404
I found this word on Buzzwhack.com. It is a derogatory term to describe someone who is clueless. Derived from the annoying error message you get when browsing the web, 404: Page Not Found.
Unfortunately it reminds me of many of the people I deal with on a regular basis at work. Yesterday in fact, I spoke to a 404. I'm not sure if that is accurate. I personally feel he is indeed a 404, especially when it comes to anything computer related; however, there is another issue at hand.
Sometimes the problem isn't so much cluelessness, but the inability to explain something in a way that makes even remote sense technically. Often times it is a simple problem, but I can't even understand the question being asked. There is this insane gap of technical knowledge between some users and me. Once in awhile it is difficult for me to cross the bridge and figure out what in the hell they are trying to say.
Yesterday went something like this:
L: Ummm, when I am at home I can't see my Outlook messages.
M: (Puzzled look) At home you use Outlook Web Access to get your mail?
L: Yes.
M: You can't open Outlook Web Access at home?
L: No, it works fine.
M: What is the issue then?
L: When I am at home, I don't see my Outlook messages.
M: Are you using Outlook Web Access at home?
L: No.
M: Ok, so this is your personal email?
L: Yes
M: So when you send messages from work to home you don't receive them?
L: Yes.
The conversation could have started out with: When I send an email from the office to home, I never receive it. Instead I got, "when I am at home I can't see my Outlook messages." 10 minutes wasted just figuring out what I was being asked. Amazing, isn't it?
What was even more interesting about this is that he doesn't receive any error messages bouncing back and our mail server says it was sent successfully.
Unfortunately it reminds me of many of the people I deal with on a regular basis at work. Yesterday in fact, I spoke to a 404. I'm not sure if that is accurate. I personally feel he is indeed a 404, especially when it comes to anything computer related; however, there is another issue at hand.
Sometimes the problem isn't so much cluelessness, but the inability to explain something in a way that makes even remote sense technically. Often times it is a simple problem, but I can't even understand the question being asked. There is this insane gap of technical knowledge between some users and me. Once in awhile it is difficult for me to cross the bridge and figure out what in the hell they are trying to say.
Yesterday went something like this:
L: Ummm, when I am at home I can't see my Outlook messages.
M: (Puzzled look) At home you use Outlook Web Access to get your mail?
L: Yes.
M: You can't open Outlook Web Access at home?
L: No, it works fine.
M: What is the issue then?
L: When I am at home, I don't see my Outlook messages.
M: Are you using Outlook Web Access at home?
L: No.
M: Ok, so this is your personal email?
L: Yes
M: So when you send messages from work to home you don't receive them?
L: Yes.
The conversation could have started out with: When I send an email from the office to home, I never receive it. Instead I got, "when I am at home I can't see my Outlook messages." 10 minutes wasted just figuring out what I was being asked. Amazing, isn't it?
What was even more interesting about this is that he doesn't receive any error messages bouncing back and our mail server says it was sent successfully.
posted by Alex at 7:00 AM
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