Dec. 10th, 2001 10:21 am
Passwords == Magic
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andysocialI swear, I wonder about the logic used in naming government agencies. When I worked for the National Security Agency, the officers would bring virus-laden Powerpoint presentations into the secure area. Security. Yep.
Now, I work for the Defense Information Systems Agency, and nobody seems to understand computers at all. One of my 11 bosses (I have surpassed Peter in Office Space) doesn't even know how to use Powerpoint, depending on an underling to make her slides for her. Apparently "Click here to insert text" is too complex a task and that help option is a complete mystery. Today, I get an email from one of my bosses, and he has sent me a URL to a password-protected website (the email was actually the "welcome" message forwarded through three guys), and wanted me to peruse it. Naturally, the site has no "click here to request access" option, and the boss was surprised at this. Way to check things before you forward them. Oh, and can I get more forwarded stuff with 800 headers attached please?
I've been assigned to one project that involves a secure network that I'd never heard of until I started working here. I'm not a network engineer, and about half of the terms used in describing the system's problem did I even understand. But, apparently, since I "know computers" I was the obvious choice. Talking to that project's bigger boss, he said I must have been selected for my common sense. Yeah, ok. So, after several weeks, I determine that the network is dead, irrevocably. The choices are a) put in new fiber or b) find a different path, such as copper plus fiber-copper connections at each end. Bigger boss doesn't like these options, and wants to test the current line (which has been tested at least 6 times) and "get some answers" from the MIS guy in charge of the other end of the network. The answer is, of course, "It's broken" but that is unacceptable and we must change reality now!
Information Systems Agency. pah!
Now, I work for the Defense Information Systems Agency, and nobody seems to understand computers at all. One of my 11 bosses (I have surpassed Peter in Office Space) doesn't even know how to use Powerpoint, depending on an underling to make her slides for her. Apparently "Click here to insert text" is too complex a task and that help option is a complete mystery. Today, I get an email from one of my bosses, and he has sent me a URL to a password-protected website (the email was actually the "welcome" message forwarded through three guys), and wanted me to peruse it. Naturally, the site has no "click here to request access" option, and the boss was surprised at this. Way to check things before you forward them. Oh, and can I get more forwarded stuff with 800 headers attached please?
I've been assigned to one project that involves a secure network that I'd never heard of until I started working here. I'm not a network engineer, and about half of the terms used in describing the system's problem did I even understand. But, apparently, since I "know computers" I was the obvious choice. Talking to that project's bigger boss, he said I must have been selected for my common sense. Yeah, ok. So, after several weeks, I determine that the network is dead, irrevocably. The choices are a) put in new fiber or b) find a different path, such as copper plus fiber-copper connections at each end. Bigger boss doesn't like these options, and wants to test the current line (which has been tested at least 6 times) and "get some answers" from the MIS guy in charge of the other end of the network. The answer is, of course, "It's broken" but that is unacceptable and we must change reality now!
Information Systems Agency. pah!
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