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Geek Culture / If you don't feel like a rant, stay well away!

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Van B
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22
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Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 02:01
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Arghhhh!!!!

Ok imagine Jabba the hut in IT manager form and you have a fairly accurate representation of my boss. 3 weeks ago he called in a sicky saying he had forgotten about an appointment, then the next day he called in sick again. Then the following monday he twisted his massive ankle getting out of the back of a car. Then he called me today to tell me that he's signed off for another 4 weeks!.

Then (as if this wasn't enough) once he get's back, he's in for a week then off again for 2 weeks holiday!.

Meanwhile the rest of the IT department (me) has to do 2 jobs at once .

How exactly does one kill their boss without arrousing suspicion?

Please post your general work complaints and rants so I might feel less of a 'worst case scenario'. Stories where the boss get's wounded would be best.


Van-B

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TKF15H
21
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Joined: 20th Jul 2003
Location: Rio de Janeiro
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 02:15 Edited at: 23rd Jun 2005 02:31
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Quote: "so I might feel less of a 'worst case scenario'"

I work as a database/VB/scanner programmer, if that isn't 'worst case scenario', I don't know what is.
The coding itself isn't that bad, the problem is I have to deal with clients. Arg, they keep asking me to do changes to the program, and in a few cases, will ask for me to keep the 'feature' quietly hidden away from my boss as they know he'll charge more for it. There are so many clients there's no time to finish all the customizations I need to make in the code resulting in about 3 clients that want my head on a plate. We're moving from our old office to a new one, most of the computers are packed in boxes, and this dude keeps calling me on my cell asking why I didn't send him a new version of his program. Then there are the clients that keep asking for pointless/impossible customizations like "Can you make the program tell me if I scanned an image upside down?", "Can the program read the name/date/ID on the scanned form and throw it into the database automaticly?", "can you make the program bake my pie?"
As you can see, I'd prefer stories where the client gets wounded.

WarBasic Scripting engine for DarkBasicPro
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BatVink
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Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 02:22
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How about a "headcount reduction" of around 600 people, and taking on more work? Add to that a pay-freeze for the last 5 years.

So in summary less people doing more work for a salary that has devalued by around 10%.

BatVink
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Van B
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Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 02:28
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Ahhhh, I can see colours again - keep em comming!

If we can do this every night until the puzzle compo deadline then that would be great.

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Peter H
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Location: Witness Protection Program
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 03:10
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you think your guy's jobs suck?

try this out for a job description...

1)No regular hours, required to work whenever asked
2)No pay
3)Most of work outside in 90 degree weather with a humidty of about %100 (east texas...ugh)
4)Not even so much as one person to talk to...
5)You have to ask before taking a shower because the hot water heater can only stand up to two short showers or one of your showers

The common name for this job is "pre-college"

--Peter

"We make the worst games in the universe."

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zenassem
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Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 03:34 Edited at: 23rd Jun 2005 07:07
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I work as Network Systems Administrator for a local school district. I am contracted under CSEA. My job description under CSEA guidelines is so vague and outdated that practically anything with a blinking light could be considered a computer.

They could for all tense and purposes throw a memory module out into the field, and somehow tell me that it is my job to mow all the grass to locate the memory module. And by the guidelines it seems that they would have a strong case. I have found myself in a position where I alone am the entire IT department.

1.)I am helpdesk support (for every little possible problem than can occur on all staff computers, labs etc...)

2.)I am the repair technician for all said computers, printer, devices etc..

3.)I need to manage the entire infrastructure: Meaning I run lines, configure, maintain, and support every piece of technology that hits the school. Coordinate with outside vendors, and leased T1 lines.

4.)I also responsible for maintaining All servers, multiple databases, ,Accounts, Login restrictions, remote access via Citrix metaframe... All configs for switches, routers, firewall, Access Points, internal DNS... etc

And I am just scratching the surface here...

5.)It seems that although the amount of devices and complexity of the network has grown exponentially(ie. 2 new labs of 30 client machines, laptops to all Teachers (which are used to take periodic attendance and grading), Multiple Media center databases, faculty & student accounts, two additional laptop carts of 30 computers each...) Yet I'm suppose to do all of this in the same amount of time as previous years.

6.)No training on newer releases of software. When I started we had windows nt,95,&98 clients, Novell 3.0 & 4.0 servers. Since then we have moved to windows XP, Windows 2000& 2003 servers, Citrix Metaframe on top of 2003 advanced servers, Novell 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, & 6.5. But I am suppose to know this stuff right from the get go, without any paid training.

I am also in charge of auditing security breaches, deploying backup solutions (backup exec, local backups etc...), as well as document and maintain inventory records.

I could go on and on.

Now I do have a supervisor; (Network Systems Coordinator). From what I gather; it's his job to call me incessantly, to ask me about the 5000 things that I have already done. And to fill him in on it, although I don't gather that he understands what a mapped network drive is. for example, I just revamped the entire network infrastructure LAN/WAN maps and details via Adrem Netcrunch and Visio, and sent them over to him. These maps detail every device connected in the network, from an overall topology down to detail port configurations, and a location map. His response "Could I possibly make adjustments to the color coding, to make them match the school colors (blue and gold) Rather than the Red that I chose for the admin segment and key wiring closets.

Is that enough of a rant? I could go on. and on. and on......

~zenassem

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OSX Using Happy Dude
21
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Location: At home
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 06:57 Edited at: 23rd Jun 2005 06:59
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Seems I've got it easy

A) No one else in my room
B) Only occasionally see anyone else in the building
C) Get paid a nice amount
D) The bosses are elsewhere, and rarely seem them. Unfortunately one does tend to phone at the most inconvient time.
E) Unfortunately I have to do all the coding + customer support.
F) Could leave and arrive at almost any time, and probably no-one would know

Hell, if I could be bothered to stump up the money, I could divert the works phone to the home one and work from there...


Atomz is at http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~nickk
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James Morgan
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Location: Behind you
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 07:51
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My job now is great! My previous job was with a bank, and to say it was bad there would be a BIG understatement!
Infact it was so bad, if people did anything about it the top branch manager and area manager plus the assistant manager would have already been fired.....
Its not that the pay is terriable (just bad) and its regular hours but just small other things such as
1. If your hours are 10 - 6 for that week and your not in at 8:45 for the team meeting then they will find a reason to put you down in your review as "not being part of the team"
2. If you (like I did) get the fly and still made the effort to go into work, then they wont let you go, say your lying and get someone to spy on you (its against the law in the UK to not let you go home when your ill)
3. They took £500 from a cashiers till to teach them a lesson, if that money went missing it would have gone against the cashier not the manager who took it...
4. Recently someone was suspended for reasons I wont go into, the manager was telling the whole thing to one of my close friends who worked in the same branch (in otherwords giving out confidential data)
5. Lie to you. In my case, moved me to a different branch (oh and instead of being offically told I found out thru a party when a friend told me) I was told it was so I could be trained on something else (something they had promised for a year) they send me across and then as Im not part of "there" group I dont get any training and stuck doing a worse job.
6. A few weeks ago, a college told his manager that he had heard rummors that they are going to be moved. Said he didnt want to be moved and has been offererd a job else where which he didnt want to take but as he couldnt move felt he might have to take it.
His manager swore that there is no way he is going to be moved, the guy turned down this other job. the following week his manager rang him up, you guessed it - telling him he is being moved...
7. The manager NEVER takes the blame for anything, always blames us and gets away with it.
8. People have complained with agreaivense (spelled wrong) but instead they get fobbed off and the manager found some to way try and get them on a disaplinery (again spelt wrong sorry)

I can go on... yes theres MUCH more, but im ramballing

J

Hello!
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Jeku
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Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 09:24 Edited at: 23rd Jun 2005 09:24
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I have a German boss, and he must not understand certain English subleties that would be common sense to everyone from an English background.

I was approved for a mortgage the other day for a new condo, and I needed a letter of employment from my boss. Naturally, I asked him early because he is a very busy man (i.e. he's never in the office). Finally he gives me the letter the day of the deadline, and the first sentence goes something this:

<My name> is pursuing permanent employment with <company name>... etc. etc.

WTF. I work here, pay my taxes, and get paid like everyone else. Worst of all is he wasn't in the office for me to enquire. There's NO WAY I will get this mortgage now.

He is an extremely nice boss, by the way, but I was really let down by that letter.


--[R.O.B.O.I. and FireTris Coming Soon]--
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Philip
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Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 09:41 Edited at: 23rd Jun 2005 09:42
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Now is obviously not the time to say that my job is usually interesting on a daily basis, that I work for highly intelligent and thoroughly likeable people, that I enjoy my work and that I'm intending to retire at the age of 45.

Heres a few interesting financial facts about the elite end of the English legal profession:

1. legal secretaries in the City's major law firms get paid circa £25,000 to £35,000 a year (makes you wonder why you aren't a secretary, eh?);

2. first year law trainees in a City law firm can nowadays command a starting salary of about £35,000;

3. newly qualified English solicitors in a City law firm command a salary of about £51,000;

and to go to the other end of the scale ...

4. Jonathan Sumption QC, known as "the cleverest man in England" (a great title - I wonder how he received it hmmm?), who is much instructed by the Government, charges in excess of £1,000 per hour for his services. Last year he earned somewhere in excess of £2m before tax.

And, no, I'm not saying how much I earn. Just rest assured that it isn't £2m (I wish).

Philip

Cheer if you like bears! Cheer if you like jam sandwiches!
P3.2ghz / 1 gig / GeForce FX 5900 128meg / WinXP home
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indi
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Location: Earth, Brisbane, Australia
Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 10:34
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i work for myself and so bosses are my clients.

If no-one gives your an answer to a question you have asked, consider:- Is your question clear.- Did you ask nicely.- Are you showing any effort to solve the problem yourself &#63743;
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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 23rd Jun 2005 16:26
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Do they pay on time ? Thats the important bit.


Atomz is at http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~nickk
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empty
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Location: 3 boats down from the candy
Posted: 24th Jun 2005 00:15
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Quote: " Do they pay on time ? Thats the important bit."

Usually they don't. If they pay at all. Well, that's my experience...


Play Nice! Play Basic! Version 1.073
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Foxy
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Location: The Dale, South Australia
Posted: 24th Jun 2005 18:02 Edited at: 24th Jun 2005 18:03
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The principal of my school is my auntie! Thats an evil boss-like situation.

On other terms, I was doing some work for a little old lady around here and she complains about little things. I was half way through mowing one of her expanses of grass when she told me to set the mower one notch lower (which makes about 2mm of difference) and I had to do the whole damn thing again.

My 1337 site:

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gbuilder
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Location: New Zealand
Posted: 24th Jun 2005 20:08 Edited at: 25th Jun 2005 06:59
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Well, I'm semi retired and glad of it.. After years of dealing with abusive bosses and stress I decided to get off the wheel and take it easy. But there is a price to pay.. not much cash. The up side is, time to do what I want.
Indi has the right idea, work for yourself but then there's the Tax Department to deal with, and of course those Clients.

Van B, If you are getting too much work heaped on you and feel that it is unfair then look for another job..

gbuilder.

XP2000, 512mb Ram, 64mb GForce4 MX440 Graphics card, WindowsXP Professional.
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OSX Using Happy Dude
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Posted: 24th Jun 2005 20:11
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Quote: "Usually they don't. If they pay at all. Well, that's my experience..."

My company policy is to cut off support if they dont cough up with the reddies


Atomz is at http://homepages.nildram.co.uk/~nickk
http://spaces.msn.com/members/BouncyBrick/
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Van B
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Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 24th Jun 2005 21:37
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Quote: "Van B, If you are getting too much work heaped on you and feel that it is unfair then look for another job.."


Your right, I should probably be looking for another job - but where I'm from, there's not that much demand for my skillset, I'd have to move to Edinburgh or something to get the same salary bracket. Moreover though, I do like my job, it's just the chaff that goes with it that's getting to me .


Van-B

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Jeku
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Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Posted: 25th Jun 2005 02:08
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It's lame where I work, though, because as an independant contractor, many companies will refuse to hire you if you want them to sign a contract. Therefore, if you do loads of work for them with just a deposit, they can run and not have to pay you the rest. It's rotten but that's how the system goes, I guess.

Of course, if they end up using your product without paying you, then you can sue the shirt off their backs.


--[R.O.B.O.I. and FireTris Coming Soon]--
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Dom
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Posted: 25th Jun 2005 03:48
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Reading all this it looks like I've got a lot to look forward to when i'm old enough to get a job


Thanks to Animeblood for the Logo!
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Raven
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Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 25th Jun 2005 05:34
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Quote: "Usually they don't. If they pay at all. Well, that's my experience..."


Same, but only when I take works as a freelance though.
Clients seem to be under the impression that just because your working solo that means they have the right to piss you about.

Lost out on a hell of a lot of money about 2years ago doing a job for a Japanese company, all because something was lost in the translation of the agree we had. So they used it as a loop hole.

Learnt that while Lawyers cost a bit to use, fact is that it can cost alot more if you don't make sure that your clients realise they're legally obligated. I refer to do any work now without a contract written up and signed. It's a shame when you have to do something like that, but fact is most people are out to rip you off; they don't care if they're taking away your rent, food money, etc.. they just care they're getting the goods. Kinda sick.

Another point is to kinda make sure you don't deal with the pissy small companies. Trusted contracters will generally pay up, so doing a quick check on who they've previously used and how they were treated before agreements also are kinda important now.

Seriously, while Freelance pays more; fact is I'm much happier with the stability of a full-time employeer. I know where my next paycheque is comming from, so no real worries or surprises.

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