I'd like to see those sysadmin having a problem with their checks and being told "no no, you can't talk to anyone in HR or the payroll department directly, are you crazy? Please open a ticket and wait for a reply, an intern will get back to you in 24 hours or less".
We have a system like that. Works quite well, actually, because I do not need to know who exactly in HR or payroll to talk to. Saves me time, saves them time and I get my problems fixed.
He hates anyone that has enough knowledge to question his decisions. Kinda like Religion using Latin to keep their underlings in darkness in the time of the Inquisition.
Or maybe there are just too many who THINK they know more than the sysadmin and who question his work as if they do know more than him.
And those "decisions" are most likely not made by the sysadmin, but by his manager, or your manager or simply they are the result of having to make the best out of limited resources.
And people hate admins when admins waste their time. Mostly by forcing them to use software or mandatory processes that simply aren't well suited to their problems.
That is like blaming the accountant for the accounting policies. The sysadmin implement what management decide. If you do not like it, talk to your manager.
We've learned many lessons in the fallout from Edward Snowden's whistleblowing and flight to Hong Kong, but here's an important one: Never make your sysadmin mad.
What a silly excuse for linking to (in itself a reasonably good) article on how to relate to sysadmins and IT support in general.
And for those who are not sysadmins: Sysadmins do NOT reveal your company's secrets because some user bypassed the helpdesk system, or run some test code on a production system.
However, nobody should not tolerate that their employer engage in illegal activities. I am not paid to break the law, neither are you. But that is no no way related to being a sysadmin or any other specific position. It is part of being a decent human being.
I write this on my job PC. It is a 4.5 years old laptop and is due for replacement (I am just waiting for the new model to become available). Guess what... it runs Win7 with latest Office and anything I need just fine (my company has a 4 years replacement cycle for PCs).
My home desktop which is 7 years old also runs Win7 fine (never had XP on it).
I guess this HP person has about as much connection with reality as the rest of HP. None, that is.
When I started out on VMS, the source code was included on microfiche. Never bothered to look at it though...
Wonder how many fiches would be needed for the current OS'es? Pretty big box, I would think...
Five words are uttered: how much will that cost?
A number is uttered. It's a large number.
Six words are uttered: Nobody would bother to hack us.
That's the end of the discussion.
I can only speak for the company where I work. We do not put data on external cloud services. Period.
There is probably a lot going on in the SMB area. Where I work, that kind of thing is not even discussed.
I it comes up, two words are uttered: Data security. End of discussion.
I use a fully managed PC and it is booted somewhere between one and three times per month for software updates. The best thing is, I can reboot it when it suits me within the first day after the update has been applied, reducing the impact even further.
The problem is that they started in the wrong end.
A battery swap station needs cars with swappable batteries. A car with swappable batteries does not need a swap station.
The only way to make the business profitable is to ensure the customers actually exist by working with the car manufacturers to create cars with swappable batteries. That did not happen, and the result was no surprise. Another problem is that for now, people who buy electric cars have them for short trips. They do not need battery swaps. So the company lost 2-0. And they should have seen the realities rather than dream.
I am somewhat surprised at the short range cited in this discussion. I routinely drive my VW diesel 900 Km (560 miles) on a full tank. Is the gas tank really very small?
A successful business launches right before the peak of the curve
Not only that, but starting a battery swap business when there is one car model with swappable batteries (some Renault which nobody has heard of anyway according to my sources) is not only ahead of the curve. It is before the curve has even started.
Actually, I can hardly remember the last time I drove longer than 300 miles in a day. And when i did, I would definitely want a break after 4-5 hours anyway. Actually, with 300 miles, I can drive to our weekend cottage and back without a charge, and drive to work for a couple of days... Maybe I should have a look at one of them Teslas...
In other news: Car tire worn out. "To be expected" claims manufacturer.
Re:I'll speak for the ones who will be silenced.
on
Groklaw Turns Ten
·
· Score: 2
Pamela Jones was in the employ of International Business Machines at some point during her tenure at GrokLaw.
That is not correct. It was one of the allegations against her that she was employed by IBM in an attempt to discredit Groklaw. It has never been documented, and there is no reason to believe it is true.
Maybe, maybe not.
Assume it isn't. Even then, *WHY* did it do what it did in that block of code?
Well, the thread was about the need to rewrite software for a modern browser or a current OS version. If you need to rewrite any of the business logic for that, or need to rewrite the software from scratch for that, then you get what you deserve. Mixing OS dependent and UI with business logic is pretty not smart.
If you need to rewrite the software from scratch then better go back to the business requirements and write from those rather that trying to replicate what has already been programmed in a new language/style or whatever. And if the business logic "only exist in the software", then again, you get exactly what you deserve.
If the software already exist, why do you need to go back to the users? Use the documentation which was prepared for the original software and its revisions. Does not exist? Well... Maybe it is time it is done, because how can the business rely on software they do not know the inner workings of?
The problem with that is the assumption that you can keep malware and viruses out.
The way we work in our company is now that while we do not reduce the effort to keep them out, we also work on limiting what malware can do if it gets in.
The first line of defense is then that all systems are fully patched.
The second is that if it gets in on a system, it will find as few ways to create damage as possible.
If there is no first line of defense, the second line has just too much to handle. So we are getting rid of XP. And we have worked on assuring that all applications work with current OSes and browsers. Actually, we started when VIsta came out. Because we had learned.
If the application works on the new OS, then no problem. The problems are when an application does not work on a current version of the basis software like WIn7/8 or a sane version of IE (or another browser).
If the company is not about IT, is is generally very difficult to do that, as it requires marketing, sales people and not the least: Support. One other important factor is that it takes away focus from what the business is really about (anything from cracking nuts to building planes).
A company I know of tried to become an IT company as a second product line because they were really good at IT. A few billion dollars later they had learned that it was not a good idea. Back to the core business. Fast.
So you live in a world where there is no corporate governance, and anyone can plug anything they want into the network without oversight or rules?
Welcome to the real world...
Especially if you have >1K offices in countries most people could not place on a map (not even close), resulting from a double digit number of acquisitions per year... and integrating those acquisitions without any business disruption... then having full control is not even a dream.
For many of these systems the problem is untangling the business logic and reproducing it without error.
I do not get this. There are several posts here about rewriting the software from scratch.
Is the source code lost? If so, they deserve what they get. Better start it now, because at some time there be a need will need a change...
If the ties to IE6 is the problem, is there a need to rewrite the business logic part? I thought IE was taking care of the UI. The business logic should be in the server side application, which does not need to change.
Slashdot Mirror
I'd like to see those sysadmin having a problem with their checks and being told "no no, you can't talk to anyone in HR or the payroll department directly, are you crazy? Please open a ticket and wait for a reply, an intern will get back to you in 24 hours or less".
We have a system like that. Works quite well, actually, because I do not need to know who exactly in HR or payroll to talk to. Saves me time, saves them time and I get my problems fixed.
He hates anyone that has enough knowledge to question his decisions. Kinda like Religion using Latin to keep their underlings in darkness in the time of the Inquisition.
Or maybe there are just too many who THINK they know more than the sysadmin and who question his work as if they do know more than him.
And those "decisions" are most likely not made by the sysadmin, but by his manager, or your manager or simply they are the result of having to make the best out of limited resources.
Because he hates himself?
Or probably because you expect a service from the sysadmin which the users manager did not want to pay for?
And people hate admins when admins waste their time. Mostly by forcing them to use software or mandatory processes that simply aren't well suited to their problems.
That is like blaming the accountant for the accounting policies. The sysadmin implement what management decide. If you do not like it, talk to your manager.
We've learned many lessons in the fallout from Edward Snowden's whistleblowing and flight to Hong Kong, but here's an important one: Never make your sysadmin mad.
What a silly excuse for linking to (in itself a reasonably good) article on how to relate to sysadmins and IT support in general.
And for those who are not sysadmins: Sysadmins do NOT reveal your company's secrets because some user bypassed the helpdesk system, or run some test code on a production system.
However, nobody should not tolerate that their employer engage in illegal activities. I am not paid to break the law, neither are you. But that is no no way related to being a sysadmin or any other specific position. It is part of being a decent human being.
Spot on.
I write this on my job PC. It is a 4.5 years old laptop and is due for replacement (I am just waiting for the new model to become available). Guess what... it runs Win7 with latest Office and anything I need just fine (my company has a 4 years replacement cycle for PCs).
My home desktop which is 7 years old also runs Win7 fine (never had XP on it).
I guess this HP person has about as much connection with reality as the rest of HP. None, that is.
When I started out on VMS, the source code was included on microfiche. Never bothered to look at it though...
Wonder how many fiches would be needed for the current OS'es? Pretty big box, I would think...
Five words are uttered: how much will that cost?
A number is uttered. It's a large number.
Six words are uttered: Nobody would bother to hack us.
That's the end of the discussion.
I can only speak for the company where I work. We do not put data on external cloud services. Period.
There is probably a lot going on in the SMB area. Where I work, that kind of thing is not even discussed.
I it comes up, two words are uttered: Data security. End of discussion.
I use a fully managed PC and it is booted somewhere between one and three times per month for software updates. The best thing is, I can reboot it when it suits me within the first day after the update has been applied, reducing the impact even further.
When extinction became an issue civilised nations agreed to stop whaling.
Only that the whale species which are now hunted (in very limited quantities) are not threathened by extinction.
Not that I really care. Whale meat is not something I will ever miss. It used to be the real cheap meat around here. For a reason.
The problem is that they started in the wrong end.
A battery swap station needs cars with swappable batteries. A car with swappable batteries does not need a swap station.
The only way to make the business profitable is to ensure the customers actually exist by working with the car manufacturers to create cars with swappable batteries.
That did not happen, and the result was no surprise.
Another problem is that for now, people who buy electric cars have them for short trips. They do not need battery swaps.
So the company lost 2-0. And they should have seen the realities rather than dream.
I am somewhat surprised at the short range cited in this discussion. I routinely drive my VW diesel 900 Km (560 miles) on a full tank. Is the gas tank really very small?
A successful business launches right before the peak of the curve
Not only that, but starting a battery swap business when there is one car model with swappable batteries (some Renault which nobody has heard of anyway according to my sources) is not only ahead of the curve. It is before the curve has even started.
Actually, I can hardly remember the last time I drove longer than 300 miles in a day. And when i did, I would definitely want a break after 4-5 hours anyway. Actually, with 300 miles, I can drive to our weekend cottage and back without a charge, and drive to work for a couple of days... Maybe I should have a look at one of them Teslas...
the wheels wear as expected...
In other news: Car tire worn out. "To be expected" claims manufacturer.
Pamela Jones was in the employ of International Business Machines at some point during her tenure at GrokLaw.
That is not correct.
It was one of the allegations against her that she was employed by IBM in an attempt to discredit Groklaw.
It has never been documented, and there is no reason to believe it is true.
At least she has posted it all under her real name...
Maybe, maybe not.
Assume it isn't. Even then, *WHY* did it do what it did in that block of code?
Well, the thread was about the need to rewrite software for a modern browser or a current OS version. If you need to rewrite any of the business logic for that, or need to rewrite the software from scratch for that, then you get what you deserve. Mixing OS dependent and UI with business logic is pretty not smart.
If you need to rewrite the software from scratch then better go back to the business requirements and write from those rather that trying to replicate what has already been programmed in a new language/style or whatever.
And if the business logic "only exist in the software", then again, you get exactly what you deserve.
If the software already exist, why do you need to go back to the users? Use the documentation which was prepared for the original software and its revisions. Does not exist? Well... Maybe it is time it is done, because how can the business rely on software they do not know the inner workings of?
The problem with that is the assumption that you can keep malware and viruses out.
The way we work in our company is now that while we do not reduce the effort to keep them out, we also work on limiting what malware can do if it gets in.
The first line of defense is then that all systems are fully patched.
The second is that if it gets in on a system, it will find as few ways to create damage as possible.
If there is no first line of defense, the second line has just too much to handle. So we are getting rid of XP. And we have worked on assuring that all applications work with current OSes and browsers. Actually, we started when VIsta came out. Because we had learned.
But this is besides the point.
If the application works on the new OS, then no problem. The problems are when an application does not work on a current version of the basis software like WIn7/8 or a sane version of IE (or another browser).
And if your answer doesn't involve making or saving money, you're going to get laughed out of your bosses office.
The answer usually involves IT security.
Throw in a few slides about Saudi Aramco and the boss is hooked.
If the company is not about IT, is is generally very difficult to do that, as it requires marketing, sales people and not the least: Support. One other important factor is that it takes away focus from what the business is really about (anything from cracking nuts to building planes).
A company I know of tried to become an IT company as a second product line because they were really good at IT. A few billion dollars later they had learned that it was not a good idea. Back to the core business. Fast.
So you live in a world where there is no corporate governance, and anyone can plug anything they want into the network without oversight or rules?
Welcome to the real world...
Especially if you have >1K offices in countries most people could not place on a map (not even close), resulting from a double digit number of acquisitions per year... and integrating those acquisitions without any business disruption... then having full control is not even a dream.
For many of these systems the problem is untangling the business logic and reproducing it without error.
I do not get this. There are several posts here about rewriting the software from scratch.
Is the source code lost? If so, they deserve what they get. Better start it now, because at some time there be a need will need a change...
If the ties to IE6 is the problem, is there a need to rewrite the business logic part? I thought IE was taking care of the UI. The business logic should be in the server side application, which does not need to change.