Although my immediate cow-orkers are currently both nice and competent, there is no lack of _____ in the building, nice or otherwise. And coincidentally, just today, a new guy from the support team dropped by our office, with a USB key in hand.
- There is a problem with the extranet, the dev team asked me for the logs but it didn't work.
- What didn't work?
- Well the logs.
- Oh there is a problem with the log server?
- No, no, I took the log file on the log server.
- So what is the problem?
- Well you see the dev team wants the database logs.
- Ok that's the answer to the question "what does the dev team want", but what is the answer to the question "what is the problem"?
- Yes I understand but the clients can't use the web site you see.
- Ok what is the problems with the logs.
- Well I created a ticket like you asked me.
- I never asked you anything. What is the problem with the logs.
- Well I tried to send the logs to the dev team but it's 300M so it didn't work.
- How did you try to send the logs?
- Well I created a ticket and it didn't work.
At this point I lost it and my boss had to ask me to calm down (but he was laughing). I've had the experience of such unproductive conversations, but never face to face.
- What didn't work!
- It didn't want the log file
- WHAT didn't want the log file!
- Well you see I have to give the log file to the dev team
Turns out he was trying to attach a 300M compressed log file to a ticket, and, well, shockingly it didn't work. He never said it in so many words, though. I had to ask him, "did you try to attach the god damn file to the ticket?" and he said "yes," nodding.
- And what do you have on that USB key, I asked, realizing I already knew the answer ...
- Oh, it's the log file, I was wondering if you could help me send it to the dev team.
My colleagues were chuckling, trying not to humiliate the poor guy while I was trying not to yell at him as I directed him to the dev team -- located at the end of the corridor, a good 20m away.
All that time he kept remarkably calm and nice. Maybe he just doesn't get the signals that say "you're doin' it wrong."