Dear Users... (A thread for Sysadmin, Technical Support, and Help Desk people)

[arthwollipot]

I would put that checkbox *above* the signature. If they are like me they'd think they are done filling out the form when they get to the signature.

Mm, maybe.

I'm doing something different now. I'm trying to create my first Distribution List. I've got a set of instructions to follow. I've gone into Exchange Admin and created the list, correctly according to the instructions. The next step is to add custom attributes in Active Directory. If I use Find... I can see the group, but I don't get the Attribute Editor tab. I only get the Attribute Editor tab if I find the group in the OU. But the group is not there.

Okay, while composing this post, I managed to ask someone and apparently I need to close and reopen Active Directory before the group shows in the OU. That's a bit frustrating, but okay.

I still haven't received the Letter of Offer to take up my new permanent position yet. And I'm still waiting for my security clearance. But I'm getting there.

 

[Sideroxylon]

What a time to be in this role.

 

[arthwollipot]

What a time to be in this role.

I'm back at work after some time off (see the SWOYMRN thread for details) and can confirm that **** is crazy right now.

 

[JoeMorgue]

I've mentioned several times in my thread that my user base is, let me be charitable here, and just say "not comfortable with change." These are people who will literally shut down if an icon isn't on the same place on their desktop.

Take a wild guess how well they are handling working from home?

 

[theprestige]

I'm dealing with a software developer who's forgotten the concept of authenticating to a service in order to enjoy the benefits of that service.

"I don't have access!"

"What happens if you log in?"

"..."

 

[JoeMorgue]

And the first users who printed something to the office and wants someone to print it to her at her house just called in.

Yeah that's not happening.

 

[quadraginta]

I've mentioned several times in my thread that my user base is, let me be charitable here, and just say "not comfortable with change." These are people who will literally shut down if an icon isn't on the same place on their desktop.

Take a wild guess how well they are handling working from home?

About as well as they handled the upgrade from Win 7 to Win 8?

 

[arthwollipot]

So I'm working from home right now. I am really missing my multiple screens, but I'm kind of getting by with Desktops.

I have also discovered that you can have a laptop or a lap dog, but not both.

 

[quadraginta]

So I'm working from home right now. I am really missing my multiple screens, but I'm kind of getting by with Desktops.

I have also discovered that you can have a laptop or a lap dog, but not both.

If you hogtie the dog you can put it in your lap and set the laptop on the dog.

Kidding aside, I don't think I've ever used my laptop on my lap while at home.

I have it on the table (on a stand which lifts it up so I don't get a stiff neck.)

I have a wireless Logitech keyboard which finds its way onto my lap from time to time, and a wireless Logitech trackball which ends up in all sorts of places.

Largely depending on where the cat happens to be lying on the table.

 

[arthwollipot]

Unfortunately I don't have a place where I can use it in an ergonomically friendly way so I too have it set on a side table in front of my easy chair. It's not great, but it's okay. If I turn out needing to work from home on a regular basis, I'll definitely need to set something up properly.

The dog has relocated to the couch now, so that he can look out the window so he knows when he needs to bark at the neighbours.

 

[JoeMorgue]

So over the weekend it was agreed with the head of my company and the head of the company we provide IT Support that it would be in everyone's best interest if we minimize onsite troublecalls during the outbreak and onsite calls would be reserved for emergencies. An e-mail stating this was sent everyone in the company, outlying what was and wasn't considered an emergency.

So far the following tickets have been added to my cue in the last 24 hours.

"Printer toner is out and I have to walk to the next room over. Please send someone out ASAP."

"I need someone to organize the and rerun the wires under my desk."

"I need an IT ONSITE (Yes it was specified in the ticket and in caps) to install Outlook on my machine."

 

[catsmate]

Unfortunately I don't have a place where I can use it in an ergonomically friendly way so I too have it set on a side table in front of my easy chair. It's not great, but it's okay. If I turn out needing to work from home on a regular basis, I'll definitely need to set something up properly.

The dog has relocated to the couch now, so that he can look out the window so he knows when he needs to bark at the neighbours.

Aren't your homeworking spaces subject to the same workplace laws as offices? Here ours must be inspected for compliance. All kit is provided, desks, chairs, ICT gear, lamps et cetera.

 

[Sideroxylon]

And the first users who printed something to the office and wants someone to print it to her at her house just called in.

Yeah that's not happening.

Had a “setup my home printer” ticket. FFS

 

[Sideroxylon]

Unfortunately I don't have a place where I can use it in an ergonomically friendly way so I too have it set on a side table in front of my easy chair. It's not great, but it's okay. If I turn out needing to work from home on a regular basis, I'll definitely need to set something up properly.

The dog has relocated to the couch now, so that he can look out the window so he knows when he needs to bark at the neighbours.

Kitchen bench the moment while housework.

 

[Norman Alexander]

If you hogtie the dog you can put it in your lap and set the laptop on the dog.

Kidding aside, I don't think I've ever used my laptop on my lap while at home.

I have it on the table (on a stand which lifts it up so I don't get a stiff neck.)

I have a wireless Logitech keyboard which finds its way onto my lap from time to time, and a wireless Logitech trackball which ends up in all sorts of places.

Largely depending on where the cat happens to be lying on the table.

It's a cat. You have a mouse... What more can I say.

 

[arthwollipot]

Aren't your homeworking spaces subject to the same workplace laws as offices? Here ours must be inspected for compliance. All kit is provided, desks, chairs, ICT gear, lamps et cetera.

Ideally, yes, but in these circumstances we have had a massive increase in the number of people working from home - literally thousands - and there is no way anyone has the resources to check all of that. Our infrastructure is groaning under the sudden massive increase in remote traffic.

It's okay. I have been trained as a WH&S inspector (though it was quite a few years ago) so I personally have enough knowledge of ergonomics to be able to set up my workspace, such as it is, as good as it can be.

 

[arthwollipot]

ERROR MESSAGES PEOPLE!

Give us a little bit of information about the problem you're having, or you're just wasting everybody's time.

 

[Blue Mountain]

Arth, since you seem to be online, can you take care of my computer related issue, please?
Thanks.

 

[arthwollipot]

You know what also annoys me? When a technician and a customer are having a back-and-forth email conversation, and the Service Desk is ccd in on each message. Every message autopolls a new incident. We have a system where replies to autogenerated emails are automatically appended to the original incident, but when the back-and-forth message don't include the incident number in the subject line of the message, our system has no idea the emails are related. We either have to find the original incident and link each one, or just close them saying "no further action required by Service Desk". I prefer the latter.

 

[arthwollipot]

"Dear Service Desk
I am unable to access <system> can you help please.
Thanks Robbie"

Our backlog of emails would be halved if people exercised a little thought before sending us emails. Just phone us! The wait time on the phone is ten minutes, but the wait time for an email is two and a half days. Yet most of the emails we have are marked "Urgent". Or "URGENT!!!".