http://www.ComputerBob.com/awards/index.php .
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by ComputerBob
August 19, 2003
"Techies, geeks, and nerds" -- it's too bad that those terms all have negative connotations to most people. Unfortunately, many technophiles have earned the negative baggage that those terms carry. Let's face it -- a lot of "tech support" people act superior and aloof, lording their knowledge over the people who they are supposed to serve and support. It's no wonder that Jimmy Fallon, on the television show, "Saturday Night Live," developed an incredibly sarcastic character known as "Your Company's Computer Guy."
I did computer and network tech support for several years, so I know a little about the psychology of people in that field. Many of them spend thousands of dollars and several years, studying dry technical manuals, taking certification exams, and learning how to install, configure, and support networking protocols, operating systems, software applications, and truckoads of hardware. And they're never finished learning. Technology changes constantly, and they have to either keep up with it or lose their jobs. The fact is, they've worked very hard to learn many things about computers that you don't know. Unfortunately, many tech support people think that their value to their employer is based solely on the fact that they know things that you don't know. No wonder many of them "hold their cards close to the chest" and try not to explain anything to you about what they're doing.
Some of us have a different attitude. We may know things that you don't know, but we're happy to teach you what we know. I always tell my students, "I don't want to be the only one in the company who knows how to put Tab A into Slot B, because I don't want to spend my whole life putting Tab A into Slot B. I'd rather teach you how to do that, so I can go on and learn other new things."
I firmly believe that the techie who is the most valuable to any company is the individual who combines the following qualities:
The CB Award has been presented to the following individuals who have clearly demonstrated that rare set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes.