I got this email today from one of our clients at work:

> Hi again! The attached is an enrollment for seventh grade. The
> enrollment fee is not showing up here either, and the technology fee is
> coming up as $35 per course. In reality, the technology fee for online
> courses at the elementary level should be $2 per course per semester
> (see the enrollment packet).

In reality?
In reality, I don't give a crap about your company.
In reality, if you knew what you were talking about, you wouldn't be in this mess to begin with.
In reality, I fix your website. If you want it fixed promptly, you don't want to talk to me like that.

Forget linux. I tried out Kubuntu and it performed so very poorly. Worse, in fact, than Windows Vista on my grossly underpowered work computer. Here's a breakdown:
[Read More]

Anyway, forget the last post. Back on Windows. Gonna try and finish stuff.

It seems to be inevitable that when I start working for someone and they realize that I have an above average knowledge of computers, I immediately become the default person to fix their problems with their network, printers, email, servers and anything else in between.

Here's the truth: I don't know shit about IT.

I know enough to get by. I can set up a small network, build or repair systems, and do other simple tasks. But if someone wants roaming profiles, special firewall rules, local domain controllers, file servers, print servers, phone systems...hire an IT company. I don't know how to do any of that crap and I don't care to learn.

Of course, my warnings to the effect that "I don't know what I'm doing" go unheeded and I get blamed for it. Here's an example.

I set up a small network at my current job recently. For some stupid reason, we had to go all wireless at our new office. The original setup was using an iMac with Internet Sharing which didn't work with my PC. I suggested getting a wireless router and doing it properly, which I set up with encryption and changed the default LAN subnet.

Three weeks later, it started having problems. As soon as we lost internet access, my boss pointed the finger at me. I recommended the router, so it's obviously my fault. Actually it was our ISPs fault, but no one bothered to research it besides me. I got no apology.

It's also not my specialty to explain how to set up E-mail to customers. They make books "For Dummies." I sure as hell do not write them, so please don't ask me.

Kind of along the same lines, some things don't have short answers. For example, someone tells me that they double their system speed with 2 processors (or 2 cores in recent times). It doesn't happen as much anymore, but once in a while, I have to correct a person. Not because I'm a know it all jerk who has to prove other people wrong, but because there's a lot of misinformation in the computer industry and I want people to be informed.

At one point I started answering the eventual "Why" with "Are you sure you want me to get in to it?" No matter what they answer, I usually end up getting treated like a know it all jerk. If you don't care and don't want to learn something, why would you keep asking?

So, to sum it all up, I am a programmer. Please try and understand that I just don't give a crap about IT or customer service.

It's pretty handy. Check it out.

Unfortunately, it can't make me a better designer. I experimented with it for the last 10 minutes trying to think of a new layout for this site. I made a simple 3 column layout faster than I ever have before.

Then I tried to add some style. These were my exact thoughts:

"What about a nice green for the header?"
"What the hell? I need to stop trying to design stuff."

I don't get it...
I've worked with graphic designers and web designers for almost 5 years now.
My Sister has a degree in Illustration and is an awesome artist.
My mom can paint and draw.
Couldn't enough of that experience have rubbed off so that I might be able to choose a COLOR SCHEME FOR MY SITE???

If you are going to insist upon using the piece of crap that is Microsoft Internet Explorer, can you please fucking upgrade to a newer version?

There's no piracy check anymore. It's not a nightmare for your lazy ass IT department. It won't break your delicate infrastructure. For fuck's sake, DO IT!

ARGH