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Is A Bad Attitude Damaging The IT Profession?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the who-cares-and-shut-up dept.

dtienes writes "Why does IT get a free pass to insult users? Slamming customers isn't acceptable in any other profession; doctors don't call their patients "meatbags" — at least, not publicly. But IT professionals think nothing of wearing their scorn on their sleeves (or at least their chests — just check out ThinkGeek). There's more at stake here than just a few hard feelings. IT may be seriously damaging the credibility of the profession. See the essay I'm An Idiot (And Other Lessons From The IT Department) for a former IT professional turned user's take on insults, attitudes and ethics. (Full disclosure: The submitter is also the author.)"

2 of 892 comments (clear)

  1. Yes. by Southpaw018 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Of course it is. And companies are starting to get wise to the fact that things could be better - when applying for jobs after college, not one but two of the interviews I had were filling spots of IT admins who'd been fired for this kinda crap. And the interviews were all questions like "What do you think of users who know absolutely nothing about computers?"

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  2. GROLIES by alanw · · Score: 5, Informative
    Doctors refer to the patients in disparaging terms: from This BBC news article

    GROLIES: Guardian[1] Reader Of Low Intelligence in Ethnic Skirt
    LOBNH: Lights On But Nobody Home
    CNS-QNS: Central Nervous System - Quantity Not Sufficient

    [1] UK left wing newspaper