A day in the life of a PC tech

[minimage]

(The following is a true story, but it may combine the events of two or three days)

Before I even roll into the office, I'm using my Axim. I wirelessly sync my calendar, contacts and mail with my employer's exchange server. Infuzer slips the weather into my calendar, so I can check to see how warmly I should dress.

In my car, I plug my iRock into my Axim and pipe tunes wirelessly to my FM radio, and I no longer desire the unattainable (because I spend so much money on computers) MP3 player for my RAV4.

At work, I check our help desk database for details, but I have set up my profile in the database so that I receive email when a call is assigned to me, so it's already on my Axim, and I have no need to print out each call, like I did in the past. I see a call to install a patient care package with which I rarely deal. I transfer the lengthy instructions to my Axim, either by emailing them to myself and syncing, or by copying the document directly via ActiveSync. In the old days, I would have hard copies (more wasted paper!) of the instructions to tote around, lose, or crumple. At the user's desk, I run into a little trouble with the app, so I decide to call a server admin. A couple of years ago, I'd just bug someone at our help desk for his phone number, but my Axim knows all, so I fire up my contacts and give AdminBoy a call. AdminBoy doesn't answer, but my PPC also has his pager number, so I find him eventually. Together, we give our customer the access she needs to get her job done. Before I leave, I take notes of what I did, so that I can make a proper entry in the work log.

Oooh...lunchtime! Maybe I'll play some Scrabble, EverQuest, Shadowgate, or even Uno...yes, with my PocketPC.

Lunchtime's over. Time to help some more folks. These people are across town, so I get in my car and listen to some more music. I note my mileage in Excel, so that I can fill out a reimbursement form. An app's missing from the techs' server, so I pop in my wireless card and sign onto MSN to tell my boss to put the app there. He does so, and reminds me that I haven't filled out the paperwork for my last absence. I install the app from the user's PC. Back at my location, I quickly fix another user's IPAQ problems, and he thinks I'm a genius, even though I modestly explain that I've encountered the same problem on my own device. Another day's work done.

On the way home, I run some errands. My Axim has reminded me that my friend's birthday is coming up soon, so I buy him a present and notify mutual friends, so that we can plan his tribute. On my shopping list program, I've noted some items that need to be picked up from the grocery store, and I grab those and mark them off the list. MP3's rock me home. What a day!

[TopDog]

Originally posted by minimage@Nov 7 2003, 07:07 AM
AdminBoy doesn't answer, but my PPC also has his pager number, so I find him eventually.

You guys still use pagers??? Sorry for going off-topic, but I just couldn't resist...

You forgot one thing, that is almost the most important (right after my calendar) feature on my PPC and on my SmartPhone, Codewallet (or any other xWallet app) for all my codes, passwords, etc, etc... I use that all the time during a normal day.

Whats the password on the fileserver again? securitycode for the garage? serialnumber for XP? Our customernumber at Dell Support? My creditcardnumber? ...anything, I've got it right in my pocket B)

[minimage]

Well, we work for a hospital (and most of us actually work in it, but I've been working offsite since June), so other communications options, such as Blackberries and cell phones, aren't allowed in many of the areas; they interfere with the patient monitoring systems, and there are lots of dead zones. They bought us radios a couple of years ago, huge heavy things which I'm sure can be classified as dangerous instruments in legal terms. Since my department has many radio dead spots (although Physical Plant can talk in areas we can't), these weren't as useful as management had hoped, and we've all stopped carrying them. Management is threatening to sink an antenna through the walls, so that we will have no excuse, but I don't want that big thing dragging me (or my pants) down. It's funny, but at least some of the radio dead spots have WAP. Heck, there are even a few dead zones for the pagers, although the hospital has worked hard to eradicate those, naturally.