Wednesday 9 May 2012

Working with colleagues

Life can be stressful. Work can induce a lot of stress for people, especially when you asked to take on problems you have little control over. So regaining control is important to reducing your stress.
Communicate with your colleagues, use simple clear instructions and sentencing. Waffle and indeterminate expression may save some feelings, but it does not help. This is business, get things fixed, make the time for socialization over coffee at other times.
Use sensible lines of communications. Email is not suited to discussion. If you are giving multiple people information or instructions, but require for everyone to know what is going on, make sure each person knows the bits they are responsible for.
Never email some who sits next to you for a rant, if you have some issues. Either talk or if you are unble to talk instant message.
If you are under strain, ask for help, sensible help, make clear what you need, and thank them afterwards. Keep and amend those instructions for next time.
As an admin your job is a bunch of procedures, that hopefully you can put onto a junior. Find those procedures, get someone else to do them, then find a quiet corner to drink your coffee or play with something fun.

Why I like Linux more than Windows


Making black instant coffee

The Linux way

cat water.tap > /dev/kettle
echo 1 > /proc/sys/kettle/power
touch coffee.cup
JAR=`find /home/kitchen/cupboard/* *java*`
head -c $JAR > coffee.cup
while [ ! /proc/sys/kettle/boiled ];do;sleep 5;done
dd if=/proc/sys/kettle/spout of=coffee.cup bs=5ml count=50
exit
drink coffee

The Windows Way

open Coffee Wizard
choose basic wizard option
click next
scroll past eula
tick "Accept EULA" check box
enter your username
enter password
click next
wait for authentication
enter username again
enter password again slowly
click next
wait for authentication
select auto search for mug
select auto search for kettle
click next
curse and swear pointing out kettle with finger
click back
select kettle and watch mug being deselected
try to select mug again, but no longer appearing in list
click back
click back
click back
select advanced wizard option
click next
scroll past eula
tick "Accept EULA" check box
enter your username
enter password slowly
click next
enter administrator username
enter administrator password
browse for kettle file
browse for mug file
fail to fing mug file
search for mug file in windows explorer and find in "My Kitchen"
return to Coffee Wizard and browse to "My Kitchen"
select "show all files"
click on coffee.cup
click next
call Microsoft Technical Support
wait for 2 hours in queue
Close wizard
Open wizard
select advanced wizard option
click next
scroll past eula
tick "Accept EULA" check box
enter administrator username
enter administrator password
browse for kettle file
browse for mug file
explain to support technician about file being in there
open file using notepad
read contents line by line to technician
open regedit
set HKLM\Current Control Set\System\Microsoft\coffeecup\allowothercup => "1"
reboot computer
restart Coffee Wizard Advanced Wizard
curse at "Error, cannot find Water v2.0 SP1" error
Walk to Starbucks