Double whammy: Broken tech and bad behavior

analysis
Sep 7, 20112 mins

True colors are revealed in these stories of tech pros dealing with condescension, disrespect, and military-grade dressing-downs

Human nature being a fickle beast, tech users can at times show a decided lack of courtesy toward others. With meetings moments away and deadlines fast approaching, the last thing a user wants is a technological glitch. Manners and etiquette can go out the window, and the person who happens to be nearest bears the brunt of the bad behavior — often the tech pro.

Off the Record writers have told these stories of troubleshooting not just the technology, but a person who shows a decided lack of respect toward the IT personnel. In the following tales, the tech pro’s patience is stretched to its utmost, and in some instances the user faces the consequences of unprofessional behavior. But in spite of such unpleasantness, the writers even have some helpful takeaways from the encounters.

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This story, “Double whammy: Broken tech and bad behavior,” was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Read more crazy-but-true stories in the anonymous Off the Record blog at InfoWorld.com. For the latest business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.

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Since 2005, IT pros have shared anonymous tech stories of blunders, blowhard bosses, users, tech challenges, and other memorable experiences. Send your story to offtherecord@infoworld.com, and if we publish it in the Off the Record blog we'll send you a $50 American Express gift card -- and, of course, keep you anonymous. (Note that by submitting a story to InfoWorld, you give InfoWorld Media Group, its affiliates, and licensees the right to republish this material in any medium in any language. You retain the copyright to your work and may also publish it without restriction.)

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