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Hi All,

Just needed to vent: I found a piece of paper containing a username and password along with instructions on how to do a job stuck to a wall next to a PC. I then proceeded to take it down and throw it away as:

A - in contained a username and password with access to our network

B - the instructions were out of date.

I’ve now had an argument with the production supervisor about this. At the time the former IT Manager wrote the instruction (!!) and when he setup the account it had limited access to the network. That user now needs to get on to the network and check delivery addresses from a spreadsheet. The fact that it contained a username and password annoyed me at 1st!

I have now been called pedantic by the production supervisor!

Has anyone else been in a pointless argument with a fool?

9 Spice ups
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Dilbert-pointy hair boss

http://dilbert.com/animation/

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I have indeed but if they want to argue with me then internet access mysteriously disappears… its quite an odd occurance.

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Haha @ DomUK.

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@DomUK - the idea in fine is genius, it’s just i might get shot!

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Fools will always be fools, but at least you can draw comfort from the fact that you are in the right.

If you were ever to be subjected to a full technical audit, they would come down on that sort of activity like a ton of bricks - all you are doing is saving them future embarrassment and protecting the company’s assets and data.

Hold you head high.

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Thanks guys!

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Its the kind of problem which can be explained by general IT mumbo jumbo, I usually talk about the flux capacitors on the ethernet card interfering with the MAC addresses which causes the IP address to change DNS records meaning no internet connection. The backlog of TCP subnet headers and the layout of the logical topology mean it will take 3 to 4 hours to clear.

Never failed me… :wink:

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Its been said many times before, the last I remember was on spiceworld2009 chat on the live stream:

“If you can’t dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit”

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@DomUK - that some serious mumbo jumbo. I normally just put it down to a PEBKAC error and the user nods knowingly… :slight_smile:

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I’ve often had these types of discussion, the best one was one new start who didn’t like having to key in his username if he moved machines - his argument was “at home I have all my family members set up with their own account and they just need to click the picture for them and put in their password - why don’t we have that here”, he also disagreed with the the screensaver automatically cutting in, and needing to put your password in to unlock said screen saver.

My argument is

1 - 800 pictures of users on a login screen would be stupid :wink:

2 - Where data security is concerned the buck stops with me - if anything goes wrong, I get hauled in to the bosses office, not the muppet who sticks their login details up next to the screen. Therefore they play by my rules - period. (insert Dick Dastardly laugh here)

I would make sure this behaviour is clearly defined as unacceptable in your IT policies, then they don’t have a leg to stand on.

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@DomUk

I will try that technic next time! :smiley:

thanks

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D’ya mean you’ve never had that follow-up conversation two days later where the fool says “well I passed on what you said 'bout the flux capacitors on the ethernet card interfering with the MAC addresses which causes the IP address to change DNS records to my brother-in-law who currently holds the chair in ethernet topology at Durham and he said you’re talking bollox…”?

As my mum says: “if you tell the truth you can never be wrong…”

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By the time I get to “DNS” I can see the blank look behind the glazed eyes which means they will just nod accordingly. Or if im on the phone by the time I get to it I get interrupted and they just concede defeat to the IT mumbo jumbo.

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Why can’t we shoot / electrocute / etc bad users?

It might not help with the problem, but it would be satisfying!

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for half our users all i have to say is start - all programs and there face suddenly changes to that of panic and them thinking they should know what i expect them to do. Tis great!

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Michael8668 wrote:

for half our users all i have to say is start - all programs and there face suddenly changes to that of panic and them thinking they should know what i expect them to do. Tis great!

I often think this is a user ploy to try and get you to do their job for them - “while you’re here how do I do this in excel? - can you just show me again and again”

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I have had a similar issue once (luckely) with a user who did not want to implement strong passwords. It was a never ending story and the man (yes he was also the director and had admin rights on his own system!!) had setup a basic 1234 password for himself.

Two weeks after we implemented remote access to the network his system was comprimised. We had a very hard and tough time putting all back together and traced it back to his account being used with the initial entrance.

The total process had cost him big bugs and afterwards we gave him one simple choice: “Either you live by our rules, or you find somebody else to do your IT.” He is now of my better customers.

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I’m lucky, if you wrote you username/password down like that where I work IT would not be involved. Security would just come and escort you out. If you berated someone for trying to keep the place secure you would likely be charged with social engineering and face criminal charges for attempting to work around security!

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Scott Alan Miller wrote:

I’m lucky, if you wrote you username/password down like that where I work IT would not be involved. Security would just come and escort you out. If you berated someone for trying to keep the place secure you would likely be charged with social engineering and face criminal charges for attempting to work around security!

Are you hiring? I’m quite reasonably priced… :smiley: