Re: In defense of the lowly MR

["James W. Kilgore" <qappdsn@xxxxxxx>]

DAsmussen@aol.com wrote:
> 
> User access to data is a REAL problem, and I'm not really sure how to address
> it.  All I DO know is that "power users" have become "users with the power to
> drag you into a worthless meeting" lately...

One of these days I'll get better at getting my points across in this
type of dialogue, but Dean I think you've nailed the REAL problem on the
head.  

The "power users" have that little knowledge that makes them dangerous.
Sometimes they crack me up! :)

IS is not a department which "keeps" information, in my opinion, but it
is a department which helps other departments get what they need.  I've
found it much easier on everyone to spend the time up front to assist
users with their queries then have the hornets nest all upset over some
screwball query.

I would like to ramble a bit with a number I pulled once to convince the
president of a trucking company I was working with that education might
be of benefit to his company.  I'm sitting in the big guys office and we
are reviewing the IS budget.  I always tack on a line item for
education.  Naturally, like just about everywhere else I've been at that
was the first thing he wanted to cut.  Hearing the 18 wheelers rolling
around in the yard outside, I say "Hey, I know how to drive a stick. How
about letting me long haul a load?"  He looks at me like I'm out of my
mind, so I continue with "Isn't that what you are asking your staff to
do? Get behind the wheel of a 250K rig without any training?"

He got my point. He only cut the budget in half. Sometimes they crack me
up!

I would rather have an open door to my office than an open door to our
data.  Again, I don't think there is a right or wrong side to any of
this. It boils down to what works best in your shop.

Anyway it's Friday night and its time to go raise a glass to smarter
users and faster systems!

-- 
===================================================
James W. Kilgore   | Progressive Data Systems, Inc.
President          | 311 31st Ave SE
(206) 848-2567     | Puyallup, Washington 98374 USA
qappdsn@ibm.net    | http://www.ultimate.org/PDS
===================================================
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* This is the Midrange System Mailing List!  To submit a new message,   *
* send your mail to "MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com".  To unsubscribe from     *
* this list send email to MAJORDOMO@midrange.com and specify            *
* 'unsubscribe MIDRANGE-L' in the body of your message.  Questions      *
* should be directed to the list owner / operator: david@midrange.com   *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *