The Bitter "Computer Guy" is the Problem!

Ah, remember the glory days? The internet was just starting to become popular and the age of the PC was in full bloom.

I remember at my job a "coder" or "IT Guy" asked me where I got a particular graphic and I told him I downloaded it from the internet.

"The Internet?" he said in a snide way,

"Now that is more difficult."


You see in those days the computer guys where in their full glory. Who was I to be fooling around in their domain of the internet?

I also remember another IT guy becoming dismayed when the World Wide Web became available on America Online. He shook his head. The internet was opening up to the masses and it was no longer the "Country Club for Computer Geeks"

Well, fast forward to today. Your average "coder" or "IT Guy" has got a downgrade. He is no longer the king of the office. He is simply an office machine repairman, the Maytag repairman if you will. But he should have seen it coming for while he continued to dress in sloppy t-shirts and jeans at work, the bright young worker who started at a much less salary than he did has begun to rise in the organization.

The bright young worker did not have the computer guy's technical skills but he had more important skills. He had social and communication skills, he knew how to work with people and get things done.

Some Computer Guys did not take this "downgrade" in status so lightly. They left the company to start their own enterprise but they were wrong headed. Most technical guys have no clue about business. These bitter computer guys started their business not to satisfy the customers but with the sole purpose to be bought out by Bill Gates. In a few cases this happened, but in others it did not and it only made them more bitter.

The computer guy had another problem. Most had no social skills either, which means no dating and a build up of frustration. You can usually spot these guys since they are making no progress in the natural way an adult grows up they revert back to childhood with activities like comic books, action figures and yes, GAMING!

I guess I should not sterotype because there are the computer guys that did get it. They dressed in pleated pants and maintained a sort of false yuppie aura that they managed to pass but most of them come off like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer wearing that false nose. HA!

I know you are asking, what does this have to do with gaming?

I am getting there. You see the computer guy has huge frustrations at work and in his social life, so his only refuge is his hobbies which include gaming.

So, he takes gaming very seriously and does not want to experience any frustrations in that area. But what happens?

Somebody causes turmoil on BGG?

Cue Nuclear Explosion

Frank Branham = Bitter computer guy.

He wanders around with his plaid pants hiked up to his pocket protector. His buzz cut sets off the coke bottle glasses that masking tape barely holds together. He constantly snorts derisive comments anytime anyone evens mentions anything remotely technical. I feel sorry for him. I really do.

So I gave him a tanktop. He's cool now.

Steve"Social helper"Avery

So I gave him a tanktop. He's cool now.

I hear the Tank Top caused him further grief. It revealed the Microsoft tattoo on his arm!

Yeah but at least the office secretaries stopped beating him up...

Steve"Tanktop"Avery

Well, you can't blame those secretaries can you? Branham was constantly swapping out RAM from those PC towers under their desks and misdirecting his flashlight.

The other avenue for frustrated IT folks is to put things like Websense and some of the more nefarious programs on company servers. I thought the server was slow before....man.

The other avenue for frustrated IT folks is to put things like Websense and some of the more nefarious programs on company servers. I thought the server was slow before....man.

HA! I know what you mean. Those "nefarious programs" have pushed all the way to my Start button and slowed my PC to pre-dial up speeds!!!

They installed one program that apparently checks what's on our computer. The innocuous part of it checks to make sure that everything is updated. The less innocuous part can apparently delete any unauthorized software.

They installed one program that apparently checks what's on our computer. The innocuous part of it checks to make sure that everything is updated. The less innocuous part can apparently delete any unauthorized software

That's all part of their "Power Trip", a cheap thrill they get between Trek episodes

Finally, there are as many IT gals as there are IT guys. In fact the very first programmer was a woman. So there is plenty of dating going on among the singles.

Andy Griffith would like to respond to Uba!





Aw!!! come on!! Women shouldn't worry their pretty little heads about computer business. They need to spend their time cooking and cleaning and lookin' in windows at pretty dresses! Leave those complicated machines to the men folk!!!

Perhaps Archie Bunker would have been better --- Andy Griffith never struck me as a misogynist

Careful, Steve...I'm pretty sure Uba is strong with the kung fu.

That made me chuckle. Steve is obviously just yanking yer chain. I'm surprised you took him seriously.

On the other hand, everything I said about Frank is completely true.

Steve"veritas"Avery

In fact the very first programmer was a woman.

archive.salon.com/21st/feature/1999/03/16feature.html

Ada's another victim of ideology.

The IT set continues to make a lot of money, true, they have not all been turned into Maytag repairmen. Sadly this has led to DEVOlution in droves, and frankly the sooner modern civilization collapses, the better. I do like boardgames and junk food, though.