Don't read ahead to the punch line... :-)

Some years ago, around 1990, I was working as a computer lab assistant helping other students, installing hardware on computers, doing upgrades, etc.

During finals week we were not usually available to help others.

One of the other lab monitors had taken his tests early, so he said he would help people.

We were transitioning from 5.25 inch floppy drives only to 3.5 inch floppy drives only. A number of students complained, so my boss installed several dual floppy drives that had one 5.25 inch floppy drive, and one 3.5 inch floppy drive. Yes, ms-dos days. The operating system doesn't have anything to do with the story though.

Two years later we got a new computer lab, with 20 new computers. But that year we had only 5 computers. 2-3 Tandy 1000 Sxs, XT compatibles, and the rest were 75MHz or 90 MHz computers. Hm... The 90 MHz may have come along later.

Billy tried to keep one machine available for printing, as many students didn't have a printer at home.

So, someone sat down at the one computer that only had a 5.25 inch floppy drive. A line formed to use the printer and that computer.

One of the students started yelling at Billy. He told them to just wait, they would get to print their homework. ( Many professors had students bring in their typed reports the night of the final exam.)

They noticed an available computer with a 3.5 inch floppy drive.

Took out a pair of scissors and cut their 5.25 inch floppy to fit the 3.5 inch drive. Stuck the trimmed floppy into the drive.

Billy had to get a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the debris from the floppy drive. He yelled at the student. The student demanded he rescue their homework. Then he pointed to the debris on the floor. Student stormed out of the computer room and went to class, they were going to complain and get Billy fired.

The next two students, understanding that trimming to fit was a Bad Idea...

wait for it.

Folded their 5.25 inch floppies and put them into the 3.5 inch drive.

Yeah, folded them in half.

Billy yelled, they yelled. They went to class, and complained.

Here is the punch line.

1. Billy didn't get fired, although his face was bright red during this.

2. all 3 students were computer science students. The end of that semester would be their graduation semester. One of them was a grad student working on his Master's Degree.

3. The undergrad and grad faculty/advisors came by and asked me about it. I told them what Billy had told me, the faculty/advisors cringed. They had a chat with the students who yelled at Billy. One of the students apologized to Billy.

4. And those 3 students graduated anyway.

Any similar horror stories for your tech support days ?

Amazing. How do people come up with that? HOW!!?!?!?!??!!?

Anyways, I don't have any horror stories, but I thought I would share this link.

~Lordbob

Originally Posted by archie123

Funny Tech Support conversations | FWDfish

#16 is hilarious.

Originally Posted by archie123

Funny Tech Support conversations | FWDfish

*Beats head on desk*

I literally screamed after reading the second to last one.


~Lordbob

Originally Posted by archie123

Funny Tech Support conversations | FWDfish

Archie, please don't do this again.

That was good one. Gee...

Thats bad...too bad none got a nobel prize for graduating

Ive got one from the student point of view, not really much to do with computers, more like computer courses...

...Ok, where i work (i dont work there really, im just doing some MS access refresher stuff), we offer 10 unpaid positions (a work experience placement basically) where students or the unemployed can work for nothing, but they can study for an NVQ (Like an on the job qualification) in either customer service or business admin, for free.

an nvq requires a job or work placement to be able to actually base the qualification on. Basically you need to be doing the job role for the nvq you are studying for.

So person X wants to study for an nvq in business admin, they need to be doing business and admin which revolves heavily around sitting at a desk and using a computer.

Right, with all 10 unpaid positions full, there is difficulty in giving all 10 people some actual work to do, becasue of a shortage of computers and office space. Without the actual duties the nvq cant be studied for. So what does management do?

Ill tell you what they decided to do (This is really really intelligent management). they take on paid staff members to carry out the duties of the nvq placement students (most of which have become very close friends). so there isnt any available I.T facilities to be able to perform any duties, thus rendering the course pointless.

All of these guys, and girl, are inner city working class and most are actually unemployed claiming benefit, and look to me for advice and guidance, since i am also training I can be of the most help.

Guess whos got to sort it all out? ie talk to soliciters that wort of thing (becasue what they have done is technically illegal, because the company get a certain amount of cash for taking each person on and providing them with the work and training)