I, Robot

It's pretty hectic at work right now.  We're in the process of decommissioning one network and building another one.

Due to the timing of things, we're actually without a network at the moment.  This was dictated by contract requirements, not poor planning.

We informed the users a week ahead of time.  We instructed them to ensure all files were saved to the server prior to the deadline so we could make the necessary backups.

As the Network Administrator, I maintain the backups.

Next time, I'll be smarter.  I'll think ahead.

This simple mistake has cost me my humanity.  I've crossed the line between man and machine.  I have sacrificed myself and filled a void no man was meant to fill.

I have become The Server.

--
User:  I need a database!

Me:  Request accepted.  Bring me a flash drive.

User:  I had you grab the wrong one!  Now I need a different database, two spreadsheets and fourteen scanned images.

Me:  Authentication successful.  Transaction completed.

User:  Ok, I edited one of the spreadsheets, the database and six images.  Here's the flash drive so you can replace the copies in your backups.

Me:  Data overwrite?

User:  Yes.

Me:  Confirmed.  Overwrite successful.  Verification completed.

User:  Great, thanks.  I need to print four of these images.

Me:  Documents submitted to local print queue.

User:  Oh, and the database, too.

Me:  Print database failed.  Permission denied.  Abort, retry, fail?

User:  Retry.

Me:  I'm sorry, Dave.  I'm afraid I can't do that.

2 comments:

Some Guy said...

I miss the old "Abort, retry, fail?" messages. Haven't seen those in a few years, about the last time I regularly used a floppy drive.

Ricky Anderson said...

Good times, good times.