In January '00 I got a job as a shipping clerk in the office of a small firm. Two months later the firm was taken over and I became the shipping clerk with a secret identity - the Secret SysAdmin. This was because two Big Bosses were looking for a way to flex their muscles on each other's turf and I got suckered into reporting to both of them.
By day a humble shipping clerk, I leap into action when someone has a PC problem. When the system folds and dies on us I get it back up and running as fast as possible. I'm not allowed to upset people by telling them they did something wrong. If they deny they did something I have to accept the denial, then try to find out what they really did and work around it.
No, you did save the letter you wrote yesterday, I just can't find any trace of it on your PC because I'm stupid.
Of course you didn't change your password. The computer must have done it during the night.
When I said you shouldn't close down by pulling the plug out, I was lying to you. It's OK really - you just go right ahead!
the STORY so far ……
PlayPenOffice is the office of a small local firm, bought up by a very large corporate conglomerate in March '00. The original CEO (the owner and founder of the firm) retired on what they paid him and all the rest of the staff were kept on. As the firm wasn't even in the same line of business as the conglomerate, the staff still don't really know why they were bought up. I think the group are looking for tax layoffs - but that's just me being cynical, isn't it?
One of their "top men" has been sent to be our CEO and bring the firm into the Corporate standard.
Why could they spare him if he's a "top man"? Maybe they wanted rid of him there. Maybe that's just me being cynical again.
