Did you actually read my article. It clearly states that I worked tech support for 4 years.
I'm not a non-tech, although I'm not a LINUX guru. Listen, I don't propose to know EVERYTHING, I'm just saying that jokes that promote the 'lil bastard' tech support guy is crap.
My strip about the Linux user stating "my system is stable, so long as I don't install my sound card." could have been phrased better. Maybe instead it should have read "My linux system is perfectly stable, even though I can't get it to recognize my sound card." The spirit of the humor works either way I think.
First I want to say thanks for all the email I got today. I've read almost all the posts here on Slashdot too and a lot of you made some good points. Some really good points. Let me try to touch on some of the more common ones and dispel a couple of myths. 1) I did NOT do this as a publicity stunt. I posted that rant on my site for my regular readers. I did not send any mail to Slashdot about the rant. I don't know the person who did. I'm grateful for the publicity, but I am not responsible for it. 2) I never said User Friendly or Absurd Notions were bad strips. Those individual strips were simply the most obvious examples of the point I was trying to make. I like Robin Williams, but I don't like all of his movies. I should have been much more specific about that 3) Many people posted that I didn't know what I was talking about because I've never been a tech. However, my rant clearly states that I worked tech support for 4 years. I think a lot of people simply commented on a previous post and never read the rant iteslf. I don't mind if you disagree, just make sure you're disagreeing with something I actually said. My experiences with tech support may be radically different from everyone elses. I'm only operating on what I observed on the job. For years I was exposed to the biggest bunch of assholes I could ever care to meet. These were people who thought they knew everything but in reality knew very little. These were people who took out their insecurities on their callers. These were people who thought casual day was an excuse to wear their rennaisance festival costumes to work. Some people who call tech support are grade-A assholes. I admit that. I have no problem making fun of those people since they are, after all, asking for it. Some people who call are abusive jerks who aren't calling for help, they're just calling to make you feel as bad as they do right now. I took those calls, but that's not what I was talking about. And stop telling me that users should RTFM. Don't call me hypocritical and then tell me that you want people to RTFM. When was the last time YOU RTFM? When was the last time you ripped open a piece of software because you couldn't wait to dive in and start reading that manual? How many manuals do you have in your desk drawer right now with the cellephane still on them? Not to mention that fact that most companies dont' even bother to write one. They just post a one page faq on their site and include a flyer with their tech support number (at $35 a pop). I think it's just as valid for a user to tell a tech "RTFM? How about DYFJ: Do your fucking job." But when everything's said and done, It's just my opinion. It wasn't a very well thought out opinion either, but it's mine and I stand by it. I'm terribly flattered that you all thought so much about it as to spend a day debating it. I hope you all come back soon (or later) and give PvP another chance (those that didn't like it at first). That's all. Have fun posting.
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Did you actually read my article. It clearly states that I worked tech support for 4 years.
I'm not a non-tech, although I'm not a LINUX guru. Listen, I don't propose to know EVERYTHING, I'm just saying that jokes that promote the 'lil bastard' tech support guy is crap.
My strip about the Linux user stating "my system is stable, so long as I don't install my sound card." could have been phrased better. Maybe instead it should have read "My linux system is perfectly stable, even though I can't get it to recognize my sound card." The spirit of the humor works either way I think.
Many Linux users thought that strip was funny.
First I want to say thanks for all the email I got today. I've read almost all the posts here on Slashdot too and a lot of you made some good points. Some really good points. Let me try to touch on some of the more common ones and dispel a couple of myths. 1) I did NOT do this as a publicity stunt. I posted that rant on my site for my regular readers. I did not send any mail to Slashdot about the rant. I don't know the person who did. I'm grateful for the publicity, but I am not responsible for it. 2) I never said User Friendly or Absurd Notions were bad strips. Those individual strips were simply the most obvious examples of the point I was trying to make. I like Robin Williams, but I don't like all of his movies. I should have been much more specific about that 3) Many people posted that I didn't know what I was talking about because I've never been a tech. However, my rant clearly states that I worked tech support for 4 years. I think a lot of people simply commented on a previous post and never read the rant iteslf. I don't mind if you disagree, just make sure you're disagreeing with something I actually said. My experiences with tech support may be radically different from everyone elses. I'm only operating on what I observed on the job. For years I was exposed to the biggest bunch of assholes I could ever care to meet. These were people who thought they knew everything but in reality knew very little. These were people who took out their insecurities on their callers. These were people who thought casual day was an excuse to wear their rennaisance festival costumes to work. Some people who call tech support are grade-A assholes. I admit that. I have no problem making fun of those people since they are, after all, asking for it. Some people who call are abusive jerks who aren't calling for help, they're just calling to make you feel as bad as they do right now. I took those calls, but that's not what I was talking about. And stop telling me that users should RTFM. Don't call me hypocritical and then tell me that you want people to RTFM. When was the last time YOU RTFM? When was the last time you ripped open a piece of software because you couldn't wait to dive in and start reading that manual? How many manuals do you have in your desk drawer right now with the cellephane still on them? Not to mention that fact that most companies dont' even bother to write one. They just post a one page faq on their site and include a flyer with their tech support number (at $35 a pop). I think it's just as valid for a user to tell a tech "RTFM? How about DYFJ: Do your fucking job." But when everything's said and done, It's just my opinion. It wasn't a very well thought out opinion either, but it's mine and I stand by it. I'm terribly flattered that you all thought so much about it as to spend a day debating it. I hope you all come back soon (or later) and give PvP another chance (those that didn't like it at first). That's all. Have fun posting.