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Sharky

Shark Tank

Shark Tank: Right where you can't miss it

This company is in the process of replacing CRT monitors with new flat-panel displays, reports a pilot fish on the project.

"I got sent to check out one of our old CRT monitors that was having problems," fish says. "A quick look confirmed this monitor was dying fast, and this worker was about to get a new 22-inch LCD flat panel, complete with an ergonomic, adjustable base."

No problem -- the user will just get the new screen a little early.

But before installing the new flat panel, fish opens the box to make sure the office management department has put an inventory tag on the monitor. Sure enough, it's right on the top.

And since it's there, fish knows the inventory number will also be written somewhere else on the unit with permanent marker, just in case the tag is removed.

"I carried the new monitor up and installed it," says fish. "When I turned it on, I had a bit of a surprise -- in large, clear print they had written the inventory number in permanent marker on the LCD screen itself.

"I then brought up our help desk manager, who confirmed my suspicion that stupidity is not covered under the manufacturer's warranty."

Sharky covers stupidity -- as well as heroism, dumb luck and strokes of genius. Send me your true tale of IT life at sharky@computerworld.com. If I use it, I'll send you a Shark shirt that should cover your situation too. You can also add comments by using the form at the bottom of this page.

See more Shark Tank stories at the Sharkives.

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What People Are Saying

hold those exotic liquids if

hold those exotic liquids if the LCD screen is not glass!

when cleaning screens, use only water. if difficult, use very mild soap as in low Ph. be gentle, you could either break glass or blow up the individual cubes of the liquid crystal (dark blob).

used to use alcohol, then watched the next 3 years see the screen turn yellowish.

I would try to get one of

I would try to get one of the ruined monitors for myself. Then, I would try using WD-40 to get it off. It certainly can't hurt it. I used WD-40 on a dry erase board where someone had used permanent marker. It took it right off.
If it works, you've got yourself a free flat panel.

First!

First!

Lordy lordy, fluffyjacket.

Lordy lordy, fluffyjacket. If you're trying to be funny, you've failed like a hippopotamus auditioning for Riverdance. If you're serious, you're a prize clockwork rectum.

Army Dad: It is such a good

Army Dad: It is such a good feeling when your progeny makes it back from a tour of duty alive. Congratulations!!! I know it has been difficult to live through the uncertainty from day to day, but I also know you are so very proud of him. God bless America. Support our Troops.

Ode to fluffy - Since I was

Ode to fluffy -

Since I was a child
tried to be what I am not
lied and I've enjoyed it all my life
I lied to my dear mother
to my sister and my brother
now I'm lyin' to my children and my wife
big hat, no cattle
big head, no brain
big snake, no rattle
I'll forever remain
big hat, no cattle
I knew from the start
big boat, no paddle
big belly, no heart
can't remember why I do it
or maybe I can
an honest man, these days is hard to find
I only know we're living
in an unforgiving land
and a little lie can buy
some real big peace of mind
Oft times I've wondered
what might I have become
had I but buckled down and really tried
but when it came down to the wire
I called my family to my side
stood up straight, threw my head back
and I lied, lied, lied
big hat, no cattle
big shoes, well you know
big horse, no saddle
goes wherever I go
big hat, no cattle
right from the start
big guns, no battle
big belly, no heart

When I worked as a

When I worked as a facilities manager, some other managers helped us tag the hardware for their departments over a weekend. One person placed the asset tags for the optical mice in her department over the LEDs on the bottom, so on Monday AM, we got a flood of support calls... Sometimes helping isn't helping...

Dang, if'n yern gonna use

Dang, if'n yern gonna use dem dare fancy formattin' opshuns, alease pinch'em off win yern done dare, ay?.

Say yah to da UP, ay?

Back in the day when there

Back in the day when there were ONLY THREE support forums for Novell on Compuserve (and one of my good buds was there when there was only ONE forum), I thot about getting certified. But that good bud (who worked at Novell then) said that the test answers and the ones that worked were not always the same thing. I found that to be true for the MS-type tests also. So ... I have no certs. But I have _excellent_ reconnaissance skills and can take apart and reassemble nearly anything. Dad taught me wiring and soldering, so ... I think I'm usually good to go.

How do they say it in Texas ... "All hat, no cattle?" ... that's a Cert to me. Without sufficient experience and a good disaster story, I'm suspicious.

But I don't think fluffyjacket should beat up on G for no reason 'tall.

I liked ArmyDad's comments and congrats on your son. I pray for his safe return.

Hey Grandpa Armydad and

Hey Grandpa Armydad and Grandpa G,

Nobody cares about your DOS and windows 3.1 certifications. Nobody uses Novell anymore (besides the moron government - I imagine armydad works for them. G too?). And I can't say anything bad about Cisco. I'm sure when you put things like Arcnet on your resume you get lots of calls back don't you G?

So you don't think A+ covers when a CEO has a bad RAM chip? Its the same as when an old user does - change it out, get 'em on and move em out!!

Attennntion! ArmyDad is running the mountain! 3 miles up and 3 miles back!!!

And don't think I'm done with you either G, my jacket gets way fluffier than this.