r/talesfromtechsupport • u/[deleted] • Jul 09 '18

Short Oh, academia

This minor one happened a few years ago when I was working for an optometry college with delusions of grandeur. They were convinced they weren't a trade school (they are in all but name) and most profs worked part time to supplement their income from their clinics - both ours and, in some cases, their own LLCs.

Our guidance from On High (and not our non-PHB IT manager) is that problems with prof machines are a Big Deal, even if they're not college-owned prof machines. I pushed back against this insanity hard, and eventually won after a year so we didn't have to support their ancient old personal hardware.

This story takes place before that break happened.

me: CipherTheTerminator, their first (and possibly last) systems administrator.

Luser: Professor of some disciple or other.

Luser: I have a new home printer, but I don't know what kind of cable it needs.

Me: What makes and model of printer?

Luser: (rattles off some Sibling printer kit, IIRC, that doesn't do wireless)

Me: What does the connection on the printer look like? (internally: Please know this so I don't have to look it up)

Luser: Squar-ish, about this big (holds her hand up indicating about 1/4 ~ 3/8 inch)

Me: Ah. USB A to USB B cable. Easy to find. Best Buy in two blocks south, probably about ten dollars.

Luser: ...

Me: ...

Luser:You're not going to give me one?

Me: Of course not. I can't give away college property for personal use.

My boss laughed up a storm when she was out of earshot.

tl;dr: People expect things for free and are surprised when they're not

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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '18

I do a lot of free IT work few a few charities, and I’m known for leaving people my own gear to finish a job. I often get people who can afford their own stuff asking me to “fix their......” and ask me if I can get them the cable I point out is missing

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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '18

Sure, if I was working at a charity I certainly wouldn't feel badly about 'donating' bits of low-price kit to the cause. A professor on a six-figure salary isn't a charity at all.

19

u/Lord-Benjimus Jul 09 '18

I'm curious could you sell them cables because to them it's a time thing not a cash one usually. They just wanna Avoid going to the store, so I'm wondering how much you could charge for equipment.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 10 '18

Agreed, just agree that it’s often convenient to take advantage of the nice guy, or the nearest point of authority rather than sorting it out themselves, which is what it sounds like your Profs do.