• Chris (unregistered)

    must...resist...urge...

  • Errant (unregistered)

    But did he get the girl??

  • (cs)

    ee...e...ee...ee.ee...eee...

    wheels comment off to his desk

    ee...e...e...ee....ee..ee

  • Connect to Reality (unregistered)

    Who doesn't use their home computer at work?

  • SR (unregistered) in reply to Connect to Reality
    Connect to Reality:
    Who doesn't use their home computer at work?

    I use work computers at home

  • @Deprecated (unregistered)

    I don't know about you, but I kept getting Chris and Phil mixed up. Wait, Chris is wooing Janet? Oh no! Oh wait, no, that's Phil...

    PS., The Real WTF is... ummm hey what was the WTF in this story, anyway?

  • (cs)

    Ah the good old "How DARE you work the hours specified in your contract!?!"

    I used to put in constant overtime. These days I determine if I should stay late based on other people's performance. If a project is running late, despite everyone trying hard to keep it on track, and making sensible decisions, then yes I will pitch in and work over time. If however I'm given an app that was developed by an outsourced Russian company, and told to "Implement Russian language support" then overtime is less likely.

  • JoeBlogs (unregistered)

    This started out like a nerdy "romance" novel...

  • (cs)

    Ahhh, annual performance reviews; where the clueless try to rate the knowledgable on random skills/actions that may or may not have anything to do with the job at hand.

  • monkeyPushButton (unregistered) in reply to JoeBlogs
    JoeBlogs:
    This started out like a nerdy "romance" novel...
    Or "Dear WTF, I never thought it could happen to me..."
  • Jeff (unregistered)

    TRWTF is that his performance review was on time. When does his manager have time to work if he doesn't push back all that 'management' stuff to the very last minute?

    Also, apparently Chris's boss coded.

  • Dave C. (unregistered)

    Sounds dreary and unpleasant, but also so ordinary there wasn't a real WTF moment in the story. This one needed a ghost writer or maybe a Hollywood script doctor to "punch it up" a bit. Maybe if Janet turned out to be secretly married to Phil or she's an android or a spy...

  • Anonymous (unregistered)

    Not a huge amount going on in today's article but it was a nice 10 minute break from the mind-numbing XSLT I'm working on so thanks anyway!

  • (cs) in reply to Dave C.
    Dave C.:
    Sounds dreary and unpleasant, but also so ordinary there wasn't a real WTF moment in the story. This one needed a ghost writer or maybe a Hollywood script doctor to "punch it up" a bit. Maybe if Janet turned out to be secretly married to Phil or she's an android or a spy...

    This was the "punched up" version - the girl was added because pure passive aggressive nerd "he said, he said" didn't market well with women under 50 or over 20.

    I found the original on the internets:

    This one time I worked with this guy who liked Amiga's a lot. He boned me out of a raise on a bogus accusation because I didn't like Amiga's, so I quit.
  • Anonymous (unregistered) in reply to obediah
    obediah:
    I found the original on the internets:
    This one time I worked with this guy who liked Amiga's a lot. He boned me out of a raise on a bogus accusation because I didn't like Amiga's, so I quit.
    If the guy didn't like Amigas he clearly had a major problem to begin with. They're better off without him.
  • (cs)

    I've one thing to say and that's dammit, Janet...

  • Junkie (unregistered) in reply to Dave C.
    Dave C.:
    Sounds dreary and unpleasant, but also so ordinary there wasn't a real WTF moment in the story. This one needed a ghost writer or maybe a Hollywood script doctor to "punch it up" a bit. Maybe if Janet turned out to be secretly married to Phil or she's an android or a spy...
    Or a spy android!
  • anonymous coward (unregistered)

    I kept mixing Chris and Phil and couldn't understand anything.

    Wait, there's no WTF in this story....

  • PKM (unregistered)

    OK, the human interest stuff makes a tech WTF interesting, but an entire entry of "coders flirt with female colleagues, people with pet operating systems have pet operating systems and smug managers are a pain"? That isn't a WTF in any way, that's a "this is precisely what you should expect from the IT industry".

  • Barrett Jacobsen (unregistered) in reply to anonymous coward
    anonymous coward:
    I kept mixing Chris and Phil and couldn't understand anything.

    Wait, there's no WTF in this story....

    Summary:

    People don't always like each other, and sometimes do mean things. Sometimes it's over an operating system and/or a girl.

  • Randy (unregistered)

    I don't think that this is too terribly different than the norm. My 1 year anniversary is August 13th. My last day here at this current POS firm is August 9th.

  • Buddy (unregistered)

    Kind of a depressing WTF. Basically every place I've worked at. I need a drink.

  • Scott (unregistered)

    Where's the story here? The guy was a dick and a clock puncher. I'd give him a crappy review too.

  • bored (unregistered)

    Wheres the WTF?

    Supervisor and Supervise do not get along, employee unhappy with performance reviews, performance review nonsense. Employee puts in two weeks notice.

    I do not see a WTF.

  • Stephan (unregistered)

    Ah all those lowly, lonely developers forming the typical accretion disc around The One Girl. Only our hero makes a difference by constantly chumming up with her, and... hey, wait a minute!

    The only WTF is that neither Phil nor Chris were aware that both of them would not get the girl, because she would only consider OS/370 users real men.

  • Phil (unregistered)

    So Chris,

    a) had a grudge against his competent and hard working boss because of his (Chris) dislike of OS/2 b) was hitting hard on the only woman in the group c) was consistent lying in his timesheet d) was clearly not a team-player e) could not grasp the need for an API f) could not take criticism and suggestions g) quit because didn't get a raise

    Where is the WTF? Good riddance to him! We don't need no stinking OS/2-hatter around!

  • (cs) in reply to Jeff
    Jeff:
    TRWTF is that his performance review was on time. When does his manager have time to work if he doesn't push back all that 'management' stuff to the very last minute?
    Yep. At one place where I worked, the annual performance review was consistently three months late, based on the date of the previous review, until after four years we had wrapped around an entire year, and they managed to cheat me out of one year's raise. After five years I quit and moved to Dallas, where I effectively doubled my salary when I took the next job.
  • tetsu (unregistered)

    The Daily WTF? More like The Daily Resignation Story, amirite?

  • AndroidLove (unregistered) in reply to Junkie
    Junkie:
    Dave C.:
    Sounds dreary and unpleasant, but also so ordinary there wasn't a real WTF moment in the story. This one needed a ghost writer or maybe a Hollywood script doctor to "punch it up" a bit. Maybe if Janet turned out to be secretly married to Phil or she's an android or a spy...
    Or a spy android!

    Yes! A spy android that toys with Phil's emotions, publicly shunning his advances while privately hanging on his every OS/2-loving word; driving a wedge in the personnel and morale of the company; ruining productivity and profits and readying the company for a takeover by a devious European organization!

  • (cs) in reply to Randy
    Randy:
    I don't think that this is too terribly different than the norm. My 1 year anniversary is August 13th. My last day here at this current POS firm is August 9th.
    You should at least hang in long enough to get and use your vacation time.
  • SR (unregistered)

    TRWTF is OS/2

  • (cs)

    And the VP didn't say anything about this spectacular failure in 'communication'?

    I call shenanigans. Oh wait, these are generally more the 'based on' stories than the 'actually happened' ones.

  • Your Subordinate (unregistered) in reply to tetsu
    tetsu:
    The Daily WTF? More like The Daily Resignation Story, amirite?

    Instead of responding to your comment, I regret to inform you: I QUIT!

  • Bystander (unregistered) in reply to Barrett Jacobsen
    Barrett Jacobsen:
    People don't always like each other, and sometimes do mean things. Sometimes it's over an operating system and/or a girl.

    It's especially bad when it's a female operating system.

  • (cs)

    Apparently I went to TheDailyStuffThatHappensAllTheTime instead of TheDailyWTF.

    Oh well, decent 10 minute break from work either way.

  • (cs) in reply to hatterson
    hatterson:
    Apparently I went to TheDailyStuffThatHappensAllTheTime instead of TheDailyWTF.
    There's a difference? </cynical>
  • (cs)

    I think Chris and Phil should get together.

  • Fast Eddie (unregistered)

    This is really strange...

    ...I just do NOT remember submitting this story about my job last year to The Daily WTF.

    Oh, and Chris preferred to be called Christopher.

    ~FE~

  • Sue D. Nymme (unregistered)

    "I use this as a measure of whether or not you've created an API as part of your coding efforts."

    Um, what?

  • Junkie (unregistered) in reply to AndroidLove
    AndroidLove:
    Junkie:
    Dave C.:
    Sounds dreary and unpleasant, but also so ordinary there wasn't a real WTF moment in the story. This one needed a ghost writer or maybe a Hollywood script doctor to "punch it up" a bit. Maybe if Janet turned out to be secretly married to Phil or she's an android or a spy...
    Or a spy android!

    Yes! A spy android that toys with Phil's emotions, publicly shunning his advances while privately hanging on his every OS/2-loving word; driving a wedge in the personnel and morale of the company; ruining productivity and profits and readying the company for a takeover by a devious European organization!

    http://xkcd.com/595/

  • Jay (unregistered)

    Did the writer of this story have ADD or something? It starts out talking about a guy who loves OS/2, and that leads him to ... well, the story goes absolutely nowhere with that. Instead it starts talking about the lone woman in the department being hassled by all the guys. And so when she is finally fed up with it she ... no, wait, that plot line also goes nowhere. Instead we go off on a story about time sheets. Which leads to a really funny and poignant incident where ... oh, nothing happens there either. Then finally we end up with an unfair annual review, which at least has some sort of resolution, in that there is an actual punch line ("isn't that the real communication that needs improvement") and conclusion (the employee quits).

    Was this four unrelated stories stuck together on the theory that four boring stories add up to one interesting story? 0+0+0+0==1000 !

  • Windows 95/98 hater (unregistered) in reply to Jay
    Jay:
    Did the writer of this story have ADD or something? It starts out talking about a guy who loves OS/2, and that leads him to ... well, the story goes absolutely nowhere with that. Instead it starts talking about the lone woman in the department being hassled by all the guys. And so when she is finally fed up with it she ... no, wait, that plot line also goes nowhere. Instead we go off on a story about time sheets. Which leads to a really funny and poignant incident where ... oh, nothing happens there either. Then finally we end up with an unfair annual review, which at least has some sort of resolution, in that there is an actual punch line ("isn't that the real communication that needs improvement") and conclusion (the employee quits).

    Was this four unrelated stories stuck together on the theory that four boring stories add up to one interesting story? 0+0+0+0==1000 !

    At least it has a punch line, so even the way it is: it's still funnier than "mandatory fun day", or whatever that strip was called. Btw, those srtips actually were awesome due to the comments. When is it going to return?

  • (cs) in reply to SR
    SR:
    TRWTF is OS/2
    Yup, because the Windows/386 and DOS 4.0 you would have been using around the time this story happened would have been SO MUCH BETTER!
  • Alice (unregistered) in reply to Phil
    Phil:
    Good riddance to him! We don't need no stinking OS/2-hatter around!

    Yeah! We don't need no hatters around. While you're at it, why don't get rid of that Mad one, too.

  • jhkjh (unregistered) in reply to Alice

    like a few previous posters said I was getting chris and phil messed up... Not sure why, never happened before. I was about 1/2 way through the story and thinking this does not make any sense at all. I started over, got the Phil and Chris thing straighted out, and then figured out that it was far more entertaining the first time I read it. This stuff happens in literally every business.

    ZZZ

  • Pickle Pumpers (unregistered)

    I can save you all a great deal of time; here is what just about every TDWTF is:

    A very clever, new person comes into a new system that they can't fathom. A system I'd wager that is not unlike the nightmare they created at their last job. They instantly meet some person they know they are going to have problems with and guess what! They do! And that person is of course a caracture of a human being because reality, let's face it, is boring.

    Soon we find the unappreciated new guy trying to use his powers of intellect to make things better but is twarted at every turn by some idiot boss. This assertion, that the boss is an idiot, will then be used as evidence in one or more ad hominem attacks such as, "He loves an old OS so much he actually uses it!" Or my favorite, "He's so stupid, he knows old stuff!"

    Now you have your choice of ending; new guy leaves or new guy stays.

    Both can be broken down into wins/loses though so it does get a little tricky here; you just have to look at the output table and pick the ending you want.

    Do you want him to stay, embarrasses his old boss, takes over the company, and gets the girl in the end? That's a Stay/Win story and is rarely used because we all know people are horrible.

    Let's say instead you want a bit of a sad story, in which case you might pick the Stay/Lose ending where the guy has no motivation so just stays in his miserable job. Rotting in his own contempt. The most he can muster up in any form of protest is to write a whining BS story to TDWTF.

    Next we have the more common Leave/Lose stories where the guy quits IT all together. He is so disgusted he moves to Argentina to open a home for wayward teens but is killed when trying to buy a lighter from an incensed street vendor who already told him three times that his religious icons are not lighters.

    And finally we have the most common ending where they guy leaves and wins. I think we all won on that one... as long as the new guy went away. FNG

  • Franz Kafka (unregistered) in reply to Jay
    Jay:
    Did the writer of this story have ADD or something? It starts out talking about a guy who loves OS/2, and that leads him to ... well, the story goes absolutely nowhere with that. Instead it starts talking about the lone woman in the department being hassled by all the guys. And so when she is finally fed up with it she ... no, wait, that plot line also goes nowhere. Instead we go off on a story about time sheets. Which leads to a really funny and poignant incident where ... oh, nothing happens there either. Then finally we end up with an unfair annual review, which at least has some sort of resolution, in that there is an actual punch line ("isn't that the real communication that needs improvement") and conclusion (the employee quits).

    Was this four unrelated stories stuck together on the theory that four boring stories add up to one interesting story? 0+0+0+0==1000 !

    No Jay, the reason for the OS2 thing is so phil can hold a grudge and then start looking for other reasons to get pissed at chris.

  • Franz Kafka (unregistered) in reply to Pickle Pumpers
    Pickle Pumpers:
    I can save you all a great deal of time; here is what just about every TDWTF is:

    A very clever, new person comes into a new system that they can't fathom. A system I'd wager that is not unlike the nightmare they created at their last job. They instantly meet some person they know they are going to have problems with and guess what! They do! And that person is of course a caracture of a human being because reality, let's face it, is boring.

    Sorry, this doesn't fit your script. The new system is hardly mentioned, so we assume it works ok and he did a decent job. All we know is that the spec didn't say anything about APIs.

    The Phil/Chris dynamic is put on phil: Chris comments that he's a good coder/communicates well, but just obsesses over OS2 and holds a grudge because of it. We've all met this guy somewhere. Some of us have been him once.

    Soon we find the unappreciated new guy trying to use his powers of intellect to make things better but is twarted at every turn by some idiot boss.

    Umm, what? Chris does a decent job at work and is sniped by his boss. The only thing Phil managed was to screw him out of a raise.

    And finally we have the most common ending where they guy leaves and wins. I think we all won on that one... as long as the new guy went away. FNG

    No, you still have phil around to drive off new blood.

  • (cs) in reply to Windows 95/98 hater
    Windows 95/98 hater:
    Jay:
    Did the writer of this story have ADD or something? It starts out talking about a guy who loves OS/2, and that leads him to ... well, the story goes absolutely nowhere with that. Instead it starts talking about the lone woman in the department being hassled by all the guys. And so when she is finally fed up with it she ... no, wait, that plot line also goes nowhere. Instead we go off on a story about time sheets. Which leads to a really funny and poignant incident where ... oh, nothing happens there either. Then finally we end up with an unfair annual review, which at least has some sort of resolution, in that there is an actual punch line ("isn't that the real communication that needs improvement") and conclusion (the employee quits).

    Was this four unrelated stories stuck together on the theory that four boring stories add up to one interesting story? 0+0+0+0==1000 !

    At least it has a punch line, so even the way it is: it's still funnier than "mandatory fun day", or whatever that strip was called. Btw, those srtips actually were awesome due to the comments. When is it going to return?

    I second that. Bring back MFD!

    Let me try my version of the story:

    Phil was an OS/2 fanboy. The new guy, Chris, didn't share his enthusiasm. This made Phil angry.

    Chris sat next to Janet, the only woman in the office. She thought Chris was a Pretty Cool Guy because he didn't try to put the moves on her all the time. This made Phil angry.

    Phil thought Chris was being a slacker for only putting in 40 hours a week, when he thought it should be at least 60. But Chris was a hard man who could get all his work done in 40 hours and didn't need to work late like some people. This made Phil angry.

    In the end, Phil took out his anger by screwing Chris over in a performance review, docking him for some unstated expectation. This made Chris angry, so he quit. Janet was left to handle the unwanted attention by herself.

  • SomeCoder (unregistered)

    Wow... so the WTF is... where, exactly?

    I'm starting to think that we've seen/heard all the WTFs that teh internetz have to offer. That's a scary thought.

    You know it's bad when people request Mandatory Fun Day to return. Dear $diety, do you guys not remember how terrible that comic was?

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