Comments on: How to Talk to a Programmer http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/ Productivity for Entrepreneurs, GTD Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:03:03 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Tom http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-1075 Tom Wed, 28 Mar 2007 20:22:06 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-1075 s/programmer/tech support/ I'm a sysadmin which is probably what you're referring to. In my case, I support programmers and engineers . #1 - I have users that got to my boss 1st. Big no no. You're trying to make me look bad and it's good that my boss has the same mindset. Use the help desk. Everyone in my dept gets the notice. My personal email and phone and visting my office directly don't work well when I'm out of the office/in the john/sick/on vacation. If my coworkers can't do it, they have my home phone number. Oh, and help desk tickets are tracked by my boss, his boss, and his boss. #2 - God helps those that help themselves. I'm here to help, but I'm *not* going to clean up your home directory. Do you expect me to tidy up your desk too? If I have directions on a web page, read them. They save you some time and me lots of time. If you come to me w/o reading my documentation, I'll point you at them. If they're broken, I'll fix them after I help you. If you come again w/o reading them, I'll read them with you, you big baby! If there are error messages, read them and write them down. I probably need to know what they are. If I do, I'm sending you back. Notes are good. There is nothing more annoying then answering the same question again. I write directions that do that. I might even hand you a pad of paper. If you need a new gadget/application, it is very reasonable of me to ask why. I might have something that 20 other people are using already and I don't like one offs. I've been doing this for awhile and know of many solutions that might be: cheaper, easier to support, faster, etc. Don't order stuff and throw it over the wall. One group ordered 6 TB of storage w/o IT. It turned out to be incompatible w/ 90% of our systems, doubled our work load and our backup system is a 40GB DLT drive #3 - In the above w/ the 6TB, the group was on aging storage that was failing. The company that built it was out of business 6 months earlier and we've been screaming to switch. When it failed like we said it would, the users were out 6 months of data. I've been doing this for years and I have good ideas. Use them. If my boss knows you didn't listen, he's not going to make me work weekends because you ignored me. s/programmer/tech support/

I’m a sysadmin which is probably what you’re referring to. In my case, I support programmers and engineers .

#1 – I have users that got to my boss 1st. Big no no. You’re trying to make me look bad and it’s good that my boss has the same mindset. Use the help desk. Everyone in my dept gets the notice. My personal email and phone and visting my office directly don’t work well when I’m out of the office/in the john/sick/on vacation. If my coworkers can’t do it, they have my home phone number. Oh, and help desk tickets are tracked by my boss, his boss, and his boss.

#2 – God helps those that help themselves. I’m here to help, but I’m *not* going to clean up your home directory. Do you expect me to tidy up your desk too?

If I have directions on a web page, read them. They save you some time and me lots of time. If you come to me w/o reading my documentation, I’ll point you at them. If they’re broken, I’ll fix them after I help you. If you come again w/o reading them, I’ll read them with you, you big baby!

If there are error messages, read them and write them down. I probably need to know what they are. If I do, I’m sending you back.

Notes are good. There is nothing more annoying then answering the same question again. I write directions that do that. I might even hand you a pad of paper.

If you need a new gadget/application, it is very reasonable of me to ask why. I might have something that 20 other people are using already and I don’t like one offs. I’ve been doing this for awhile and know of many solutions that might be: cheaper, easier to support, faster, etc. Don’t order stuff and throw it over the wall. One group ordered 6 TB of storage w/o IT. It turned out to be incompatible w/ 90% of our systems, doubled our work load and our backup system is a 40GB DLT drive

#3 – In the above w/ the 6TB, the group was on aging storage that was failing. The company that built it was out of business 6 months earlier and we’ve been screaming to switch. When it failed like we said it would, the users were out 6 months of data. I’ve been doing this for years and I have good ideas. Use them. If my boss knows you didn’t listen, he’s not going to make me work weekends because you ignored me.

]]> By: Andrew Sinclair http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-824 Andrew Sinclair Thu, 15 Mar 2007 18:53:14 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-824 it’s too bad that we go through life and forget that there’s a human side to everything. It’s so sad to hear that we have come to the point where we need to tell people to treat a someone like a colleague(this means respect) in all reality there’s a human side to everything, even software.
http://www.nlearnseries.com/wordpress

]]> By: Link Love, Site News and Recent CW Sightings around the Blogosphere at The Cranking Widgets Blog http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-718 Link Love, Site News and Recent CW Sightings around the Blogosphere at The Cranking Widgets Blog Thu, 08 Mar 2007 07:07:32 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-718 [...] Zen and Computing posted a very nice reinforcement of my recent post regarding talking to programmers. Here’s a snippet: If you master the points set forth in “How to Talk to a Programmer”, [...]

]]> By: How to Talk to Computer People http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-708 How to Talk to Computer People Tue, 06 Mar 2007 23:49:09 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-708 [...] productivity site The Cranking Widgets Blog comes “How to Talk to a Programmer” (via Lifehack.org), an excellent how-to for communicating with the “computer [...] [...] productivity site The Cranking Widgets Blog comes “How to Talk to a Programmer” (via Lifehack.org), an excellent how-to for communicating with the “computer [...]

]]> By: brett http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-706 brett Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:10:49 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-706 This made me laugh: <blockquote>Your lack of preparation does not constitute an emergency on my end.</blockquote> We have something to this effect tacked up on the wall in the server room. Ours actually says: <blockquote>A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency for me</blockquote> Truly brilliant... This made me laugh:

Your lack of preparation does not constitute an emergency on my end.

We have something to this effect tacked up on the wall in the server room. Ours actually says:

A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency for me

Truly brilliant…

]]> By: Christine http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-705 Christine Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:07:25 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-705 Programmers and IT people are NOT the same thing. I'm a programmer. I would never ask someone to fix code themselves first. However, if you started demanding apps from me, I'm going to put you at the end of my list, even if it's important. Your lack of preparation does not constitute an emergency on my end. Programmers and IT people are NOT the same thing. I’m a programmer. I would never ask someone to fix code themselves first. However, if you started demanding apps from me, I’m going to put you at the end of my list, even if it’s important. Your lack of preparation does not constitute an emergency on my end.

]]> By: joshnunn http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-703 joshnunn Tue, 06 Mar 2007 20:32:15 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-703 “If it’s a multi-step solution, jotting it down will further ensure you execute it correct (and you’re likely to impress Fred in the process).”

Unless you can’t take quick notes, and stop Fred every few sentences to say, “What was that again?”. OR demand that the process be shown to you while you take notes instead of just writing it down and going away and trusting the notes will help.

]]> By: Drainedge Link Tank · Today’s Links http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-697 Drainedge Link Tank · Today’s Links Tue, 06 Mar 2007 17:14:34 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-697 [...] How to Talk to a Programmer - The Cranking Widgets Blog [...] [...] How to Talk to a Programmer – The Cranking Widgets Blog [...]

]]> By: How To Talk To Your IT Department - lifehack.org http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-684 How To Talk To Your IT Department - lifehack.org Tue, 06 Mar 2007 12:53:08 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-684 [...] How To Talk To A Programmer - [CrankingWidgets] digg_url = 'http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/how-to-talk-to-your-it-department.html'; digg_bgcolor = "#"; ( function() { var ds=typeof digg_skin=='string'?digg_skin:''; var h=80; var w=52; if(ds=='compact') { h=18; w=120; } var u=typeof digg_url=='string'?digg_url:(typeof DIGG_URL=='string'?DIGG_URL:window.location.href); document.write(""); } )() Author: Craig Childs Posted: Tuesday, March 6th, 2007 at 7:54 am Tags: office, officespace, programmer Bookmark/Share This! Leave a Reply [...] [...] How To Talk To A Programmer – [CrankingWidgets] digg_url = ‘http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/how-to-talk-to-your-it-department.html’; digg_bgcolor = “#”; ( function() { var ds=typeof digg_skin==’string’?digg_skin:”; var h=80; var w=52; if(ds==’compact’) { h=18; w=120; } var u=typeof digg_url==’string’?digg_url:(typeof DIGG_URL==’string’?DIGG_URL:window.location.href); document.write(”"); } )() Author: Craig Childs Posted: Tuesday, March 6th, 2007 at 7:54 am Tags: office, officespace, programmer Bookmark/Share This! Leave a Reply [...]

]]> By: Site News: A Correction (and an Apology) at The Cranking Widgets Blog http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/comment-page-1/#comment-532 Site News: A Correction (and an Apology) at The Cranking Widgets Blog Sat, 03 Mar 2007 20:03:53 +0000 http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/02/21/how-to-talk-to-a-programmer/#comment-532 [...] was recently brought to my attention that the image I chose for my recent post ‘How to Talk to a Programmer‘ was actually of a young woman in anguish immediately following (and as a result of) the [...] [...] was recently brought to my attention that the image I chose for my recent post ‘How to Talk to a Programmer‘ was actually of a young woman in anguish immediately following (and as a result of) the [...]

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