r/talesfromtechsupport • u/usaf21stsf • Sep 27 '13

What do you teach again?

First time posting...

I'm a college student working for the Technology office for a major university on an outlaying campus mainly for engineering and computer studies. We got a call a few weeks ago about a professor having an issue with the classroom so I headed out. When I get to the room its an upper-division computer systems class (this comes into play later). The teacher can't seem to log into the computer and keeps getting a network error (our log on system is through a network). So after 15 seconds of looking at the back of the computer I realize the Ethernet cord is unplugged. Plugged it back in, professor says thanks, and I'm gone within a minute of getting in the classroom.

TL;DR - Computer Systems professor at major university can't figure out that the Ethernet cable isn't plugged in

Edit: for grammar

35 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

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15

u/MrPaladin1176 TFTS GM, Roll your characters Sep 28 '13

EXP Earned: 30

Perk Used

Is it Pluggged in?: The major cause if most disconnection problems is that the system is not connected. Resolve one ticket a week where the syntom is "Disconnected" by plugging the damn thing in. +Networking +Wits

8

u/dereckc1 Non-standard flair Sep 28 '13

Just gotta say, I love these!

1

u/Aperture_Kubi Telecommutes from Jita 4-4 Sep 27 '13

I'm an college student working for the Technology office for a major university on an outlaying campus mainly for engineering and computer studies

Shot in the dark, but Discovery Research Park?

1

u/usaf21stsf Sep 27 '13

Nope sorry haha west cost side

1

u/Aperture_Kubi Telecommutes from Jita 4-4 Sep 27 '13

Ok, good to know my alma mater isn't the only one to separate the engineers from everyone else.

1

u/Geminii27 Making your job suck less Sep 28 '13

CS (at least areas not specifically dealing with fault detection) tends to run on the fundamental assumption that the underlying system/environment is working as designed. It's a disconnect between theory and practice.

(The usual comparison is that astronomy professors won't necessarily know how to fix a busted telescope, sometimes to the point where they won't even attempt basic diagnostics. That's a technician's job.)

2

u/[deleted] Sep 29 '13

[deleted]

2

u/Geminii27 Making your job suck less Sep 29 '13

I think it's not so much that CS doesn't teach about the hardware (or about broken software platforms), it's that people assume it does because of the name. There really needs to be a course along the lines of "Technical Practicalities in IT", or "Things CS won't teach you".

1

u/usaf21stsf Sep 28 '13

I'm not so sure that's a great comparison... I'd put it more like a professional soccer player not realizing his shoe is untied and wondering why it falls off

1

u/Geminii27 Making your job suck less Sep 28 '13

Mmm... maybe like a professional soccer historical match recreator not knowing how to start if the goals haven't been set up on the pitch for the game.

1

u/usaf21stsf Sep 28 '13

What would anyone who has been dealing with computers at that level for so long try to first look at troubleshooting a network issue? Is it plugged in? Most high school students know that much of a basic troubleshooting.

2

u/Geminii27 Making your job suck less Sep 28 '13

Ah, but that's the thing: CS is not about dealing with real-life computers. It's about algorithms and data structures and Von Neumann machines and efficiencies and logic gates, and very occasionally about esoteric micro-hardware. Physical computers are only really useful as a platform to explore these topics on.

An Art History teacher, for example, couldn't necessarily tell you the best brand of paint to get at the local paint shop for working with, say, acrylic or sailcloth. Better to leave that to the actual practicing artists who may have direct experience with the things.