leyton.org

Today is System Administrator Appreciation Day. Why not go give them a hug, or at least a handshake and pat on the back.

Who’re they, I can hear some people saying? Well, for a start it’s what I do for a living, and I like hugs. Well, ok, firm handshakes out of preference.

We’re the folk most people only think of when there’s a problem with their computer, network, printer, database, phone, photocopier, fax machine or practically any other electrical device you might use during your office working life. We’re the folk who then come over and fix it, or at least snarl at you because you didn’t realise that running out of paper isn’t really a problem. We’re also the folk that get called out at 3am to fix a critical production issue so you can do your job properly the next day. Chances are you were sleeping like a log right then.

So, because you only generally only deal with us when there is a problem, we’re often only associated with problems. That really starts to wear thin after a while, as it ignores all the hard work we do to prevent problems happening in the first place, and to ensure all the technology we deal with does it’s job properly.

So, if you’re in an office today, why not break with tradition, and go and find your systems administrator, and say thanks? Buy them a donut, an amazon voucher, a beer, or just refill the photocopier paper tray by yourself just this once?

Because we’re system administrators, it doesn’t mean we don’t want to be loved!

Well at least slightly appreciated, just once in a year

http://www.sysadminday.com

Via Wil Wheaton I’ve got a bit of a geeky treat lined up: When Sysadmins ruled the Earth. Only had a chance to read the first couple of sections, but it’s great so far, and I’m looking forward to finishing it off over the next few days.

I do have a bit of a problem with the past-tense implied in the title…

I’m not in the slightest bit ashamed that at being a geek. It’s a badge of honour to be honest. Especially on days like today having been in hysterics looking at a few lolcat sites…

• icanhascheezburger, in particular Bring me a tricycle and haircuts time plz
• oh and mittens… and bunny and karot and elivater.
• lolcats2
• LOLtrek

Also of some amusement earlier in the week, Evil hamsters, and why-the-internet-won’t-be-0wn3d: random hex codes (More on what this is about here at /. and digg)

For unix geeks only: Some unix humour.

Windows users, look away now. You won’t get it. And, yes, we are laughing at you.

via boingboing and neil

A geek’s guide to kittens. Marvellous.

Particularly the “rundown of the relative merits of four options for the computer enthusiast – a kitten, a puppy, a baby, and (as a representative example of the more usual kind of home information technology purchase) a new video card.“.

Via neil

I came across the the famous ‘reality of IT project life cycles’ cartoon (click for bigger) earlier today, and just had to post it up here, mainly so I know it’s here for future reference.

I first came across this cartoon – all be it in a much simpler form – in a first year ‘Software Engineering’ course at university. I didn’t really appreciate the truth behind it then, but as the years go by and my cynicism grows I see it more and more: Wheels reinvented, specifications blurred or poorly understood, and implementations barely approaching what the customer really wanted.

I’m sure anybody whose ever worked in IT can appreciate it. But whilst it’s a wonderful cartoon, it still reflects rather very poorly on the continuing state of the industry.

A useful mug at last!. Handy for both reference purposes AND caffeine containment purposes! (via boingboing)

This is rather a lot of fun. Tweak the bar at the top for your favourite “deserving” website, and the various things to do with it.

Solar Death Ray – A new, technical, LART?

Oh, and whilst we’re at it, a top class geek joke: A byte walks into a bar and orders a pint. Bartender asks him “What’s wrong?” Byte says “Parity error.” Bartender nods and says “Yeah, I thought you looked a bit off”

Quality geek pr0n for all perveyors of all things plasticy:

Adverts: http://www.1000bit.net/adverts.asp

But best of all, old-computers.com Spectrum page. I particularly like the geek clothing for when the vendor-ware runs out….