Um, no

This pilot fish works late into Thursday evening so he tin can exit of the city early on Friday to go on a long weekend camping ground trip.

"I took my jail cell phone with me, but non my laptop, equally the whole point of getting back to nature is to accept a break from the civilized earth," fish says.

"The phone rings at three:forty a.grand. It's a technical support rep for the software-every bit-a-service awarding the company uses."

Fish knows what the call is about -- he sent in a support example Thursday night, because information technology usually takes three or four days to get a response. Only the female tech on the other end of the line wants to walk fish through the solution right now, if he'll but log into the company online business concern account.

Starting time fish points out that it's not quite four in the morning, and and then he explains that he's on a camping ground vacation with no laptop. Can I set up up a teleconference afterwards the weekend? he asks.

Tech replies that she tin't do that because, if the effect isn't resolved now, fish's case number will become to the back of the line, which has been growing exponentially -- no doubt due to the extreme fourth dimension difference between the Philippines, where she's calling from, and Due north America, where most of the customers are located.

Fish groggily replies that he can't do anything about it at the moment, and anyhow, fifty-fifty though his phone works this far out in the forest, his laptop would accept no style of connecting to the Cyberspace. Even if he had brought the laptop forth, it would brand no difference.

Tech thinks for a moment, then says, "You are in a park correct now. Is it a big park?"

Yes, fish says, only —

"There must be someone in the park that will permit you utilize their laptop for five minutes," tech exclaims. "Virtually people in parks are quite friendly, and there are many hot spots at that place. I will call you lot back in fifteen minutes and nosotros will fix the problem." Click!

While you're waiting, electronic mail Sharky. Send me your true tale of Information technology life at sharky@computerworld.com. You lot'll get a stylish Shark shirt if I use it. Add your comments beneath, and read some nifty old tales in the Sharkives.

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