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Conference vaxcat::friends

Title:Welcome to Friends!
Moderator:POWDML::VENTURA
Created:Mon Mar 09 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:437
Total number of notes:35174

264.0. "interesting facts" by KAOFS::C_PLANT (It had to be you...) Sun Nov 27 1994 23:56

    
    
    	This note is for interesting yet obscure facts.
    
    	Chris
    	:)
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
264.1testingKAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Mon Nov 28 1994 00:0662
    
    
    Folks...enjoy this little entry...I'm sure you'll all
    be able to relate.....:
    
    
    
    WARNING
    
    You might not be aware of this, but there is a good reason for
    the temperature fluctuations during the off hours. In order to generate
    extra income during these tough economic times, DIGITAL is hiring 
    out CRRs as experimental subjects for the defense department.  
    Apparently, National Defense was concerned  with how much stress and 
    abuse P.O.W.s could take before they would crack. After extensive 
    research, they determined that pithed rats would be used, but when 
    animal rights groups protested, it was decided that the CRRS at DIGITAL 
    would be be best possible approximation.
    
    By subjecting CRRs to high levels of low grade stress, bombarding them
    with continuous levels of radiation, and designing a schedule guaranteed to
    induce sleep deprivation, the proper amount of physical stress is
    induced. 
    Then, research personnel,posing as customers and techs, call and
    subject the CRRS to varying amounts a verbal abuse. Records are kept 
    as to who cracks when and under what exact situations.
    
    Since the whole point of the experiment is to keep the test subjects
    ignorant of the experiment, an elaborate web of deception has been
    created to keep them in the dark. The entire CRR area is actually a 
    camouflaged high tech lab. The E-mail system really is a way of 
    monitoring the test subjects and observing how group dynamics break down. 
    `Customers', seemingly on an innocent tour of the building, are 
    actually visiting scientists observing us through the protective glass 
    shield.
    
    In order to keep the test subjects in a constant state of confusion, a
    variety of methods are used. Pointless and unnecessary tasks are
    created to distract the subjects and keep them constantly short staffed and
    frustrated. The rules are changed according to a randomly generated 
    schedule to keep the subjects unbalanced  while inaccurate, unrelated 
    feed back is provided to insure that they remain so.
    
    At present, this on-going study is a huge success. After just a short
    number of days working in these conditions, subjects display a range of
    behavior remarkably similar to that a actual POWs. First, various
    coping strategies are used.  These quickly fail leading to anger and
    frustration. Subjects lash out irrationally with the slightest 
    provocation or resort to childish petulance over minor issues. 
    This inevitably leads to a final state of catatonic numbness, 
    where subjects appear almost oblivious to their surroundings and perform 
    their jobs with a robotic-like unemotional detachment, having lost 
    all higher brain functions.
    
    While the study itself is a huge success, the fate of its participants
    is not. It is generally accepted that with the conclusion of the study,
    the CRRs will be mercifully put to sleep, as it is assumed that after such
    an experience no one could be expected to lead a normal life.
    
    
    Chris ( Who's at the childish petulant stage )
    :)
264.2apptitude testKAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Mon Nov 28 1994 00:19160
    
    
    another humorous one:
    
    
    C.R.R. APTITUDE TEST ( C.R.R stands for customer response rep ):
    
    As most of you already know, DIGITAL is in the process of hiring a
    large number of new C.R.R.'s for various positions. In order to
    facilitate (and expedite, as well contemporize and externalize) 
    the hiring procedure, Digital has commissioned a top level demographics 
    consulting firm to establish an exact
    C.R.R. profile. The following test has been painstakingly designed and
    test-tested in order to conform with the exacting demands placed on
    C.R.R.s every day. Your cooperation is requested in this highly experimental
    (and possibly illegal ) venture. Just fill out the test 
    (no cheating-C.R.R.'s never cheat) and forward your answers to me. 
    Thank you for your cooperation in advance.
    
    
    P.S. For those C.R.R.'s with difficulty reading, an oral test is
    available on demand.
    
    P.P.S. For those C.R.R.'s with difficulty speaking, a Helen Keller type
    deaf-mute test has also been prepared.
    
    
    
    
                        The (un)Official C.R.R. Aptitude Test
    
    Instructions: The test is divided into several sections: one part
    answers, multiple choice, true or false etc. Please try to complete
    each section but as there is a time limit do not spend too much time 
    on each section. Unfortunately, as per DEC policy, this part of the 
    project was not completed on time. At the initial planning stage, 
    the time limit was set at 1.5 hours, however the team
    writing the test was under the assumption that the test was to
    administered on a biweekly basis to groups of 10. Management was 
    worried about too many people being pulled off the phones and wants 
    people to work on the test only when CORE is down, submitting their 
    answers over a six month period. So please try to keep this in 
    mind while answering the questions. You have anywhere from
    1.5 hours to six months to complete the test as we're still working
    this issue.
    
    
    
    Part One: One Part Questions
    
    Please answer each question in sentence form. Speling counts.
    
    1. What is your name? (C.R.R's caught looking at their badges will be
    deducted points.)
    
    2. What is your age? (C.R.R.'s may use fingers but not toes to facilitate
    counting)
    
    
    3. What is your educational background? 
    (Please include  training courses taken through DIGITAL, 
    enough space has been left to include all courses.)
    4. Where do you work? (this may or may not be a trick question-we're
    still working this issue)
    
    
    5. Did you understand the above questions? (please answer truthfully)
    
    
    
    Part Two: Multiple Choice Questions
    
    Please choose one (and only one) of the answers provided for the
    following questions.
    
    1. The telephone on your desk starts to make a ringing noise. What does
    this mean?
    
    
    a: It's coffee time!!!!!
    b: I wouldn't have that information, I'm not a specialist.
    c: The phone is obviously broken, move to another desk until the
    ringing stops.
    d: I don't know, but it's been doing it all day.
    
    
    2. A customer calls and asks to have his site rep. paged. What do you
    do?
    
    a: Transfer the call to DecDirect, we don't handle sales calls.
    b: Tell the customer you need a serial or access number before giving
    out that kind of information.
    c: Tell the customer CORE is down and ask them to call back later.
    d: This is obviously a crank call, put the caller on hold and go to
    lunch.
    
    
    3. You take a call back for the VMS group and notice that the customer
    has called 15 times without getting through to a specialist. What do you
    do?
    
    a: Put the call in the call back queue and go back to reading NOTES.
    b: Put the call in the call back queue and go for a break.
    c: Put the call in the call back queue and go for lunch.
    d: Put the call in the call back queue and go notify the VMS duty
    manager. It may take some time to find the duty manager but spending 
    all afternoon looking will be worth it.
    
    
    4. You notice that a call for the Toronto Branch has accidentally been
    sent to Montreal. What do you do?
    
    a: Ignore it, the branch knows what it's doing.
    b: Transfer the call to Calgary to counter "western alienation".
    c: Go for a break.
    d: Run off a copy of the call and take it to the CSC duty manager. It
    may take some time to find the...............................
    
    
    
    Part Three: True or False Questions
    
    
    Please indicate whether the following statements are true or
    false.(Remember, they cannot be both)
    
    
    1. The Digital Customer Support Center exists to provide service to
    Digital Customers. (You may take as much time as needed with this question)
    
    True/False
    
    2. In the last year some customers has actually talked to VMS
    specialists.
    
    True/False
    
    3. The LN03 was actually built by IBM.
    
    True/False
    
    4. The comments on a LARS are vital for Digital's survival.
    
    True/False
    
    5. Quantum Physics allows for a 15 minute break to last 30mins. (All
    C.R.R's should know this one.)
    
    True/False
    
    
    Thank you for taking the C.R.R. aptitude test. The answers will
    be compiled and sent to a working committee for immediate review. No real
    results are expected.
    
    
    Regards
    Chris
    :)
    
264.3Dick Digital part 1KAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Mon Nov 28 1994 00:3478
    
    
    Folks:
    
    Read this when you have the time. This is something to keep you
    going on those long cold day shifts.The following is the first section of a
    serial.
          
    P.S.. Any resembles to persons living or dead is purely incidental.
    
    
    ..........................AND NOW PRESENTING!!!!!!
    
    
    THE ADVENTURES OF DICK DIGITAL: Episode#1-The Beginning
    
    
       The rain hung in the air like a thick mist, falling just enough
    to dampen the mud and grime left over from winter without actually washing
    it away. It was the kind of day that almost begged you to call in sick 
    and stay at home; but that wasn't my style, you see, I had a job to do. 
    It was a dirty job but somebody had to be there to answer that phone, 
    to take those calls and that somebody was me, Dick Digital, Private C.R.R.
    
            As I walked into the office, casually tossing my fedora into
    the corner and apologizing when it took out somebody's coffee cup, 
    I paused for a moment to allow my hawk-like eyes to scan the room. 
    Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as I watched my mentally deficient 
    co-workers sweat laboriously over the phones, but there was a certain 
    essence in the air which suggested to my finely tuned senses
    that either I'd forgotten to use my deodorant that morning or that this
    day might be the beginning of a new case.
    
            With that thought in mind, I waded though the pile of old
    National Enquirer magazines that blocked the way to my desk and started 
    to log in. Some five minutes later I was still having trouble with 
    my password when I became aware of an odd sound, sort of like an old 
    air mattress being inflated with a leaky tire pump and, glancing 
    nonchalantly to my right, noticing that Biff, one of the other C.R.R.s 
    in the office was eyeing the red glow of the shining "not ready" light on 
    my phone, breathing in and out and trying to make his face look ugly. 
    In Biff's case it wasn't hard.
    
    I suppose that Biff was the companies' idea of a perfect C.R.R.
    He was fluently bilingual and equally stupid in both languages. Having a
    conversation with Biff was kind of like washing your face with sandpaper, 
    it only felt good when you stopped and felt a lot better if you never 
    tried. I locked his hampster eyes in my steely gaze, adjusted my face 
    into a sneer and was about spear him with a seething remark when 
    Darlene walked by. What can I say about the most distracting woman in 
    the company? Her hips had more swing then Duke Ellington's
    orchestra and the only thing lower then her neckline was her moral
    standards. Darlene had been inexplicably cold to me but recently I 
    sensed that she might be warming up. As if to confirm my suspicions, 
    but more likely just noticing my lingering gaze, Darlene turned and, 
    in a voice husky enough to win Mrs. Nebraska, addressed me by my pet 
    name. "What are YOU looking at slug?"she said.
    As I was sitting down and she was standing right in front of me, I
    thought the answer was doubly obvious. So I told her. She didn't say 
    anything but as I picked myself up off the floor, I couldn't help but 
    notice that her sharp right hadn't been followed,as it usually was by 
    a hard right. Maybe she was warming to me after all. I slumped down in 
    my chair to mull this over.
    
    
            Suddenly the phone rang. Biff must switched off the "not ready"
    light while I lay on the floor momentarily unconscious. It was just like 
    him. I hesitated for a second before a answered it. Maybe it was a customer,
    or it might have been a bill collector who had tracked me to the office, or
    possibly my customized Gremlin was finally ready at the garage, or maybe 
    this was a new case. Cautiously my fingers edged towards the phone.
    
    ..........continued next time (unless someone puts the kibosh on this)
    
    
    Chris
    :)
    
264.4logging a callKAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Mon Nov 28 1994 01:20210
    
    
    
    thought I'ld reformat the logging a call with the Simpsons one:
    
    
    HOW TO LOG A CALL
    
            Folks:
    
                  Lately, there seems to be some confusion about the
    correct method for logging service calls. In order to help set 
    everyone straight on this important issue, DEC has gone all out and 
    produced a video to help
    demonstrate the entire call-logging process. Since animation is such 
    a popular style these days, DEC has hired the popular Simpson family 
    to help dramatize the way we log calls. Different family members will 
    play the role of customers and digital employees. 
    
    
                               HOW TO LOG A SERVICE CALL
    
    The first step in logging a service call is for a problem to
    occur at a customer site. Therefore, let us assume that our customer 
    ( played by Homer Simpson ) drops his bowling ball on a vax.
           |    |                 |    |
            /:.\                                            |
            \  /                  |    |             *      |      *
                                   /:.\             \ *     | .   * /
                                   \  /              \ * .  |    * /
                                                      \ * .`|.` * /
                                                    '. \ *,.|'.* / . `
         |       |               |        |            '\-* ' *-/ '
         | (O^O) |               | (O^O)  |           ` / (O^O) \  `
         |       |               |        |             \_______/
         |**   **|               |**    **|             /~~   ~~\
    
    
    
            When something like this happens, the customer (Homer) realises
    he must make a service call. He checks his contract and dials the 800 
    number. He is courtiously greeted by a C.R.R. ( played by the lovely 
    Marge Simpson) The following exchange takes place.
    
               &
            /     \
           |       |
           |  (o)(o)
           C   .--- )
            | |.   |                                                  (####)
            |  \  /                                                (########)
            /      \                                             (##########)
           /     /  \                                           (##########)
          /          \                                         (##########)
                                                               (##########)
      Homer: (RING,RING) (RING,RING) (RING,RING)              (##########)
      (RING,RING)...Duh, I wish they'd answer the            (##########)
      the phone.                                            (##########)
                                                             (o)(o)|(##)
      Marge: Digital Customer Support, how can I             C     |(##)
      help you?                                           /'___,   @(##)
                                                        (*) \_____/(#)
      Homer: Hi Marge,(opps) I mean, Hello friendly          |     |
      C.R.R., I need to log a service call.                  OOOOOOO
                                                            /       \
      Marge: Is it a hardware or software problem?
    
      Homer: I don't know, I dropped a bowling ball on a vax.
    
      Marge: Well Homer, with all my C.R.R. training, I can tell that
      it sounds like a typical software problem to me. I'll put you on hold
      while I page a specialist.
    
      Homer: OK.
    
      At this point Marge decides that the call must go to the VMS group. 
      She dials the number of a VMS specialist and passes Homer to the
      specialist before the phone is answered. Like a good C.R.R. she has 
      forgotten to give Homer his log number. The part of the VMS specialist 
      is played with unerring accuracy by
      Bart Simpson ( who isn't a VMS specialist, but should be)
    
    
            |\/\/\/|             Bart: Hey, what the h*ll are you calling me
    
            |      |             for!!!!
            | (o)(o)
            C       )            Homer: Uhm....I want to report a problem with
             | ,___|             my vax?
             |   /
            /    \               Bart: Look dude, you have to talk to a C.R.R.
           /      \              for that. I don't talk to customers about
    			         that sort of thing.
    
     Homer: But I did talk to someone and they put me through to you.
    
     Bart: Well......ok, what's the problem dude.
    
     Homer: I dropped a bowling ball on a vax.
    
     Bart: A bowling ball?? ha,ha!! what a loser!
           ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!!! 
           Did you pick up the spare?!!hahahaha!!!
           Look buddy, that's definately a hardware problem. I think you 
    	   have to call the local office.....yah, that's right, call the local 
    	   office and ask for Oliver.
    
    
     Homer: Oliver?
    
     Bart: Yah, Oliver Klozoff!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH(CLICK)
    
     So.. Homer, somewhat dejected, calls the branch and has a field
     service engineer paged. The engineer calls Homer back (eventually), and
     questions him about his problem. The part of the engineer is played 
     by Lisa, who, like all good engineers, is a real know-it-all herself.
    
    
     Lisa: Ok, so why did you page me?               /\ /\  /\
                                                     | V  \/  \---.
     Homer: Umm, yes, I have a problem, but           \         /
     please don't laugh at me.                         (o)(o)  <  .
                                                       C         /
     Lisa: Ok, what's the problem.                   /____,   )  \
                                                       \     /----'
     Homer: I dropped a bowling ball on a vax.          ooooo
                                                       /     \
     Lisa: Was it a AC or DC bowling Ball?
    
     Homer: I don,t know.
    
     Lisa: Was the bowling ball grounded.
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: Was it 160 volt or 210?
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: Did it touch ALU or the DEPCA
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: What was the logic level of the BUS?
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: Well, I can't help you unless I get more information.
    
     Homer: But I need to talk to some one about this machine.
    
     Lisa: Ok, I'll put you through to my manager.
    
     Homer: Good! I'm finally going to get some answers.
    
     Lisa then tranfers Homer's call to a duty manager. For the
     the role of the duty manager, baby Maggie proved very suitable.
     Getting any real answers out of her was almost as difficult as 
     getting answers from a Digital manager.
    
    
                 /\                    Homer: (RING,RING) (RING,RING)
           .----/  \----.              (RING,RING) (CLICK)...........
            \          /               .....Hello, is someone there?
          .--\ (o)(o) /--.
           \     C      /              Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
            >   (O)    <
           /   \ ^ /    \              Homer: Oh Hello, I think the line is
             / |   | \                 bad. Should I speak louder?
            /         \
                                       Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
    
     Homer: Ok look, I'm having some problems getting service. No one wants
     to talk to me and when I explain my problem, they just laugh. What 
     should I do?
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: I tried calling customer support.
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: I talked to someone in software support and hardware support.
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: No one would help me. I thought a manager could give me some
     assistance, what's the best advice you can give me?
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: ....................WHAT???? IS THIS THE BEST YOU CAN DO????
     I'VE HAD IT WITH THIS SUPID COMPANY!!! YOU'RE WORSE THAN THE
     GOVERNMENT,
    
     GOODBYE! (SLAM)
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK> (THUD)
    
     Of course, Homer soon calmed down and eventually managed to
     arrange for service. Isn't it great when the system works.
    
      p.s. I can't take credit for the pictures of the Simpsons as I got
      them out of the Notes file. But the bowling ball and the exploding 
      vax (neat special effects eh?) are indeed mine.
    
    
    Chris
    :)
264.5..stranger than fiction...MEOC02::CASEYDon, DTN 739 3414Mon Nov 28 1994 13:5032
Extracted without any permission whatsoever from a recent article which 
appeared in the November, 1994 edition of QANTAS Airways' "The Australian 
Way"...

            "The perils of prognostication" by Robin Williams


"So you'd imagine that technology would be a more secure field in which 
to prognosticate. Not so. Even in the computer industry. For a start, 
there was Sir George Bidell Airy, Astronomer Royal of Great Britain, who 
pronounced Charles Babbage's pioneering `analytical engine', forerunner 
of modern computers, to be `worthless'! Funding for Babbage's work was 
promptly stopped.

Then we had Thomas J. Watson, chairman of IBM in 1943, announcing: `I 
think there is a world market for about five computers." No wonder the 
firm has had a few hiccups recently.

But Watson was not alone. `I have travelled the length and breadth of 
this country and have talked with the best people in business 
administration. I can assure you on the highest authority that data 
processing is a fad and won;t last out the year.' This was the 
editor-in-charge of business books at Prentice-Hall in 1957, putting down 
a pesky junior editor who had recommended publishing a guide to the new 
field.

And then there was dear old Ken Olson, until recently the top man at 
Digital Corporation, who told a World Future Society meeting in Boston in 
1977: `There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their 
home.' I heartily concur."

264.6what???KAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Mon Nov 28 1994 16:1910
    
    
    
    Don
    
    
    Did Ken really say that??? hehehe
    
    Chris
    :)
264.7MEOC02::CASEYDon, DTN 739 3414Mon Nov 28 1994 18:047
    Re .6
    
    Yep... I believe so.
    
    
    Don
    *8-)
264.8quietKAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Mon Nov 28 1994 18:118
    
    
    Hey..its sooo quiet in here today!!! how come??
    Do Choc and Terrie and >M< really make that muych noise?? hehehe
    
    Chris
    :)
    
264.9SUBPAC::SADINgeneric, PC personal name.Mon Nov 28 1994 19:597


silly question Chris!

:)

264.10NETCAD::WOODFORDSoManyDipsticks/SoLittleOil.Thu Apr 06 1995 04:2116
    
    
    Interesting fact.....
    
    
    Did you know that licking a postage stamp has six calories??
    And you don't even wanna KNOW how many calories there are in
     a business sized envelope!!!
    
    
    This really is true...
    
    
    Terrie
    :*)
    
264.11CHEFS::WARRENJsomething lost,something foundThu Apr 06 1995 15:269
    Oh my!
    
    With the amount of correspondence I'm sending out today the pounds
    could pile on... *groan*.....and there's this dress I *have* to be able
    to fit into shortly.
    
    Anyone fancy licking envelopes today? 
    
    Jackie
264.12RANGER::REITHThu Apr 06 1995 16:113
With all the newsletters I do, I use the self-adhesive peel-n-stick stamps
almost exclusively now. As for the envelopes, I have a dog (pant pant pant slurp
pant pant pant)
264.13NETCAD::WOODFORDSoManyDipsticks/SoLittleOil.Thu Apr 06 1995 18:039
    
    
    
    Use a damp sponge.  :*)
    
    
    
    Terrie
    
264.14RANGER::REITHThu Apr 06 1995 18:151
But the dog appreciates the attention 8^)
264.15Don't worry....LJSRV1::LAMBRECHTThe Spirit of BavariaThu Apr 06 1995 19:0712
I assume the calories on stamps and envelopes are just from
carbohydrates in the glue. As long as they are no calories from
fat, don't worry about them. 
Fat calories don't need to be processed for fat storage and are
put on easily. Carbohydrate calories already get used up by the
"transformation process". In order to add them to storage, fat
has to be created from them.
And this small amount of calories in envelopes and stamps does
not matter. 

;)
Martina
264.16SMURF::WALLACELife's a beach, then you dive!Thu Apr 06 1995 21:525
    re .10
    
    >Did you know that licking a postage stamp has six calories??
    
    Only if you swallow.
264.17BABAGI::LUSSIERThu Apr 06 1995 21:587
    
    re: -1
    
      I ain't gonna say it !!!
    
    Rich
    
264.18NETCAD::WOODFORDI&lt;--TheInfoWentDataWay--&gt;IThu Apr 06 1995 23:4611
    
    
    RE: .16.... Could you please come clean my
    keyboard now? :*) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    
    
    Rich, you're a smart man. :*)
    
    
    Terrie
    
264.19BABAGI::LUSSIERThu Apr 06 1995 23:585
    
    Terrie, I knew that !
    
    Rich
    
264.20spunky calories!!KAOFS::C_PLANTIt had to be you...Fri Apr 07 1995 07:217
    
    
    
    that has calories too!!
    
    Chris
    :)
264.21re-posted for simpson's fans!!KERNEL::PLANTCThe Circle is now complete!Tue Nov 28 1995 19:46210
    
    
    
    thought I'ld reformat the logging a call with the Simpsons one:
    
    
    HOW TO LOG A CALL
    
            Folks:
    
                  Lately, there seems to be some confusion about the
    correct method for logging service calls. In order to help set 
    everyone straight on this important issue, DEC has gone all out and 
    produced a video to help
    demonstrate the entire call-logging process. Since animation is such 
    a popular style these days, DEC has hired the popular Simpson family 
    to help dramatize the way we log calls. Different family members will 
    play the role of customers and digital employees. 
    
    
                               HOW TO LOG A SERVICE CALL
    
    The first step in logging a service call is for a problem to
    occur at a customer site. Therefore, let us assume that our customer 
    ( played by Homer Simpson ) drops his bowling ball on a vax.
           |    |                 |    |
            /:.\                                            |
            \  /                  |    |             *      |      *
                                   /:.\             \ *     | .   * /
                                   \  /              \ * .  |    * /
                                                      \ * .`|.` * /
                                                    '. \ *,.|'.* / . `
         |       |               |        |            '\-* ' *-/ '
         | (O^O) |               | (O^O)  |           ` / (O^O) \  `
         |       |               |        |             \_______/
         |**   **|               |**    **|             /~~   ~~\
    
    
    
            When something like this happens, the customer (Homer) realises
    he must make a service call. He checks his contract and dials the 800 
    number. He is courtiously greeted by a C.R.R. ( played by the lovely 
    Marge Simpson) The following exchange takes place.
    
               &
            /     \
           |       |
           |  (o)(o)
           C   .--- )
            | |.   |                                                  (####)
            |  \  /                                                (########)
            /      \                                             (##########)
           /     /  \                                           (##########)
          /          \                                         (##########)
                                                               (##########)
      Homer: (RING,RING) (RING,RING) (RING,RING)              (##########)
      (RING,RING)...Duh, I wish they'd answer the            (##########)
      the phone.                                            (##########)
                                                             (o)(o)|(##)
      Marge: Digital Customer Support, how can I             C     |(##)
      help you?                                           /'___,   @(##)
                                                        (*) \_____/(#)
      Homer: Hi Marge,(opps) I mean, Hello friendly          |     |
      C.R.R., I need to log a service call.                  OOOOOOO
                                                            /       \
      Marge: Is it a hardware or software problem?
    
      Homer: I don't know, I dropped a bowling ball on a vax.
    
      Marge: Well Homer, with all my C.R.R. training, I can tell that
      it sounds like a typical software problem to me. I'll put you on hold
      while I page a specialist.
    
      Homer: OK.
    
      At this point Marge decides that the call must go to the VMS group. 
      She dials the number of a VMS specialist and passes Homer to the
      specialist before the phone is answered. Like a good C.R.R. she has 
      forgotten to give Homer his log number. The part of the VMS specialist 
      is played with unerring accuracy by
      Bart Simpson ( who isn't a VMS specialist, but should be)
    
    
            |\/\/\/|             Bart: Hey, what the h*ll are you calling me
    
            |      |             for!!!!
            | (o)(o)
            C       )            Homer: Uhm....I want to report a problem with
             | ,___|             my vax?
             |   /
            /    \               Bart: Look dude, you have to talk to a C.R.R.
           /      \              for that. I don't talk to customers about
    			         that sort of thing.
    
     Homer: But I did talk to someone and they put me through to you.
    
     Bart: Well......ok, what's the problem dude.
    
     Homer: I dropped a bowling ball on a vax.
    
     Bart: A bowling ball?? ha,ha!! what a loser!
           ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha!!! 
           Did you pick up the spare?!!hahahaha!!!
           Look buddy, that's definately a hardware problem. I think you 
    	   have to call the local office.....yah, that's right, call the local 
    	   office and ask for Oliver.
    
    
     Homer: Oliver?
    
     Bart: Yah, Oliver Klozoff!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH(CLICK)
    
     So.. Homer, somewhat dejected, calls the branch and has a field
     service engineer paged. The engineer calls Homer back (eventually), and
     questions him about his problem. The part of the engineer is played 
     by Lisa, who, like all good engineers, is a real know-it-all herself.
    
    
     Lisa: Ok, so why did you page me?               /\ /\  /\
                                                     | V  \/  \---.
     Homer: Umm, yes, I have a problem, but           \         /
     please don't laugh at me.                         (o)(o)  <  .
                                                       C         /
     Lisa: Ok, what's the problem.                   /____,   )  \
                                                       \     /----'
     Homer: I dropped a bowling ball on a vax.          ooooo
                                                       /     \
     Lisa: Was it a AC or DC bowling Ball?
    
     Homer: I don,t know.
    
     Lisa: Was the bowling ball grounded.
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: Was it 160 volt or 210?
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: Did it touch ALU or the DEPCA
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: What was the logic level of the BUS?
    
     Homer: I don't know.
    
     Lisa: Well, I can't help you unless I get more information.
    
     Homer: But I need to talk to some one about this machine.
    
     Lisa: Ok, I'll put you through to my manager.
    
     Homer: Good! I'm finally going to get some answers.
    
     Lisa then tranfers Homer's call to a duty manager. For the
     the role of the duty manager, baby Maggie proved very suitable.
     Getting any real answers out of her was almost as difficult as 
     getting answers from a Digital manager.
    
    
                 /\                    Homer: (RING,RING) (RING,RING)
           .----/  \----.              (RING,RING) (CLICK)...........
            \          /               .....Hello, is someone there?
          .--\ (o)(o) /--.
           \     C      /              Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
            >   (O)    <
           /   \ ^ /    \              Homer: Oh Hello, I think the line is
             / |   | \                 bad. Should I speak louder?
            /         \
                                       Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
    
     Homer: Ok look, I'm having some problems getting service. No one wants
     to talk to me and when I explain my problem, they just laugh. What 
     should I do?
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: I tried calling customer support.
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: I talked to someone in software support and hardware support.
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: No one would help me. I thought a manager could give me some
     assistance, what's the best advice you can give me?
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK>
    
     Homer: ....................WHAT???? IS THIS THE BEST YOU CAN DO????
     I'VE HAD IT WITH THIS SUPID COMPANY!!! YOU'RE WORSE THAN THE
     GOVERNMENT,
    
     GOODBYE! (SLAM)
    
     Maggie: <SUCK> <SUCK> (THUD)
    
     Of course, Homer soon calmed down and eventually managed to
     arrange for service. Isn't it great when the system works.
    
      p.s. I can't take credit for the pictures of the Simpsons as I got
      them out of the Notes file. But the bowling ball and the exploding 
      vax (neat special effects eh?) are indeed mine.
    
    
    Chris
    :)