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We've been forced to hire another "new guy." His only qualifications are that he's related to someone or otherwise politically connected. I don't mind working for the state, but it come with some odd extra baggage at times. So many of my coworkers couldn't find gainful employment elsewhere.
Anyway, the NewGuy once knew computers. Indeed, he seems to be something of a savant. He can go on about hardware architecture and addressing schemes and all that happy engineering crap that drew the first round of tech geeks from the ham radio crowd. NewGuy is in his sixties, not married, likes to take his teeth out occasionally, and remembers the golden age on mainframe computers very well.
NewGuy doesn't understand a basic Windows based PC to save himself. He bends my ear for half an hour about some file storage scheme invented by DEC and yet Windows' Folders are a total mystery to him. It's basically from CPM, I tell him. He looks happier with a familar ancient reference, but still lost. So, this guy needs a few community college classes before he can turn on the computer at his desk.
Problem. Because NewGuy "knows" computers, he's now one of my programmers. Worse. The powers that be have given him a "simple" project to gage his ability. The project is one windows form that talks to a database and displays data conditionally. In that sentence you have 20 years of computer theory and practice that this guy's never seen before. It would be better if he knew nothing than what he does know.
Each question he asks me reveals a depth of ignorance previously unknown to me. My frustration must be showing, he's asking others in the office. His next victim is a sweet Chinese chick who, while not a serious computer geek, is competent enough to do NewGuy's project in her sleep. After several questions, I hear in her voice the urge to say, "NewGuy, are you on crack?" She doesn't, its not in her nature or vocabulary, but I know she's feeling it.
Anyway, the NewGuy once knew computers. Indeed, he seems to be something of a savant. He can go on about hardware architecture and addressing schemes and all that happy engineering crap that drew the first round of tech geeks from the ham radio crowd. NewGuy is in his sixties, not married, likes to take his teeth out occasionally, and remembers the golden age on mainframe computers very well.
NewGuy doesn't understand a basic Windows based PC to save himself. He bends my ear for half an hour about some file storage scheme invented by DEC and yet Windows' Folders are a total mystery to him. It's basically from CPM, I tell him. He looks happier with a familar ancient reference, but still lost. So, this guy needs a few community college classes before he can turn on the computer at his desk.
Problem. Because NewGuy "knows" computers, he's now one of my programmers. Worse. The powers that be have given him a "simple" project to gage his ability. The project is one windows form that talks to a database and displays data conditionally. In that sentence you have 20 years of computer theory and practice that this guy's never seen before. It would be better if he knew nothing than what he does know.
Each question he asks me reveals a depth of ignorance previously unknown to me. My frustration must be showing, he's asking others in the office. His next victim is a sweet Chinese chick who, while not a serious computer geek, is competent enough to do NewGuy's project in her sleep. After several questions, I hear in her voice the urge to say, "NewGuy, are you on crack?" She doesn't, its not in her nature or vocabulary, but I know she's feeling it.
