previously on Bread Line

SOECS, as they now like to be called, is either growing stupid or growing evil. Just today I've gotten two stories from them about computers that strike me as suspicious. Those without any technical knowledge should avoid the next two paragraphs, as it will likely be boring to you.

We got a hard drive from one of the aerospace professors and he would like some information off of it. Now we've tried hooking it up to one of the computers we've got lying around to no avail. Regardless of its cable position or jumper settings we just can't get it recognized by the bios. The standard procedure for brain busting problems is to call up Kevin at SOECS and ask him if he's got any ideas. Kevin's a really smart guy, and has got nearly every certification known to man, but the answer he gave us simply doesn't make sense. He told us that we couldn't access the hard drive unless it was paired with a computer running an identical operating system. If you non-technophiles are still reading this, a fog horn and giant red flashing "WRONG!" sign just went off in the rest of our heads. 1's and 0's are 1's and 0's. We're not trying to boot the mo-fo, we can't even get the computer to say "Hey there Mr. Hard drive! I see you!" Now if the computer won't even recognize it's existence, how the hell can it tell that XP made the files and won't be compatible with the existing 2000 Pro operating system? It can't, plain and simply so either Kevin deliberately lied, was confused by the question, or had gone retarded.

Tall Tale Number 2: I research assistant came to me last week and asked for a Linux computer so that he could do some Air Force related stuff, simple enough I say, I don't have any Linux installation disks but I can give you an old computer with all the necessary hardware and you can take it over to SOECS where they've got the goods, and they can take care of you." I simple confirmation call and I sent him on his way. The rub comes the next morning with a call from one of the SOECS lackeys, simply put he told me, "Your computer is too old, Linux won't work on it, get a better computer" Now that my uneducated friends is a farce if ever there was one. Linux will run on anything, and I mean ANYTHING. Xbox, Titan V navigation system, PDA, digital alarm clock, Pentagon super-computer farms, ANYTHING. Given 3 months and enough desire somebody could figure out a way to get a freaking 10-penny nail to run Linux. And you're trying to tell me a single 6-year-old computer, is incapable of running Linux? Pardon me I would have toss my bullsh*t flag, but I wore them all out rooming with Jeff last year. So this leaves me two options, either they deliberately lied, or they've got retarded.

So this goes out to any of your SOECS pseudo-corporate pirates out there:

I’m too good at my job to be fooled by your bush-league psych-outs. If you’re going to try to portray me as an incompetent boob, you better come to the table with more than that. I’ve had student try to pull fast ones on me with more success than you. If you wanna go toe to toe for the right to serve of platefuls of IT glory to the Aerospace Department you better go WAY over my head and put the blinders on the big fish, ‘cause there is no way in hell that I’m letting you use in competency on my part as you ticket to supreme control or’ the land. This job is the key to my existence here, I’ll be damned if you’re just going to push me aside without taking some collateral damage yourself. And acknowledging that point, do you really want to incur my wrath? Go ahead; ask around about me, I’ve got no conscience when it comes to these types of things.