Every once in a while, I like to sit back and reflect on those people that make the IT profession possible. I normally like to call them customers (because that is how they should be treated). Occasionally, one of these “customers” does something that is worthy of the official title, “User.”
So, I present to you a new blog category: Users Rule! Because, for all of their questions, for all of their mannerisms, and all of their deep understanding of new technology, Users Rule!
So, sit back, relax, and imagine supporting these “amazing” users and the joy that it brings to me every day.
13:30- User calls the helpdesk and says “When I undocked my laptop, I accidentally unplugged my keyboard and now it won’t work.”
13:32- Helpdesk- “What won’t work, the laptop or the keyboard.”
13:33- User- “The keyboard. The laptop is on.”
13:34- Helpdesk- “Hmmm. Did you make sure the keyboard is plugged in?”
13:35- User- “Yes. It is plugged in to the usb port.”
13:35:30- Helpdesk- “Are there any lights on the keyboard, like Numlock, Caps Lock, or Scroll Lock?”
13:36- User- “Huh?”
13:36:05- Helpdesk- “Are there any green lights on the keyboard.”:
13:36:15- User- “No, should there be?”
13:36:20- Helpdesk- “Yes, there should be. It sounds like your keyboard is dead. I am going to send someone down with a new keyboard.”
13:36:30- User- “Ok, thank you.”
Our hero takes a trip down to the User’s desk with keyboard in hand. Upon arrival he sees something suspicious about the user’s keyboard…
One look at the picture to the left will reveal the mystery. Follow the cord coming out of the keyboard. Notice that it does not really make it to an actual docking station or computer.
You see, these particular keyboards have usb expansion ports built into the keyboard. It’s actually quite handy.
The only possibility that I could think of is that this “User” was trying to perform some strange “Keyboard Loopback Test” in an effort to troubleshoot an undetermined keyboard problem.
Our hero decided to try his luck and actually plug the keyboard into the docking station.
Voila! The keyboard worked! Maybe the “Keyboard Loopback Test” fixed the undetermined keyboard problem.
After all, the possibility of a strange “Keyboard Loopback Test” built into a keyboard makes more sense than the “User” not understanding that keyboards usually do not work when they are plugged into themselves, doesn’t it?
Either way, because of this particular Customer’s “awesome” actions. She is no longer treated as a “customer.” She became a full-fledged “User.”
Why? Because User’s Rule!
Also, if you enjoyed this article, consider subscribing to HarleyStagner.com via my RSS Feed.
What is RSS you say? Well take a look at my FAQ for the answer 
.
[tags]Users, IT[/tags]
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
LOL! A friend of mine did this one time at a LAN gaming party with a computer that had a power supply with two outlets on it (1 male and 1 female) and he used a male/female cord accidentally to connect both outlets on the power supply.