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73 Comments
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15Yep, they should just shut up and accept the fact that their standard of living is being normalized to third world standards while their bosses are making billions. Yessir, nothing as pathetic as an ungrateful wage slave. If only God hadn't made so many poor people...
- incorrect, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12That should be "The Geek shall Internet the Earth".
- atomysk, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9This isn't a stab at the poster, but more of a stab at the original publisher of the aritcle. The title is VERY misleading. When I read 'Geek threat: we'll take you down', I think of some IT guys going 'postal' by means of technology, like actually crashing computers and the like. But upon reading the article, It's my opinion that the title should more appropriately say 'Geek threat: we'll let you fall down, and won't pick you up'. But who cares about semantics in journalism?
- mancat, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9So which is better?
1. Keeping an IT department staffed with your well-paid fellow countrymen, who are proud to do what they enjoy for a living, OR
2. Keeping an IT department "staffed" with helpless - but cheap - foreigners who go into Yahoo chat rooms, asking "how 2 install linux redhat 7, for pay rull serverr" when it comes time for them to set up a payroll system? - partialinfinity, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Yes, I see your plan working very well.
Manager: "Ok all of our tech people have been sacked and we're bringing in all new people. Who knows the passwords to all the servers? Anyone?"
Worker: "I don't know but my connection to the secure site went down and I need someone to fix it."
Manager: "What server are you connecting to?"
Worker: "I don't know."
Manager: "Does anyone know the server names for the... uh... 'secure site'? Who has the keys to the server room? IS THERE a server room?" - joeyjojo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9a) You are stereotyping unions
b) Your 60k year job is great. Until it's gone. Then what? - dongiaconia, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9It even says so in the bible, "The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth" (probably not any less accurate than other translated passages. :)
- dhughes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6 This is normal union BS and nothing to do with Geeks, they just happen to work in the Tech. field.
- Marz8, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Guess I'm in the minority here. It's not like the end of the world will happen there on Monday. Unless something needs to be fixed, and probably by a field rep, they will be fine. Also, no one has pointed out that there are some very resourceful non-IT employees out there that could at least help their companies limp along until it was resolved. Of course if it was a long term issue, then I could see being more doom-and-gloom. But even so, those companies could get by. And I'm sure there are a lot of other "geeks" out there to fill those low paying jobs as was inferred by another poster. It's not like it's a transit strike, or a pilots strike.
Side note: I hope some of these posters' code is better than their English, because it's horrible! - twinklyJesus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Labor unions suck. "If you don't pay me what I want, I am going to hurt your customers." Christ why don't they have the Rico Act in Australia?
- Mesach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Maybe since they are in Australia?
- alloneword, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5> Seriously though, if that threat was carried out, it would amount to sabotage. Forget the pay rise, they could
> find their asses in jail.
No, it is called a strike. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -5/+9outsource all their jobs to india, where they complain and work for less... that'll learn em...
seriously though, that is NOT the way to convince a company that they shouldn't outsource. - lalee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6You're assuming that I'd be content in working an entry-level $60K job for the rest of my life.
For some folks, maybe that's OK. Me, I'd much rather move up to a Senior-level position with much better pay and job security. If you don't have a "Type-A" personality and enough ambition to get ahead, then you will get rolled-over. It doesn't matter what industry you're in.
Seriously, though. These guys are basically a poor-man's version of an IT Consultant. That's pretty tragic -- considering that *REAL* consultants who travel on-site can command an $80K salary (easily), and their companies can bill the customers between $150-$300 per hour, depending on the skills needed. (These are consulting companies of old, like PWC, KPMG, Accenture, etc...)
If you honestly can't see yourself as being that valuable to anyone, then yeah, you REALLY DO need to worry about your future prospects. - erudite, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7Beat me by 2 minutes!!!! Arghhhh. ++digg
I like the way the NCR boss has downplayed the threat. Something not discussed in the article (or thought of by NCRs moron boss) is that there is a certain solidarity amongst "geeks" as the SMH so kindly calls us there may only be 100 at NCR, but there are millions fed up with being pigeonholed by ***** mainstream journalists.
We read your email phrackers. We keep your businesses running. We are better than you at computers and you sit in blissful ignorance of how much you have grown to depend on us. Start squeezing us to pad your fat middle-management arses and we will fight you. Moooohahahaaa.
Oh and losing support and maintenance on the ATMs of the 2 largest banks in Australia would be a relatively large impact - being as the banks have stopped cash handling at most branches, if there is a branch at all. - CanuckMakem, on 10/12/2007, -2/+6I work for a company doing the same kind of work (NCR's rival) and this is funny. I'd love it if we pulled this on our customers.
- partialinfinity, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I don't know about anyone else, but I get calls at home and on my cell phone when I go on vacation or if I'm on sick leave -- even if it's only for one day. Sometimes it's simple stuff that they can resolve on their own but it takes them much longer to work through the problem. Other times, I have to VPN in and fix something in a way that no one else is capable of fixing.
However, I prefer that they call me instead of trying to fix something themselves and making the whole situation worse. I was out to lunch for ONE HOUR and when I came back, I found the network down because someone's network cable was unplugged so they thought the problem was with the server -- which they then rebooted.
I would even go so far as to say that someone who knows "a little" about computers is more dangerous than someone who knows nothing. The people who think they know enough about computers to help the company limp along are the same ones who cause the most problems.
So, yes, it's very possible that any given company can survive without any IT support whats-so-ever. However, the whole point of having IT personnel on-site is so they can fix things when the break. You cannot predict when things are going to break. Therefore, you cannot predict how long your company can survive without having a knowledgeable IT person on site. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5This is why outsourcing (er... slavery) is far better. Slaves don't complain.
- Woknblues, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I wish online journalists and Digg people would please stop using "geeks" in headlines to attract attention. This is pathetic. Also, I think it's funny to see that people here automatically think that someone in the IT or tech business is "smart". It's funny, as if the IT industry is a super secret group of rogue scientists. The problem, is that the industry is maturing. Just like mechanics of the automobile. At first, these guys were engineers, now, they plug a lead into the computer system of a car and decide if it needs a new transmission, at the 100,000 mile 1st scheduled tune up. They were "gurus" before, now they are just drones in cubicles. The entire world is learning the "magic" that you do. Either continue to upgrade your skills and be willing to compete with the rest of the world (both "developed" and "developing") or get out, while you still can.
- paulcooper, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Well, here in Australia we have a sensible employment system and it would be illegal to fire them.
Plus, IT people are not a 'dime a dozen' here in Australia - we have a skill shortage.
Why comment when you are so ignorant? - dggeek, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4They said the strike could go on for a week. How long could your company go without your entire tech department?
- agimat, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3a hundred eh? time to fly 200 cheaper labor technicians from asia. replace anyone who abandon their work.
that'll make their extorting ooops striking asses sorry - danielwsmithee, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I get pretty upset when anybody strikes not just the tech industry. I swear unions are going to be the ruin of us all!! Our company is not unionized yet we have direct competitors who are. You know what we have much better benefits, and much higher wages then our unionized counterparts. They were useful back in days of child labor, and 5 cents an hour. Now they have gone way overboard. My biggest pet peeve with unions is 1) their fight against performance based compensation. Why should some guy that sits in his cubicle on chat lines all day get paid as much as some one that actually works hard and get things done. The other reason why unions hurt the marketplace is their fight against layoffs. A company has ups and downs their are times when they are going to have to let people go. Unions cause them to not layoff until the company is far in debt that they have to let everyone go. Have you ever noticed how the companies that have huge layoffs in the multiple thousands always have unions! It's because the unions our chocking the companies and not letting them compete in the market place. Sorry if you don't agree that is just the way I see unions lately.
- ronintetsuro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I've worked for NCR before in the very position that this article claims will be causing 'mass hysteria' or some other nonsense.
I don't know about Austrailia's operations, but here in the states, they're mostly reactionary support roles. If something breaks, then we go on site. If something needs an upgrade, we're on site. But having direct control over the systems? Not likely from off-site locations.
However, if your a manager of a bank and three NCR dudes show up randomly to 'service' some equipment, be afraid. - shazeubaa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Lame. Fire the lot of them.
- nymphetamine, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5so geeks can rule the world. sweet!
- dclowd9901, on 10/12/2007, -3/+51) Geeks are not a dime a dozen.
2) We have an obligation to use our talents for good.
3) It's about damn time.
I don't know why I feel all of these at once. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Here's my issue with the article: it's only one company having industrial action. And there'll only be problems if something needs fixing on Monday morning.
It's hardly – note the article's tone – a bunch of geeks holding Australia to techno-ransom. Hardly worthy of a FRONT PAGE HEADLINE on one of Australia's biggest news sites.
But then again, it's Friday afternoon, and friggin' nothing else is happening. - EsotericBoredom, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2They wouldn't loose support and general maintenance on their atms. Ncr is only called in when there is a technical problem with a terminal. Most of the daily minor problems are handled by Brinks or any of the other armored car carriers that service the banks. Their atm techs take care of a good chunk of the atm issues. At least that has been my experience in the NYC area.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+5I don't think these guys are "geeks". The article talks about contract negotiations and unions. Since when do IT guys and programmers and tech support kind of guys have unions or negotiate contracts?!
- szelij, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4There are some jobs that you can't outsource. For example you can't outsource an in-house techie job to India. But for others...yeah you could. The best thing for geeks to do now is unionise and pressure the hell out of management. Remember they've got a lot of money to spend on marketing so why not spend it on the people that control their computers.
- mobbydick, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4it's like they insult as for striking, they don't insult people from other professions when they go on a strike, hrmpf
- rodbibeau, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2its saturday there actually.
- partialinfinity, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Big companies do this all the time -- they hire Indians through an outsourcing company, ship them over here, and pay them lower than average rates. If they complain, the companies threaten to send them back to India. And best of all (from the company's perspective), the Indian is technically a contractor so they don't even have to give them benefits!
(woops, I meant to reply to szelij's post, below) - TuxFan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2http://www.washtech.org/
IT union. Geeks can like unions too. - rooke, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Why is it people support when unions strike, yet when an IT union strikes they are trying to take down the world?
I have seen no less than three times in the last few months where hospital workers went on strike...
So, hospital workers go on strike, yay support them, the scabs can handle the patients, not anyone I know!
IT worker strike, Booo!, I can't get my money out of the ATM and the store can't accept my debit since it's down! - rebrad, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Supply and demand. Victory depends upon how many scabby geeks are around that will tread on solidarity.
- ravenmuffin, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4> Maybe since they are in Australia?
So I guess that's why the pubs aren't being taken offline.
Seriously though, if that threat was carried out, it would amount to sabotage. Forget the pay rise, they could find their asses in jail. - brandizzle, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3While I fully support them, I don't think this would be useful if used more than once. After once they would just end up outsourcing, or firing said workers.
If you leave them to themselves for long enough, they just might figure out how to do what the "geeks" used to do, or, more likely, find a way to do without it. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Ha, you get 60k a year for working in IT support? Tip: Don't move to Australia.
- Denver80203, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3"some very resourceful non-IT employees out there that could at least help their companies limp along until it was resolved"
oh god not them... that's generally where the problem STARTS - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6RTFA, yeah?
1) They're in Australia, not 'under the Bush administration'
2) They're planning industrial action over a pay dispute, not threatening to commit terrorist acts.
Geez, what's wrong with you? - 1337geek, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4IM A GEEK AND I LIKE FAST FOOD, DONT SHUT US OUT!
i work in it and am in union, and it blows, but i guess i can feel that little safer knowing i cant make more money than the idiotic 56 year old woman who dosnt know to turn on her monitor after the pc gets turned on. - Muddle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Most of you don't seem to realize that NCR stands for National Cash Register. They are already some of the highest paid techs in any electronics business. Most of them couldn't repair a computer if they tried. I used to work as an Office Eq. tech in a building shared with NCR. Most of them were old farts, who ran around cleaning meat juices off the glass on grocery store scanners. The next time the sale price of a case of Bud is $14.99 and the scanner nails you for $18.99 and you don't catch it till you get home and look at the receipt think NCR.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4Rock on down under brothers!!!!, united in arms.
- danielryan, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3there is an obligation? by whom? should people in general try to "do no harm"? yes, of course. but that's not an obligation, it's an ethical choice.
- orabox, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3IT and union do not mix but good for them
- TheGalacticFork, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3You guys realize that if every major IT company and private company's IT department performed a walkout this coming Monday, they could -- in theory, destroy the developed world. Think about it, pretty much every company in the world uses computers, what if there were no IT depts to fix the problems for a couple days? Things would grind to halt and the all-powerful juggernauts of economy would have to answer to the geeks. Thus the prophecy would come true, the geeks would inherit the world. I say all power to them(the engines....or the geeks).
- mactechbri, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I think that geeks and nerds should stick together. And no one outside of our circle should be able to refer to us as geeks or nerds. Kinda like dropping the "N" bomb around black folks. We can, but they can't
What up nerds! - mynickel, on 10/12/2007, -6/+7Meh.
Geeks are dime a dozen. There are millions more in the unemployment line waiting for their jobs. -
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