The Jaded Tech

There are many people in this world that really cannot function on their own. People in wheel chairs, people in comas, and people who work for McDonalds. I get it. Why is it that the local bum at the donut shop seems to have more articulation and personality than many ‘techs’ that I’ve met?

Somehow things have gotten screwed up in our world. You have people who can get into a car, turn the key and press a gas pedal. They have no clue about oil and barely understand why the car uses gas in the first place. These people scare me. I have to spend too much energy trying not to get killed by them on the road rather than simply enjoying a nice drive to get a coffee. Seriously, the old ‘license from a crackerjack box’ originated from Hamilton. I have developed a shout to wake people up when they slow down for no apparent reason “NO SIGHT SEEING IN HAMILTON!”. It usually gets them moving along and out of my way.

If only it were so easy in the IT world.

When I was working for someone else, there was this client that called in and was too cheap to pay for training. So he creates a support request under the guise of ‘technical issue’. Being the ever-so-wise techie, I recognize this cheap-ass ploy and fulfill my duty. I point him to a couple of articles on the company website that give him ‘step-by-step’ directions how to do exactly what he wants. He then replies ‘can you give me a short description of the process?’ Noooo! That’s what the articles are for dummy! My short description would only reiterate what is in the articles! And it wouldn’t be short! Until I see MY name on YOUR paycheck, I ain’t doing YOUR work. RTFM!

There are many things in this world that do nothing but take up space(like sprawling suburbias) and money(like the Government). Few things, and I mean very few things, actually push us forward.

Google is the Saviour of our times. Apple gave us the coolest machines, Microsoft stole the idea and learned how to market and now we have Google to usher in the next generation of technological advances and mindsets. Let us not forget The Pirate Bay and their heroic efforts!

See, Google learned fast from it’s predecessors and has ‘boldly gone in a way others never have before’. For the longest time I thought Apple would be the ones to give us the proper choice for digital freedom. They have the coolest looking ’stuff’ and are on the cutting edge (barely). The problem is their system is completely closed. There are pros and cons to this. Pro: more control (ain’t is always about control?). Con: Less compatibility with others (Microsoft tries to play nice while trying to subtly maintain it’s control).

Now we have Google. The technological juggernaut that it is becoming is staggering. They do things and do it right. Have a look at their path thus far:

1/ Create the best search engine in the world. Check.
2/ Create the best advertising campaign that blends traditional advertising with Internet Technologies. Check.
3/ Create the best free email service. Check.
4/ Create the best free office suite online. Check.
5/ Create the best web browser…..in the works but publicly available and looks very promising. Half-Check.
6/ Create the best open source operating system for a ’smart phone’ target=”_blank. Check.
7/ Create the best operating system for a netbook. On it’s way.
8/ Create the best free music system. Check!

The obvious next step will be to simply scale up their network OS(Chromium) to desktops but not much of a leap there. Finally consumers will have a viable 3rd choice when buying a computer! Competition is good! Google is good for the economy.

One of the biggest problems that society, at least in the western hemisphere, is that people don’t even know their own worth. They are simply not even educated or given a clue that they are individuals in their own right and are more powerful than they realize.

Our education system has zero latitude for allowing people to think on their own. They simply don’t want you to think. Don’t believe me? How many times have you heard of a child being disciplined for contradicting a teacher but was labeled as ‘insolent’ or ‘rude’. We are forced to believe everything we are told and demanded that we never, ever question ‘the system’. See, I have a problem with that. I have always questioned the system because it is flawed. The educate system simply does not allow you to think for yourself. You are told to memorize facts and given the illusion of free-thinking when they give you a question to solve on ‘your own’ but in reality, you are simply coming up with solutions that have been implanted in your subconsciousness by their indoctrination of the system. It is so insidious that it is near impossible to believe. The movie The Matrix really isn’t that far off from the truth. To use a cliche, “Truth is stranger than fiction”.

So back to self worth, or lack thereof.

A friend of mine goes to school in another city that is about 45 mins away by car. A bus route was planned out and while it would take at least 90mins to get there, it was at least doable. First day of class she meets someone who lives 8 blocks from her place! Stroke of luck or what?! So they agree on a fair price to pay for gas and the other person drove(although, apparently it was more like “Gotta get there for let’s do 30% above the speed limit shall we?” from what I heard).

Let me digress for a moment, but it is related I promise. This person speeds like there has never been enough time in her life. This chick changes lanes ever 30seconds to get into a ‘better lane’. She speeds well above the speed limit and complains bitterly when she can’t as well as curses loudly when she gets cut off (Oh, the irony there!). This is such a sign of lack in her life, not to mention the sheer arrogance of her putting her petty little insecurities ahead of every other driver on the road. I take great pride in knowing full well the capabilities of my car (both in how fast it CAN and CAN NOT go!) but this chick is one of those people who actually scares me. The fear-based, ego-sized mentality is staggering. I’m waiting to read about her death in the local paper from a horrible crash that also killed 15 others.

Back to the story.

Since my friend drives with her, and she seems like a nice person, she mentioned that she was having printer problems. My friend tells her that I am really good with computers (such an understatement…) and that she was ask me if I could take a look. So I do. Your gonna love this.

I go on over to help her set up her printer. I get there and the printer is missing the power cord! Umm….kinda hard to set it up like that. Well, I set up the driver any ways and we talk about replacing the printer. We go over the options and pros for ink jet versus laser printers. We browse online and I find her a good deal on a laser printer from a local computer store. We call them, make sure they have it in stock and have them set it aside with her name on it. I spent about 30mins with her and we agreed for me to come back after she picks up the printer.

My friend worked out a deal that she would pay me the money instead of paying her gas money for my work. My friend also didn’t know I only spent 30mins. When her ride asked for gas money my friend was confused. The driver bitched that I was ‘only there for 20 mins!’ implying that my time wasn’t worth the $40 is gas money she received every week from my friend. My friend said, no problems she’ll give her the money. This arrogant bitch had the nerve to say “You will need to find another ride to school from now on.” She took offense and thinking that she wasn’t getting her gas money and that my ‘20 mins’ wasn’t worth $40!

Are you freaking kidding me? Knowing the tech field like I do, I know for a fact that if I was working under one of the companies I sometimes contract with, that call would have cost her $50 + taxes. Another company would have charged her $100. This clueless wench had the audacity to think I wasn’t worth ANY money for my time. She had better pray that we never meet up in public as I’ll tear her the biggest strip!

In retrospect, I might have expected that given the description of her driving and the complete disregard for anyone else on the road. Still….the whole idea of completely taking advantage of my good nature is absolutely stunning. In essence I was told “You’re not worth the time you spent with me.” Ya know, that just doesn’t sit right in my world. I well know what I am worth and how much I give but shit like this irks me to no end.

The upside to this story, my friend found another ride who is significantly nicer and much more conscientious when driving.