This company has rolled out thin clients for its users, and mostly that's worked fine -- but for one power user it's a problem, says an IT pilot fish there.
"With new implementations of software, she was complaining of the slowness of the thin client," fish says. "So I went out and purchased a decent PC for her to relieve the client-side processing. All was great -- she was extremely happy that performance increased.
"Next day she came to me, flustered and surrounded by three co-workers. 'The computer doesn't work! She can't log on!' they snapped.
"I walked over to where they were all confused by the prompt to press Ctrl-Alt-Delete. The thin client had been set to auto-login for her.
"I observed for a moment and then asked her to show me what they were all trying to do to log in.
"She held down the Ctrl key and then typed in, letter by letter, A-L-T-D-E-L-E-T-E. 'See,' she said, 'it doesn't work!'
"I pointed to the Alt and Delete keys -- and there was a lightbulb moment.
"Now if she can only remember her password every week..."
Remember to send Sharky your story. Email your true tale of IT life to me at sharky@computerworld.com. You'll get a stylish Shark shirt if I use it. Add your comments below, and read some great old tales in the Sharkives.
Get your daily dose of out-takes from the IT Theater of the Absurd delivered directly to your Inbox. Subscribe now to the Daily Shark Newsletter.