Laugh at work: True tales from the IT trenches

Computerworld - We present The Best of Shark Tank, which includes over 70 tales of IT woe submitted by you, our readers, since 1999. Which all goes to prove, conclusively, that hapless users and idiotic bosses are indeed worldwide phenomena.

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A brief sample to whet your appetite:

Code name: Black hole

IT division head enthusiastically tells pilot fish and everyone else in his division about the insights he picked up after a sit-down with the CEO of a big storage vendor. Boss is most excited about "the latest security measure (the vendor) is touting: the write-only disk."

Limited menu

This bakery has just opened a small balcony lunch area, and the cashier proudly tells customer pilot fish about the new computer system as he takes fish's order. "He said that it sent the order right downstairs to the kitchen, where they would prepare our meal and send it up," fish says. "After selecting our order from the computer screen, he leaned over the balcony and yelled, 'That's two Cokes!' The software just said 'soft drinks.'"

Safety first

Executive secretary at this R&D lab hits support pilot fish regularly for help. "One day, I notice she keeps all her files on her on-screen desktop, which is a cluttered mess," fish says. Curious, he asks her why. "She tells me she keeps them out of the hard drive," fish sighs, "so they'll be safe if her hard drive ever fails."

Enjoy lots more Shark Tanks: Download the free 20-page Best of Shark Tank PDF.

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