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naeelah ([info]naeelah) wrote in [info]otf_wank,
@ 2004-05-25 16:14:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
surprise, it's another LJ comic feed wank
(Try to eat MY post, will you, JournalFen?)

We all know the saying about the only certain things in life -- death and taxes. I'm sure we all agree that "wank" should be included in that list, but in particular, I think LJ comic strip feeds should be noted. Other fandoms can have discussions without wank -- this rarely happens in feed comments.

Yes, the faithful Dilbert readers are at it again. This time it's a war between techies and liberal arts majors. It's still relatively small, but the comments are continuing to pour in.

We get an appearance by everyone's favorite smug asshole, who chimes in with a classic blanket statement.

OMG English majors, I can't believe they don't know as much about computers as CS majors.

Oh yeah, well how would the CS majors hold up in an English discussion? (I'd do spectacularly, but why would I want to talk about literature?)

Well I'm a tech savvy liberal arts major, so I can smoke all you chumps!

Oh yeah, well I'm also a tech savvy liberal arts major, and I can smoke you IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES!

Someone even manages to get in a crack on liberals.

(Post a new comment)


[info]nevadafighter
2004-05-25 11:34 pm UTC (link)
Okay, so . . . when exactly did it become a requirement for everyone to know as much about computers as people who specialize in them? I became an English major (and went on to grad school in the same disclipline) specifically because I DON'T know shit about computers.

And don't really care, either.

(Reply to this)


[info]criticalcricket
2004-05-26 12:47 am UTC (link)
The fact that they are even arguing that English isn't as valuable as computer skills and that English majors are less important than people with said l337 computer skills makes my head hurt. English is a basic skill whereas many people still go through their whole lives with minimal contact with computers (more specifically pcs). Why are the computer geeks getting their knickers in such a knot anyway?

Talk about apples and oranges. My plumber doesn't know how to dye my hair and give me a perm, does that make him any less of an expert in his own field?

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]ladybirdsleeps
2004-05-26 09:57 am UTC (link)
You've been using the wrong plumber.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)


[info]criticalcricket
2004-05-27 07:02 am UTC (link)
When my plumber prances up to my door with a glittery caboodle and three-inch acrylic nails sporting tiny portraits of boy band idols on them, I tend to wonder at their plumbing skills. Especially if their plumber's crack is obscured by a red silk thong.

Besides, I don’t know about you, but I really don't want to have my curls applied with a toilet snake and my hair dyed liquid draino blue.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]ladylisse
2004-05-26 01:09 am UTC (link)
At the risk of sounding incredibly wanky, I'm a history major who does pretty high-level work at my college's tech support center, and the most ignorant calls I've ever received are from CS majors. I don't know any programming languages, but I'm a damn sight better at adding network printers and running Norton scans.

Coincidentally, the second most ignorant calls? Yes, those would be from the English department.

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[info]miome
2004-05-26 01:57 am UTC (link)
AMEN. I do tech support for CS majors (and professors!) every day, and I'm constantly surprised at how un-savvy they can be.

But y'know, some folk grok theory, some folk grok applications. It's all ok.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]mireille
2004-05-26 02:24 am UTC (link)
Totally - I used to be very tech savvy (back when I was an English major and did tech support!) but that was 10 years ago. Now, I'm a CS major. I'm *good* with the theory. I'm good with programming, for that matter.

But I can't make my freaking DVD drive work right. *g*

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]naeelah
2004-05-26 02:33 am UTC (link)
Looks like my school's CS department is good and competent, then. I also do tech support for my university [music and history major], and we rarely receive calls from the CS department. When we do, it's usually not stuff like "I think I have a virus. .... Scan? What? How do I do that?" We also don't receive many calls from the math department -- probably because they share an office suite with the CS guys.

But we do get a lot of calls from some people in the English department. ;) I'm not an English major, but I spend a lot of time around the English department, and I often hear the same people complaining about computer problems... But the fact is, there are a number of serial complainers in a variety of departments. Particularly in the administrative offices... Some of our science people are also pretty dim-witted about computers, and this includes the students.

But I never thought "Oh noes, English majors!" (or "Oh noes, chemistry people"). Mostly I get annoyed at the administrative people, because a large part of their job is working with computers...

Sometimes we laugh at people for having no clue, when it's something REALLY ridiculous, but mostly we only mock the people who are *defiantly* ignorant -- particularly the ones that make everything our fault. Because you can't just expect EVERYONE to automatically have the same level of competency with something that most people don't study. They only teach office skills in those high school computer classes. Not virus removal, or how to use the command prompt, or export/import e-mail folders...

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re:
[info]ladylisse
2004-05-26 03:01 am UTC (link)
We have code words for our serial complainers, and for one particular department that's full of very nice people who just have the worst luck with computers. On the plus side, if I ever want to take courses in that department, I'm set.

I think the CS department at my college falls under "willfully ignorant" -- in the sense that they've almost to a prof decided they know more about tech support than the tech support people, and will argue with me when I try to explain that no, you actually can't install the latest copy of MS Works on a computer running Windows 95. No. Really.

But yes, condescending attitudes and willful ignorance are kind of universal. And I really shouldn't be complaining about the faculty when I've got the deans to grumble about.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]melange
2004-05-26 01:57 am UTC (link)
Feh. Liberal arts majors are totally superior to techies. In a few years, all their programming knowledge will be obsolete but my basket weaving skills are eternal. (I originally typed that as backseat weaving. I'm not sure what that is, but I sure hope it's dirty!)

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[info]terminal_frost
2004-05-26 06:04 am UTC (link)
I originally typed that as backseat weaving. I'm not sure what that is, but I sure hope it's dirty!

"Backseat weaving" is a slang term for people who play "Twister" in confined spaces like broom closets, public washrooms and the back seat of an SUV.

It may lead to some very embarrassing injuries but from what I've heard it's a whole lotta fun.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]princessdot
2004-05-26 02:29 am UTC (link)
When all the techies were running round the state stock piling food in 1999 I laughed that at least I could grow and raise my own food. I love my computer but it doesn't lick me back or let me ride it. ..........much.

[I did however stare in blank amazement as some of my classmates attempted some rather simple tasks in our computer labs.]

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]naeelah
2004-05-26 02:39 am UTC (link)
Heh. Yep, I know a number of people who are fairly brilliant in a number of areas, and some of them can barely so much as make themselves a sandwich. I think being able to live without pre-pared food is a much more basic and essential skill than using computers. ;)

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]dorian
2004-05-26 03:47 am UTC (link)
Owie. I thought I left all this behind when I graduated. I am a fool!

I have an English degree. I have a technical degree. I am now... a technical writer. I have visions of language and technology frolicking together in fields of poppies, holding hands and singing jaunty tunes!

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]teratologist
2004-05-27 09:40 pm UTC (link)
All watched over by machines of loving grace.

*sniff*

It's so beautiful.

(also a technical writer)

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]yankthewank
2004-05-26 07:16 am UTC (link)
I am generally surprised at the many CS people who insist on feeling superior to the Lib Arts people who are less technically-savvy. Because of the less informed, CS people have jobs. Although I guess this shouldn't surprise me as academia tends to be wank-central.

(Reply to this)


[info]kookaburra
2004-05-29 09:30 am UTC (link)
Heh heh- I'm a studio art major, but my parents were programmers so I'm pretty profiecient and most of my friends are CS-majors.

That being said, It's my experience that liberal arts majors (going from my college, that means that you just take a shitload of different classes in varied subjects, right?) and CS majors are flaky in incredibly different ways.

It's the CS majors who never have a working computer because they're constantly tweaking their Linux code, and it's the LibArts majors who can never make a descision.

(This is all the more funny because some of good friends who are dating eachother- he's a CS, she's a LibArts.)

(Reply to this)

  
   
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