Axiomatic is right. I started studying Management in Uni & left in disgust. I also chucked Biosciences before that, cause they treated animals etc as stupidly as management thinks of people. & that was before GE / GM which is even worse and more disrespectful. Now I've been studying networks for two years, and no f***er will give me a job - and there aren't any anyway. I don't believe anyone that actually likes computers would want to mess them up. More the other way around - it pains me just seeing the amount of crap on the web causing un-necessary power and bandwidth drains for example. And people blaming machines for things that are clearly the fault of - stupid people. Hello? it's people that made them and programmed them to work that way.
Recognition - f*ck that, I want money. I want nobody to notice me and to pick up a huge wad of cash. A rich healthy ninja assassin, that's what I want to be.

SO true, I work in a local computer shop, there are 5 tech's that also work with me. The owner and our boss will completely ignore what we say, constantly second guesses use like we don't know sh*t! He will constantly threaten us, "If you cant do what I ask, I will get somebody that will" and that's not the way to keep people motivated and working for you. They don't get that overworking use or expecting use to do more than we can ever hope to do is stressful, not good.

Hey Sylvie, thanks for surviving us such a great hack!

Quickly now. Somebody slap a click on the "back"...

And when we aren't grovelling enough, we're offensively alien.

The "potential-to-commit-a-crime" detectors, storied on /., are going to be implemented in our workspace, so that we can be monitored and controlled enough.

Maybe not everywhere right away, maybe not for a couple of years, but...

Think about it:
You're a CEO, you've got 20% of your company's current valuation in ONE building, and the people in there don't understand your authority, and are statistically somewhat likely to destroy the entire conglomerate.

You want a system in there that automatically locks-down anyone who WILL commit a crime, until enforcers can go there to remove 'em.

Particularly because a simple "wipe /vm/* /data/*" be used to set the company back, making it unoperational long enough to force it to be taken over... ( and I've read about guys using degaussers on tapes... )

( remember, 2 weeks down, equals GONE, nowadays )

Just as pervasive surveillance is normal in our workplace, this "preventative measure" will be normal in a short few years.

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/23/1538231

Gotta love working at a non-gov't smaller site :)

"But others believe, to stop techies causing damage when they flip out, firmer regulations need to be in place to check their power and limit how much sensitive data they can access. "

How to make matters infinitely worse in one easy step while lulling corporate into a false sense of security! 

Oh no, we couldn't possibly dream of actually treating our geeks better, instead we'll just act as if they're dangerous criminals and shout "TOLD YOU SO" when we inevitably drive them to knocking our lights out.

--

I know you're screwing the Captain's wife and that you just lost £10m because you were too busy screwing the Captain's wife to turn up to the deal meeting. I read your email, remember?

I'll be taking that raise now thanks. You can start calling me "your highness" too.

...your description matches the one of my employer :D

1. Ensure the people they have to deal with, on a day to day basis are atleast boarderline competent. Few things anger a 'techy' more then having to deal with incompetent people. 

2. Ensure the proper design contracts are in place so that they know their job and what is expected.

3. Ensure that there are enough people to do the job, but not too many. If a person is busy, they don't have time to sit and bitch. If a person is busy, there will likely be something a minute/hour/day later that takes their mind off of something that gets under their skin.

4. Ask for input before making an IT purchace. Maybe give time for them to do research on it. If so, as for a few options ranging in price. Ask what details justify them as being an option.

5. Until a 'techy' has proven that they lack motivation or competence, to not micro-manage them. Many times something as simple as this will give them pride in what they do and they will put more then required forth. Micro-management is tricky to pull off correctly, and will often keep a person doing just what they need to, to barely meet standards. 

6. All users should learn to back their own data up. Things happen. Harddrives fail, the network can go down, and sometimes users delete needed items (or forget where they saved them). If a user doesn't know how to do this, ask the techy for a hand. Most are more then willing.

7. If there is someone with a lack of motivation or incompetent in a group of techies have that person replaced. People of this nature are a load on the organization and raise the work load on the other techies while cheapening their job/place in the organization. They can also be a liability to network and data integrity whether from incompetence or malicious intent.

8. Implement a quick list of things to do before calling the techy. Assuming the computer is plugged in, many issues will be solved with a simple computer restart. Users should be encouraged to atleast attempt to fix a problem themselves before calling the techy - especially when it comes to Excel and Access databases that were created by the user.

9. Have a fridge and microwave available. 

If implemented correctly, the above should get a techy's job satisfaction at an eight out of ten.

Bonuses:

1. Keep a snackbar of some kind with something to microwave. Many techies will eat and continue working assuming an acceptable food source is available. Frozen goods (hot pockets) and caffinated beverages (Mountain Dew) will be an easy guess here, but also keep fresh fruit and/or cerial on hand as items like this can help keep a techie's mood even throughout the day. If this is done insure the snake bar makes minimal profit.

2. Atleast once to twice a month ask them to come to lunch/dinner outside of work. This will urge them to be more social and often soften tension from co-workers. This can also allow needs/goals/wants to be thrown out on the table from both sides.

3. Have someone that knows IT in their management. This will be on the first list if the techies' have more then 7-8 in their organization. Eitherway, it helps to keep organization goals relistic. Remember, not all techies are good at relaying infomation to non-techies and the same is true with managers versus techies. If a techy in management is not available/feasible, atleast having someone that can install a harddrive and operating system will help greatly.

4. Remember what they have to deal with. Many (if not most) computer problems are inflicted by the user. Beyond this, a user will have trouble conveying and using information to and from the techy. This can cause a range of emotion begining with humor/no fellings, to an annoyance, to an extreme rage. These two things combined plus management, and/or substandard equiptment are likely the biggest abrasive elements in a techy's job.

5. Complementing item 6 from the first list, have people taught how to back up their data during the first week they're at the organization. Issue flashdrives where appropriate. They're cheap, and even cheaper after the first headache they prevent. A backup can be as simple as copying files to the flashdrive. If your backup plan fails (especially on a personal or home computer) bring a flashdrive/usb HDD and a small bribe of a soft drink, beer, or fast food to get the best possible result. Assuming a user has been taught to backup their data, data loss is 100% the user's fault. (Even if the admin deletes it.)

6. A simple "thank you" can go a long way. Many will understand that their paycheck is their reward for their job, but when considering that most issues are user inflicted, a simple 1-2 word praise can be very welcome.

Thats it. Nothing that requires brilliance to achieve.


What was your username again?

Since when does management even care what anyone thinks? Since I work for a very large PC manufacturer all I see all day long is managers making decisions that completely ignore what the technical folk are telling / warning them about. If you look to books on management most of them suggest that you do the exact opposite (of whatever makes sense) so the worker bees know "whose in charge" even if being "in charge" will loose you lots of money.

I wish this were just me being bitter about not being a manager myself, but I have been one already and went back to being a tech. I just flat out refuse to "tow the company line" when it comes to poor decision making.

Nobody is watching the watchers. At least not at my company.

All they want is a little respect. I don't think that's too much to ask. Do you?