The Stress of Modern Day Information Technology

By MM Watson

"The Stress of Modern Day Information Technology" is a fictional, somewhat humorous book about a programmer’s day to day life and having to deal with the stresses your average IT propeller head faces. Whilst the stories are based on fact, there has been a certain amount of embellishment to add the additional entertainment factor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MM Watson
• Release date: Jun 15, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452395241

MM Watson

The author MM Watson was born, educated and lived in Africa for many years, before returning to the land of his forefathers in England. He has worked a variety of jobs, particularly, but not limited to Information Technology and Security Installations. He has at least 15 years IT experience and currently works full time as a programmer & DBA. As a hobby he creates video games for distribution on Xbox Live Indie Games.

Book preview

The stress of modern day

Information Technology

by

MM Watson

SMASHWORDS EDITION

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PUBLISHED BY:

MM Watson on Smashwords

The Stress of Modern Day

Information Technology

Copyright © 2010 by MM Watson

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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In the Beginning

What have I done to deserve this?, Why sweet Lord have you done this to me? are but a few of the thoughts that tend to pop into my head each and every time I am on second line support! You may think I am being a bit over dramatic, but as I'm sure you'll learn from the following text, I most certainly am not!

A day on second line support is supposed to begin at 08:30am, but I tend to rock in at around 09:45am due to usually having over slept or having to have pried my fingernails out of my front door in one last effort to avoid going to work. When I arrive, most of the department is normally in the office, with the odd exception in the development team, but then this is normal as we find starting late and leaving late gives us a load more peace and quiet.

Each and every time I'm barely in the office and there is already a stupid question being fired my way, such as Do you know what is going on with the database? to which my general response is something along the lines of Of course I do as I've just walking in the door! and this morning is no different as I walk into the office putting on my cheery face and saying Good morning! and the helpdesk analyst perks up and says I've just assigned you a call. So much for manners.

While we are on the topic of helpdesk analysts, it has always boggled me why the DBA's and developers have to be sharing an office with the tape monkeys and helpdesk analysts! Really that just is not on! It should be made illegal, much like pineapple on pizzas!

Anyways, I sit down at my desk and login to my workstation and check the somewhat shitty (I'm being kind here) helpdesk system and notice that the call is from a user having trouble printing widget labels as the labels keep peeling off in the laser printer and jamming it up! Now, why a developer & DBA of 15+ years experienced needs to be assigned a call that is clearly a tape monkey’s job, I'll never know and then it clicks..... There is one vital clue that clearly shows why it has