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Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day!

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i-suggest-a-gift-of-gin dept.

saintp writes "In case you forgot, today is System Administrator Appreciation Day. Be sure to appreciate your sysadmin with some sweet schwag, a LOPSA membership, or even some theme cupcakes. Here's to all the sysadmins out there! Now I've got to go fix the mail server...." Update: 07/28 17:44 GMT by H :And remember that you can vote/nominate them for SysAdmin of the Year.

45 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by lecithin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A paycheck is all the appreciation that I expect.

    Today is Payday.

    For some reason, I don't think that this is going to get as big as mother's day.

    I know that there is going to be some bitching about how many sysadmins aren't appreciated. Well, you could always work at Mcdonalds.

    --
    It could be worse, it could be Monday.
    1. Re:Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by Qzukk · · Score: 2, Insightful

      A paycheck is all the appreciation that I expect.

      If the worth of your life is a paycheck, then I'm sure you're pleased with yourself, and I'm happy for you.

      Personally, I believe that I shouldn't have to negotiate with HR for "perks" like "treat me like the human I am".

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    2. Re:Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by 0racle · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Your not a human entitled to respect, you are a human resource no different then any other resource to the company.

      --
      "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    3. Re:Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by mebollocks · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Obviously you're not a sysadmin. Payday is the day employees of a company get paid for their time and labour. All employees have payday. A sysadmin's job however is one of constant battle with people's over-expectation. The cleaners and janitors are more appreciated and get more polite conversation from other employees than sysadmins.

      Well yes it's what I asked for but it's not what I wanted!


      There is a strange sense of over-entitlement for employees of a company when it comes to IT, this goes for programmers as well as sysadmins.
      Of course it will never be as big as mother's day. Mother's are far more deserving of appreciation than any employee.
      So those that have arranged a response to the lack of human empathy to IT workers should get a job in McDonalds? Well done, you've solved the problem, congratulations.
      If you're a sysadmin, no doubt you're familiar with the phenomenon of 2 different people coming to your desk at the same time and talking over each other, at the same time, about 2 completely different requests, never once acknowledging each other, both completely convinced of their enitilement to whine at you about how their laptop isn't bling enough or their quota is too small and their time is too valuable to clean up.
      Nowhere else would such behaviour be tolerated.
      Has anyone ever approached their facilties department and asked for a bigger desk because they don't have the time to tidy it?
      Sure, you've got some admins that subscribe to the book of bofh, never realising that maintenance of productivity is their sole reason to have a job but these are the exception especially more recently, as management get more clued in to IT.

      Ask any employee, Finance, HR, Corporate, if they think they're appreciated enough and the answer will be no. But none of these groups are expected to be available 24*7, train themselves constantly, be on-demand during office hours to all and sundry, behave as if they're responsible for everything that happens within their department, always be patient, take time away from their complex SAN restructure to show how to re-sync a wireless mouse... blah blah... I could go on forever.

      This day exists for a reason since 2000.
    4. Re:Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by ConceptJunkie · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The day I meet an HR department that acts like it is capable of recognizing a human, then I will agree with your statement.

      Personally, I believe that if the HR department isn't actively trying to sabotage your job, you're ahead of the game.

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
    5. Re:Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by lymond01 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      That's funny. My brother manages a team of a dozen or so employees for a large Canadian-based networking company (any guesses?). He was telling me that after he went against HR's recommendations, and got burned, he now listens to them. The guy he wanted had the skillset my brother was looking for. HR told him he'd be a bad hire, that he just wouldn't put in the time you want him to. Hired him anyway, and fired him in 2 months and started the whole process over again.

      HR has its moments, good and bad.

    6. Re:Payday = Appreciation Day where I work by FST777 · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Has anyone ever approached their facilties department and asked for a bigger desk because they don't have the time to tidy it?
      For some reason, folk at work think I'm the facilities too. And yes, they keep bugging me to change their desk (in height) whenever they feel like. Maybe it's something in our genes (crosslinked with capability for being sysadmin): Bug me! I want it!

      Sidenote: you are absolutely correct. Sysadmins are undervaluated. Secretaries get more day-to-day appreciation, and yet secretary-day is more broadly celebrated. Other odd thing: my wife is a nurse, and there exists a nurse-day here. At her work, secretary-day was celebrated with a day off for all secretaries and activities in a theme-park, payed by management. On nurse-day, there was cake, paid by the workers organization.

      When they asked me at work if I would do something on secretary-day, I said no, and explained why. They kinda understood me.
      --
      Free beer is never free as in speech. Free speech is always free as in beer.
  2. Schwag? What about Nugs? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
    Be sure to appreciate your sysadmin with some sweet schwag...
    Uh, I am thinking you do not know what that word means. If I gave my sys admin some low grade cannabis, I'd probably be fired.

    You see, my sys admin would probably only accept some high quality nugs.

    By the way, you forgot to mention that ThinkGeek, Inc. is an OSTG Company and so is Slashdot. Nice self-Slashvertisement there.
    1. Re:Schwag? What about Nugs? by really? · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Of course you would be fired. As you should. (One gives the admins good stuff, and there is nothing better than BC bud.)

      --

      "Consistency is contrary to nature, contrary to life. The only completely consistent people are the dead." A. Huxley
  3. 404 not found? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The requested URL (it/06/07/28/1418242.shtml) was not found.

    If you feel like it, mail the url, and where ya came from to pater@slashdot.org.

    Guess who's not getting nominated for SysAdmin of the Year...

  4. I can tell... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 5, Funny

    All the system admins are kicking back my help desk tickets and telling me to do their job.

  5. I tried to send my sysadmin a thank you e-card. by Spazntwich · · Score: 5, Funny

    But the network was down.

    1. Re:I tried to send my sysadmin a thank you e-card. by sharkey · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No, it's because we block all that e-card shitware at the network edge. Intestinal parasites dug up from the festering bowels of the Internet do not belong on my network, thank you very much.

      Show your sysadmin your appreciation by NOT slumming through the sleaziest shitholes on the 'net using his resources.

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
    2. Re:I tried to send my sysadmin a thank you e-card. by 14CharUsername · · Score: 5, Funny
      Show your sysadmin your appreciation by NOT slumming through the sleaziest shitholes on the 'net using his resources.

      Well, so much for browsing slashdot today.

  6. A good quote from "The Incredibles"... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Helen: Everyone's special, Dash.
    Dash: Which is another way of saying no-one is.

  7. Hard to Find a Good SysAdmin by airrage · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is definitely an area of IT that has suffered lately with outsourcing. I find that the issue is really that, at least in my experience in Corporate America, that the SysAdmin role has a interesting career ladder. Generally, my biggest gripe is finding someone who is well rounded in experience. Somehow, seems people are missing some major skill set like the ability to talk to another human being or empathy (just kidding). Actually, what I find is a big reluctance to change.

    Alas, we suffer on.

    Peace Out.

    --
    "This isn't a study in computer science, its a study in human behavior"
  8. Ooooh I knew forgot something ... by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thanks for reminding me, I have to fire the sysadmin today

    1. Re:Ooooh I knew forgot something ... by houghi · · Score: 4, Funny

      What was you login again?

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    2. Re:Ooooh I knew forgot something ... by Dr+Caleb · · Score: 4, Funny

      For a manager? 'password' or '12345'.

      --
      "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Mark Twain
    3. Re:Ooooh I knew forgot something ... by rufty_tufty · · Score: 2, Funny

      Hey my keyboard is broken! All I get are *'s in my password field...

      --
      "The weirdest thing about a mind, is that every answer that you find, is the basis of a brand new cliche" -
  9. I wouldn't give a LOSA membership if it were free by winkydink · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A SAGE membership on the other hand... that I would give

    --

    "I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey

  10. That "not really sure" cupcake... by Qzukk · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm fairly certain that that cupcake is supposed to be the ZoneAlarm traffic meter from the systray.

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
  11. Awesome co-workers by wuie · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Last year, SysAdmin day went with hardly a word at my workplace. I heard about it on Slashdot, told it to my boss, and then we would randomly say it to whoever we helped that day, as a joke. Since my boss and I are the only two IT people at our workplace, things tend to get swamped from time to time.

    Today, I was sitting at my desk busy with code for a new app when I'm handed a card. Inside are all of my co-worker's signatures, saying thanks for all the hard work that I've done over the past year.

    I was utterly baffled, since I had no idea why I was receiving a card. It wasn't until I remembered last year, and came here to see if it was SysAdmin day. When I can get a card from my co-workers before Slashdot can post the holiday, that's an awesome feeling.

    I'll probably be grinning ear to ear for the rest of the day. :)

    1. Re:Awesome co-workers by Otter · · Score: 2, Funny
      When I can get a card from my co-workers before Slashdot can post the holiday...

      Obligatory: That's because they already saw it on Digg!

      --
      What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  12. Moderators Are Irresponsible by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Not only are the editors idiots about grammar and word definitions but also all the people with mod points!

    *sigh*

    What next? A story about "synergy" in the IT corporate world?

  13. History and Tradition by stuffduff · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOFH

    --
    "Can there be a Klein bottle that is an efficient and effective beer pitcher?"
  14. To quote Jimmy Fallon by CaffeineAddict2001 · · Score: 3, Funny

    *SIIGH* MOVE!

  15. And when can we expect to see a... by Rellik66 · · Score: 2, Funny

    BOFH day?

    --

    Too many zeros, not enough ones

    1. Re:And when can we expect to see a... by Attilla_The_Pun · · Score: 2, Informative

      Every day is BOFH day. BOFH is a state of mind. It commands recognition EVERY DAY. Else I re-wire your network jack to 240VAC, then conveniently have run out of any spare PCs.

      --
      ...Somewhere, there is a chile you cannot eat." --Daniel Pinkwater in A Hot Time in Na
  16. Site Access Policies by ConnortheMad · · Score: 2, Funny

    Thank you for the warm hearted appreciated. Your IPs are currently being tracked via the Squid Proxy and those found not compliant with the corporate internet usage policy will be subsequently brought before HR.

  17. No love for helpdesk? by SoundGuyNoise · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I emailed the founders of Sys Admin day a couple years ago, and asked if helpdesks were included in the appreciation. He said no, maybe we can get our own holiday.

    We are the gatekeepers. We're on the front lines, sweating it with our phone headsets and standard issue network access. Meanwhile the big wig admins kick back in their air conditioned servers rooms.

    --
    You never expect irony, do you?
    Want to be a professional wrestler? Visit www.iyfwrestling.com
    @iyfwrestling
    1. Re:No love for helpdesk? by Secrity · · Score: 4, Funny

      Don't you have airconditioning in India?

    2. Re:No love for helpdesk? by Attilla_The_Pun · · Score: 2, Informative

      Exactly. Where else do you think us sysadmins learn our verbal kung-fu skills, and get our jaded, "thousand-mile stare" from? :)

      Three years doing helpdesk was enough for me. The capper was realizing I literally could do the job while reading, drawing, just about anything short of holding up a conversation.....So I moved on into my first sysadmin job, and haven't looked back yet.

      --
      ...Somewhere, there is a chile you cannot eat." --Daniel Pinkwater in A Hot Time in Na
  18. I know some sysadmisn who aren't getting thanks... by Attilla_The_Pun · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The Colorado DMV computer system was down STATEWIDE today. I'm guessing there are a few sysadmins working for the DMV who will be lucky if they can get time off for lunch, let along some awesome cupcakes from the staff. ;) (Okay, thanks Mr. Sysadmin, for making me waste two hours of billable time only to have the computers die on me right as my number was called!)

    --
    ...Somewhere, there is a chile you cannot eat." --Daniel Pinkwater in A Hot Time in Na
  19. You've got it backwards by btarval · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, no, no. You're supposed to LIGHT your cigs using the CPU, not put them out!

    --
    The best way to predict the future is to create it. - Peter Drucker.
  20. from your source by rodentia · · Score: 4, Interesting

    1. Any free or extra goods, usually given to employees or workers.

    I appreciate arguing about slang semantics is a good way to look stupid, but schwag had been free promo gear for at least twenty years prior to the stoner connotation. To avoid confusion, we've taken to referring to the grade formerly known as schwag as *the Imperial*, with all the connotations of cheap liquor upbranding itself with transparent puffery like *her majesty's imprimatur*, etc.

    --
    illegitimii non ingravare
  21. We don't cotton to their type around here... by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 2, Funny

    We hung our sysadmin by his ankles from the roof of our tallest building, and told him that we'd very much appreciate it if our network would have somewhat more network connectivity than a 300 baud modem.

    Oh, and a specially hired dominatrix worked him over for making us use Outlook.

    Ah, good times. :)

  22. Re:The article yesterday wasn't good enough? by maxwell+demon · · Score: 4, Funny

    And tomorrow we will get an Ask Slashdot: "Yesterday was sysadmin day. What appreciation did you sysadmins receive?" :-)

    --
    The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
  23. Re:W00t by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 2, Informative

    In case you've forgotten, it's "Down, not Across".

    --
    No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
  24. Re:My office remembered! by GungaDan · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's true, man.

    But only the first two words are in French.

    --
    Eloi are stupid, throw morlocks at them!
  25. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  26. Four Days Late. 24/7 would have been better. by onetruedabe · · Score: 3, Funny
    It seems to me July 24th ("24/7" as it's written in Europe) would have been more appropriate.

    :- Dabe

  27. Making nobody special by morcego · · Score: 3, Funny

    # usermod -u 0 nobody

    --
    morcego
  28. I get the whole day off! by dbIII · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Oh wait - it's Saturday over here, I managed to take a day off on Saturday a few weeks ago too. If sysadmins were paid overtime rates instead of salary we would be expensive beasts.

  29. You haven't seen Apple's iCards, have you? by Foerstner · · Score: 2, Informative

    They're tasteful photographic postcards. Ordinary JPEGs: no animation, no MIDIs. Free, and no ads. You don't need a Mac, or an account or anything but a web browser.

    They're on the .Mac page, but you don't need to log in to send them.

    --
    The US free market: two halves of a government-granted duopoly are free to set the market price.