September 27, 2000

Contract Engineers
   by yawetag

I know I've talked about work a lot lately, but school is fine... we're out the rest of the week due to a faculty retreat or something.

Anyway, one of our printers here in the Computer Room is broken. This printer is a 'critical' printer because it prints a lot of the reports that are needed throughout the night and the next morning.

Our usual CE from the printer company is on vacation today, so we had the backup CE. This CE has been known to fix printers by using only paper clips. Not only that, he leaves the paper clips there and never comes back to completely fix the problem.

The backup CE comes in and looks at the printer. After about 10 minutes of just staring at the thing and opening it up, he decides to take the thing apart. At this time, I don't mind for the main reason that I just want the thing fixed. After taking it apart, he thinks he has found the problem and puts the thing back together.

Ten test page prints later, and the printer still isn't fixed. Instead of ordering the right part and saying he'll be back to fix it, the guy leaves while I'm out fixing a terminal. When I return, there's no sign of the CE, so I call the Dispatch Center. Come to find out, he didn't fix it and is leaving it for our regular CE to fix. Now I'm stuck with no printer within 100 feet of me that works, and I'm having to move all the reports to another printer.

PFFT! to the CE!!!!

Published: September 27, 2000
Editor: stacy