What are we doing here, anyway?

As most of you reading this know, I'm the Head Tech. Weenie (that's what it says on my business cards, anyway) for a small, rural school district in Texas.  Yesterday I attended a regional meeting at which my counterparts from this part of the state got together to discuss various issues that affect us all, and to engage in a bit of human networking, rather than our usual digital networking.  I belong to a few different professional organizations and they all do this sort of thing a few times a year.  I try to attend as many as time and distance allow because I enjoy geeking out with my fellow Tech. Weenies, and because I always learn something new.

One of the things I enjoy most about these sorts of gatherings is the "backchannel" communication that goes on.  These are the conversations that take place between the scheduled presentations, or when people are being particularly rude, during them.  These discussions can be about anything, but usually end up being a sort of idea-exchange between two colleagues facing the same problems, or working toward similar solutions. What always amazes me, though, is how lazy tech. people can be.

Now don't get me wrong, in the tech. world lazy is a valuable attribute.  Lazy techs. wrote the hard drive imaging program I use that allows me to get a new PC out of the box and ready to deploy in 10 minutes instead of the 4 hours it once took me.  It's the lazy tech. who writes a Content Management System that allows anyone to update my school's home page so I don't have to be the sole Webmaster.  In the world of technology lazy people often get more done than the industrious.  Sometimes, however, lazy is just lazy.

One of the conversations I heard going on yesterday involved which Web browser to use on school computers.  I'm a huge proponent of Firefox because it's fast, efficient, highly-customizable, and far less prone to attack than Microsoft's Internet Explorer.  In fact, the only reason I would ever use IE is on a poorly-designed Web site that will only work with IE. (of which there are many)  At least one person in attendance yesterday didn't agree, and their reasoning was simple laziness.

"I only allow Internet Explorer on my machines.  Otherwise you have to support two browsers, and I'm just not going to do that.  I have my network setup so that teachers can't install software, and I only give them IE."

This kind of thinking drives me nuts! 

This person, and the many thousands who think just like him are just being lazy.  First off, these aren't his computers.  They belong to his employer and are assigned to various staff members.  It's not his network either.  He's just the person employed to maintain it. 

When I take my car to a mechanic for repair it doesn't become his car, just because he maintains it.  This line of thinking incredibly prevalent among network administrators and it's always both bothered and confused me.

I've often said that most network administrators have a backward mindset.  They think of themselves as the owners and masters of all things digital and the users are little more than annoyances. 

Network administrators are the servants of their users, not their masters. 

I was hired by my employer to serve my fellow employees.  My job is to make their jobs easier. They don't work for me; I work for them. 

My users tell me what they need and I find a way to make it happen. 

If you're a technology professional and you have any other mindset then it's time to rethink your thinking.