Current mood:	calm
Entry tags:	engineering

Pity the Poor Helpdesk
I needed a configuration change for my account on our main database. After a few calls they decided that I wasn't asking for this because I'm too lazy to search on narrow criteria but actually need need to do large pulls like I said. So I got a call telling me that they were emailing the instructions but "it's a long, drawn out process" and feel free to call if I need more help. I felt pretty wary about that--I was expecting "get your manager to fill out form A and then get the Vice President for IT to fill out form B" and such.

Then I get the instructions. Pull file X out of the database. Put in this directory. Doubleclick (it's a .bat). Log off and back on. Done in a couple of minutes.

I shudder to think what kind of users the tech support folks have had to deal with if they're describing that as "long and drawn out."