Real Life User Stories

This page is for the posting of Real Life User Stories. Stories must be actual accounts of dealings with users. Posts will only be accepted from PXM20 members.

A user came running at me frantic down the hall. Her face
was filled with horror saying "My Computer is Possessed !!!". Intrigued,
I followed her at a distance (she was going faster than most normal people
would walk). I went in and she showed me her open Word document with little
underline symbols scrolling across the screen line by line. She looked at
me with fear. I touched the mouse...yes, the mouse worked. Then I
nudged the notebook she had laying across part of her keyboard and the
telltale sound of a key releasing was heard. Satisfaction that my SMU
education had not gone to waste, I ensured her that it was no big deal and
I knew of lots of people who had done that before.....To Myself.(as Mel Gibson said it
in 'Disney's Pocahontas')...I can't think of any right now.

-Mike-

This happened on Monday of this week. I went home not feeling well and when
I came in on Tuesday, my boss told me that he had to switch out a notebook
for a guy down the hall. I asked him what happened because I knew the guy
had a brand new top of the line Dell Latitude. He said that he spilled some
coke on the keyboard and Dell said to let it dry for a few days before
rebooting. I stopped by later to talk to the guy and he said.. Well, Ok
it wasn't a coke but the laptop sure enjoyed that Bud Light!!!

-Carolyn-

Well my first week has been thrilling. We have one server (PDC) no BDC's, every single computer has IPX/SPX, NetBEUI. and TCP/IP installed although we are routed and do not use Novell. The day I arrived the "Archive" (the most important database at work) crashed and there had not been a backup made in THREE YEARS!!!!

I have another. I had a guy grab me out of the hall for what apparently was a traumatic problem. He could not get his CDrom to work. He was very upset and freaked out. I figured he had some time sensitive work due that required a CD. I tried a couple of ways to start it and finally ejected it to try another CD. It was AC/DC, the band, covered in something sticky. Thanks to SMU I had him lick it clean and he is now jamming to AC/DC.

-Justin-

Frantic call from a client..."You upgraded this software yesterday and now my computer is locked up....it won't do anything!! I can't print! I can't see the network! I can't access the program you installed! Give me back my old program!!"

"I'll be right there!" was my response. On the way I thought about the install, considered what might be causing her trouble. I couldn't fathom why things had gone so wrong
When I arrived I checked settings for the printer, re-mapped her network drive. Re-established the program link to the data directory on the server and then re-booted.
When the machine came up it went through it's "Found new hardware" check. Then it hit me. I said "Isn't this a new monitor?" She said "Yes I got a new one yesterday. Isn't it lovely? Nice and big!!" I asked "Did you reboot your system after you plugged it in?" She said "No...I was afraid to lose my settings".

At $120 bucks an hour + travel that was an expensive lesson she learned that day!

-Cathy-
1