker. 

Network Administrators support more than just their company, they are the company decision makers for the purchase of software and hardware. And because Network Administrator tend to travel between companies, they may do so to several groups. Perhaps one day there will be a form or united group of computer people that able to drive the market instead of corporate marketing departments driving us.