Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

Let’s twist the meta-problem and meta-solution a bit to help reveal the underlying problem.

It happened again this week… I wanted a software tool installed on my computer at work. Now the computer at work is on a network. We can’t just go installing software on networked computers willy nilly. We have special persons who can do these special tasks while not compromising the integrity of the network.

At home? Go to the website, click the download button, click the install button, viola. Software tool installed. Let’s accomplish some work.

And I am discussing a tool—which I shall not name—that has been “out there” for many years and is used by … oh conservative estimate of 20 million tool users and is free, open-source software.

At work? It took two people three days to install the software. No exaggeration.

So, this was the solution. Install the tool, let’s get on with the work.

Now the problem with the solution. See above. Are we kidding ourselves? We have created and imposed on ourselves a situation where tools are almost prohibitively expensive to use. Hence, the solution shows the real problem. We are our own worst enemies. No one else could impose such on us but ourselves.

Oh well. We go to work again tomorrow and try again.