Short Answer: Yes!
Longer Answer: Oooooohhhhh Yeaaaaaaa!
Anyone that doubts the collective idiocy of a user base most likely has never had to staff a corporate HelpDesk....
"...because 8 million tech support calls would be a very bad thing. "
Only because over 80% of initial support calls are handled by Offshore Outsourcing partners, who rely on pre-scripted soutions on flashcards. Prior to 2001, the outsourcers were dilligently trained and were able to troubleshoot in a linear and logical fashion. Although not a perfect system (to misquote Orwell, "All techs are created equal, however some techs are more equal than others..."), this at least allowed Launch Day to proceed at a low level of panic.
Been there, done that, outgrew the t-shirt they give you....
10+ years ago, I used to work for a Networking Software company called Artisoft in their Tech Support office. There were two notable hacks that come to mind.
The first one I only heard about (file this one under Urban Legend if you please), but someone needed to network their farm house to their barn. Their solution: Barbed wire that was twisted just enough to simulate CAT 3 wiring. Worked ok, except for the dropout when the cows would lean against the fence....
The other one was a case I worked on. Gent in Florida or Louisiana had lost conectivity between two machines on a coaxial network. Now, as 80% of existing network failure can be attributed to cabling, I had him check the span.... He had to look under the house (the structure turned out to be on stilts in the swamps) and lo and behold the cable was broken. By an alligator/crocodile living under the house.... I wished him luck and closed the case....
Gotta make room for all those ads somehow....
I stopped paying attention to PC World and PC Week over 8 years ago. It's pretty clear that their "reviews" have lapsed into the Puff-Piece Zone, and the rating they give software/hardware is relative to the number of full-page ads the subject has bought over the last twelve issues.
Years ago, I wrote for a "subscription-only" print mag that reviewed game software and published hints and walkthrus (Yeah, it was a cushy job, but somebody had to do it...). We didn't take a penny for advertising and the staff was encouraged to "call it like you see it". Unfortunately, the lack of adspace also meant a low income for the company. Long story short - no more magazine.
What's even worse is that they are depriving themselves of all that WONDERFUL tech support.... At least the Indians would stand a chance of UNDERSTANDING them now.
Slashdot Mirror
I mean, you can't count Mail Server Lag as sending messages into the future.... Right?
"Can one claim a forged document as a copyrighted work of art?" ....Only if they work. If you get busted, then it's no "work of art", Eh?
Short Answer: Yes! Longer Answer: Oooooohhhhh Yeaaaaaaa! Anyone that doubts the collective idiocy of a user base most likely has never had to staff a corporate HelpDesk....
"...because 8 million tech support calls would be a very bad thing. " Only because over 80% of initial support calls are handled by Offshore Outsourcing partners, who rely on pre-scripted soutions on flashcards. Prior to 2001, the outsourcers were dilligently trained and were able to troubleshoot in a linear and logical fashion. Although not a perfect system (to misquote Orwell, "All techs are created equal, however some techs are more equal than others..."), this at least allowed Launch Day to proceed at a low level of panic. Been there, done that, outgrew the t-shirt they give you....
10+ years ago, I used to work for a Networking Software company called Artisoft in their Tech Support office. There were two notable hacks that come to mind. The first one I only heard about (file this one under Urban Legend if you please), but someone needed to network their farm house to their barn. Their solution: Barbed wire that was twisted just enough to simulate CAT 3 wiring. Worked ok, except for the dropout when the cows would lean against the fence.... The other one was a case I worked on. Gent in Florida or Louisiana had lost conectivity between two machines on a coaxial network. Now, as 80% of existing network failure can be attributed to cabling, I had him check the span.... He had to look under the house (the structure turned out to be on stilts in the swamps) and lo and behold the cable was broken. By an alligator/crocodile living under the house.... I wished him luck and closed the case....
Honesty, no.
Gotta make room for all those ads somehow.... I stopped paying attention to PC World and PC Week over 8 years ago. It's pretty clear that their "reviews" have lapsed into the Puff-Piece Zone, and the rating they give software/hardware is relative to the number of full-page ads the subject has bought over the last twelve issues. Years ago, I wrote for a "subscription-only" print mag that reviewed game software and published hints and walkthrus (Yeah, it was a cushy job, but somebody had to do it...). We didn't take a penny for advertising and the staff was encouraged to "call it like you see it". Unfortunately, the lack of adspace also meant a low income for the company. Long story short - no more magazine.
Wasn't it just a couple months ago that everybody was worried that the DVD format "wouldn't be very popular"....?
Trust me - the Spam gets through no matter what.... I'd hate to see how much mail I'm getting if their *really* losing that much.
What's even worse is that they are depriving themselves of all that WONDERFUL tech support.... At least the Indians would stand a chance of UNDERSTANDING them now.