Hey, yelling always worked in court

This group of city-government agencies has just put Wi-Fi access points in each of its conference rooms and let the users know that wireless is available, reports a pilot fish there.

And some users have clearly read the e-mail. "We received a call from the city attorney and he was very frantic, saying they had a deposition to do and there was a room full of people," says fish.

"This attorney has both a desktop and a laptop machine. He had unplugged everything from his desktop computer and brought it along with the monitor into the conference room."

Once there, the city attorney has plugged everything back together on the conference room table: power cable, mouse, keyboard and speakers, all brought in from his desk.

That's what fish sees when he arrives in the packed conference room. Why is this expensive new wireless networking system not working, the irate attorney demands.

Fish suggests that the attorney step outside the room while he answers the question, but the attorney is having none of that. He insists fish give him the explanation then and there.

As politely as he can, fish begins to explain how wireless works. At the point where fish has started to ask why the attorney didn't use his laptop, the attorney hears a few snickers from the crowd -- and quickly hustles fish out to the hallway.

"When we shut the door from the hallway, we heard the snickers develop to full blown laughter," fish says.

"I've never heard back from this attorney again. He has his assistant call whenever something needs to be done."

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