IT Werkz Sometimes

Agent emailed me this morning about the Microsoft interview, which was supposed to be tomorrow and, provided I didn’t screw up, I’d start on Wednesday. She was waiting to hear from them for the exact time of the interview. Later, I get another email from her saying Microsoft have pulled the interview as all roles are to be outsourced to Microsoft Global Services (India) – MGS(I). Terrific. 

I emailed her back with the question “It sounds like you won’t be supplying them with any more staff then if they are all going through MGS(I)?”. Her response, which was a bit naive, was “We will, but not this role or immediately this week”. That obviously doesn’t make sense, if all roles are to be outsourced to MSG(I) then that’s the end of it. What has obviously happened is that someone has seen my resume, seen that I have way too much experience, got intimidated by that, and pulled out the line about MSG(I).

Nice to know that Microsoft are just as prone to lousy office politics as anyone else.

From Alan Bennett’s Untold Stories:

‘……but in the intervening years the connection between birth and death had been maintained when I had been around to Russell Harty’s father’s funeral. Russell had been sent round by his mother to give a neighbour the not unexpected news that Fred had died. ‘Oh dear.’ said the neighbour, ‘I am sorry. Mind you I had a shocking night myself.’

Quote of the day

‘A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject’ Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

I needed to scan in some documents on the old HP PSC2355 all-in-one printer recently and it didn’t work.

The tempting way to scan is to hit the scan button on the printer but the little LED displays a message that that functionality needs to be invoked from the PC using HP’s less than easy to use software. I had had some problems with that software awhile back so had uninstalled the full version and installed just the minimum drivers to allow it to be used as a printer and copier, but not for scanning.

I downloaded the full software and installed that but something obviously went wrong somewhere as I can’t find any way to scan from the PC, though the printer does still print and copy. My work around for this was to buy another HP printer (Don’t you ever learn? Ed), which was only $60 including 1/4 full color and black cartridges. The shop wanted to sell me a USB printer cable at $30, to which I replied ‘you really want me to buy it on eBay don’t you?’. They also wanted me to buy some extended warranty to cover the printer for 3 years, nope. Then they asked whether I wanted me to buy some full ink cartridges, which would have cost almost as much as the printer, nope.

Used the USB printer cable from the PSC2355 and installed the software and it works OK, even on Vista. It was tempting to pay $200 for a printer as for that you can get a 4-in-one, the fourth being fax functionality. For that money you can also get a wi-fi printer which would be useful in a house with 4 printers, but I liked the idea of $60 and wasn’t so keen on $200.

Found a USB printer cable, for the old printer, on eBay for $3.76, including shipping. That’s more like it.

For the first time this week an agent called that wasn’t either rude or clueless. Apparently some bunch called Microsoft want to see me about some work next week.

Maybe they have figured out who writes this blog and just wanna beat me up.

I was talking to someone the other day who has in the last 6 months started working for a large US bank, one of those places where it seems so many of the staff are always bordering on being angry and as soon as you arrive you are on your way out (Sounds like a nice work environment. Ed).

He said how aggressive the staff are. When I asked him was it the ‘looking for excuses to get rid of people type of stuff?’ He agreed, but also said that quite often when they have shafted someone they will end up taking the person back on 6 months later. When I said ‘don’t tell me as a consultant at a huge daily fee?’ He laughed. No doubt the aggressive attitude is something to do with ‘if you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen’ stuff.

I suppose it separates the men from the boys and all that but ultimately its got to be counterproductive. You could, if you were very confident in your job, say ‘this aggressiveness is stopping me doing my job, so back off and let me help your developers make the software work’. If nothing else it may disarm them a bit. 

Windows, no pane

With the latest edition of Tech Net was attached a beta copy of Windows 2008 Server. The cover for the magazine was clear plastic and the disk was plain to see so anybody could have ‘borrowed’ it. It also said that it was a CD and not a DVD. Was that just a mistake or is the single disc version of Server 2008 really a CD.

If it is then that would make it miniscule compared to Vista, and it’s supposed to be a big beefier server operating system. In which case I reckon it’s the version of Windows Microsoft has been mentioning where there is no GUI at all,  it’s all command line driven. Brings to mind the terms: a smaller footprint, less prone to attack, Windows without any windows.

I wonder if they ever considered naming it MS Dos 7?

Quote of the day

‘A desk is a dangerous place from which to watch the world’ John Le Carre (1931-)