Don't mock the computer guy

By Keith Shaw
Network World, 01/17/00

The next time the vice president of marketing asks you to tell him where the "any" key is, don't laugh, don't smirk...don't even give him a sarcastic answer.

If the vice president of finance asks you what "Apple-P-Print" means, don't answer her with, "Geez, everyone knows that you moron."

Why? Because if you do, you'll only be adding to the negative image that many people have of high-tech workers. A government report said this negative image is preventing children from pursuing technology careers.

In the latest sign of stereotyping for the computer professional, "Saturday Night Live" ran a sketch called "Nick Burns: Your Company's Computer Guy." Played by Jimmy Fallon, Nick Burns is an unshaven, rude and not-too-attractive computer tech support worker. He walks into the office, insults the intelligence of the end users, tells them to "MOVE!" from their keyboard when they have a question, fixes the problem and then says, "There, was that so hard?"

The sketch is quite funny (don't bother sending me e-mail about the ironic nature of a funny sketch on "Saturday Night Live"). But as much of a stereotype as Nick Burns is, we all know someone like him at our companies.

That said, in the spirit of full disclosure I admit I'm a bona fide computer geek. I've been working with computers since age 12, can find my way around (and inside) a computer and, yes, I like "Star Trek."

But despite these credentials, the company "computer guy" has treated me like dirt. Not at Network World, mind you, where the "computer guys" have been extremely nice, caring and courteous to me. And I'm not just saying that because I want a RAM upgrade for my PC.

In past jobs as a reporter and editor, I was treated like I just fell off the eggplant truck. Here's a small list of things I've been told. These are all true:

Me: "This printer is broken." Computer guy: "It's not broken, it just doesn't work."

Me: "My computer is frozen, this is the tenth time it's happened." Computer guy: "Have you tried rebooting?"

Me: "Yes, and it still freezes up." Computer guy: "Try rebooting again."

Me: "I need a faster computer to run all these programs." Computer guy: "No you don't, just take off that screen saver."

Then there was the time that the company's computers crashed on a continual basis. We would reboot the system and it would crash a few minutes later. We created a "Crash Log" file in the system, noting the times when the system would go down. The computer guy's solution - Delete the Crash Log from the system. No Crash Log, no problem.

I know that the majority of people working in the computer industry are not like that. In fact, they could run circles around me in terms of figuring out how to configure and run a network with 500 clients.

But there's enough of those bad apples out there in companies across this country who are treating end users like this, so much so that someone at "Saturday Night Live" wrote a sketch about it. At a time when there's an extreme need for skilled employees who know things about computers, it doesn't help recruiting efforts when people perceive the computer guy to be either an obnoxious, rude jerk or a geek.

A few years ago, the Department of Commerce began looking at the country's growing need for trained IT workers. The report found that the negative image of technical professionals in the eyes of the nation's youth was contributing to the lack of interest in children pursuing a career in science or math. On TV and in the movies, computer professionals are labeled as geeky, nerdy losers who can't get a date. Think Urkel.

Part of the solution suggested was to find ways to make the technology profession seem more cool to young people, to show them that we're not just a bunch of freaks and geeks. To read the report, go to www.ta.doc.gov/reports.htm and click on the report "The Digital Work Force: Building Infotech Skills at the Speed of Innovation." Several programs were suggested, including getting high-tech companies more involved in speaking at schools or starting IT internships. Showing younger children that it's okay to be interested in computers is one step in destroying the stereotype. I hope these programs work.

In addition, all of us in the computer industry can help the image by encouraging the end users out there. Remember, it's okay to tell them where the "any" key is.