How to save money in IT

If I was doing a software

If I was doing a software audit, and saw that every computer I was looking at had been completely refreshed in the few days/weeks before the audit (particularly if the date was AFTER notification of the audit), that wouldn't be a red flag, it would be a big honking Scarlet bloody banner with a Klaxon going off.

IT support starvation

I am 2 years retired after 40 years of customer support for an un-named major IT player in manufacturing and service that was recently de-listed from the NYSE. I discovered at a certain point the only things that mattered were parts and training. Everything else was just background noise. We went through every trend of motivation and continuous improvement you can name. The more effort went into improving spare parts delivery the less went to training. I went to formal classroom training numerous times and there was always some sort of media-based training; reel-to-reel audio, video on BETA, then VHS, CD multimedia, DVDs, WEB-based. Eventually, the only real classroom training left was for third party partner products at their facilities. The only native product left was built by a third party. Much to my amusement I discovered the training was all on YOUTUBE.

No money for training

We have all seen it more than once: Oh, golly, management has done such a good job managing things, and management knows training is important for productivity and employee retention, but gosh, we just don't have any money for that after we gave out the large management bonuses (remember the part about such a good job) this year.

The Arch Demon then proposes The Arch Demon go to a FREE seminar put on by a large systems vendor with the software The Arch Demon is responsible for daily. Managlement is confused by the acronym and says all such (remember, this is FREE) training must be justified. The Arch Demon matter of factly explains the acronym that's used daily in the department, explains why attendance is justified, and how it directly would aid in resolving day-to-day issues the department faces.

And it sits in managlement's inbox, and it sits in manglement's inbox. If the clown wanted to deny it why not do it before The Arch Demon wrote up the explanation and justification? If the clown wanted to say, "No," why not do that instead of hiding behind the inbox? With manglement like this, who needs JIM THE BOSS?

On a happier note, eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you might be on 24x7 pager duty!

CAPTCHA: healing 22 -- what the Browns, Rams, Titans, Raiders, and Lions hope for come next year's draft...but don't count on it

haiku

The whole sky is free
The Earth can give us all, but
no cash, no software

Today's Limerick

We’ve no budget, to be rather frank.
When there’s audits, our PC’s go blank
Because every machine
Will be wiped oh, so clean.
It’s to keep us from walking the plank.

Ebert Update

They are taking nominations for best limerick at the Chicago Sun-Times blog site. I have the instructions on my website www.o2birish.com along with links to each of my entries.

As Bartles and James used to say, "Thank you for your support."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

O2B

The IT manager should be fired

The IT manager basically asked fish if there was any way they could steal the software. If fish had any integrity he would do the right thing and report manager to senior company management.

(Of course there is some risk, so fish should document everything and report it to the people at the very top of the company, in writing)
He should also contact an employment attorney first ... because if there is any retaliation, he wants to be sure he has his ducks in a row.

Of course, I am biased, I own a software company, and for all I know, the IT manager is the reason I didn't get today's thanksgiving meal catered and why I couldn't sleep in this morning because I had to cook the turkey myself today :)