At work last week on our intercompany daily update, a post was made discussing chat courtesy. The original message was to convey that instead of sending a greeting and waiting for a response, send with the greeting a question. So, instead of this:
Joe: Hello.
Frank: ...?
Joe: How do I do this?
Frank: This is is how....
This is preferred:
Joe: Good morning, Frank. How do I do this?
Frank: This is how....
The post received a load of responses. Many initially applauded the idea calling the first behavior a pet peeve. Many others countered with the opposite approach of perhaps a greeting and then asking if now is a good time for a question.
I happen to agree solely with the author's approach of asking the question along with the greeting. But I noticed that the answers did not take other factors into consideration. I believe these other factors are these:
There are assumed behaviors of how the technology works. Chat or messaging is not equivalent to a phone call. Phone calls take more or complete attention to engage. Messaging was not designed to do that but to fill the gap of not interrupting someone's flow of work to get a response.
Messaging is not email, which has come to represent a document to be read and answered with a bit more time and attention put into it at a more convenient time. There is an implied delay with email in this culture almost to the point of considering it the same as snail mail.
Chat is a hybrid of these two: A more direct interaction than email without the complete interruption of a phone call (or video call). It's designed to be an efficient means of communicating.
The approach of the latter group in the above response pool, this is how they would prefer the messaging engagement to go:
Joe: Good morning, Frank. Do you have a moment for a question?
Frank: Sure.
Joe: How do I do this?
In this case, the question to ask a question is not only inefficient but also introduces the phone-call style interruption. Frank now has to take extra moments just to respond to the question to ask a question. But even when a question is posted in chat, there is assumed sometimes that there can be a delay.
Some of the responses included "ideas" of having a status of "unavailable," something which our messaging tool clearly has as a status indicator including a do not disturb option with even a place for text, e.g. "Busy until noon." Adding more to it would be redundant. I can also see when people are in meetings and not only that but when they are also presenting. The technology helps when the uncertainty of understanding of immediacy isn't obvious.
I think the audience also factors into this. With my team and more frequent conversation colleagues, I have no problem asking them messages even without a greeting. I would take a different approach with people I have never met or only have engaged a few times. Maybe a long time since the last interaction requires a greeting to renew the connection. There are different approaches to different people. I think the less familiar you are with the colleague, the more pleasantries.
Efficiency is the biggest factor as I see chat. If I can know what you want as soon as I see your message, the quicker I can respond. More than that, I'm less interrupted and definitely less derailed. There are some who just ping me with a greeting:
Joe: Hello.
I'm in the zone. My brain is deep into some logic and needs to stay on track. Waiting for a response from me now requires my full attention. (Phone call style interrupting in effect.)
Me: Yes?
I switch back to my train of thought to not lose it. Anywhere from a few second to a few minutes later comes the actual question. Now comes my second derailment...and aggravation mainly because it could have happened like this:
Joe: Hey, what's the name of the Python library we decided to use for the project?
Me: pandas
That entire engagement took at most 10 seconds to process and answer. Maximum efficiency achieved! I'm still in the zone. And if I choose to engage more on the subject, I can.
The first approach might seem kind, but here is what you are really communicating to me:
Joe: Hello. [I am more important than what you are doing so I need your full attention to me so I can ask even the simplest of questions.]
Me: Yes? [If you had asked the question, we'd already be done with this. You are now being selfish.]
I get that different people need more interaction and this one-line exchange seem rude. So, I think the best way to approach this is this way: When you engage me in messaging, be efficient. Ask the question without having me respond or pull it out of you. It might feel rude, but it won't be. It will be efficient!
I have recently moved my desktop system into a rack mount case and rearranged my office. There were a few changes I ended up making because the rack case I ordered is a little short on depth. I ended up replacing the Gigabyte ATX motherboard with Intel CPU to a mini-ITX board with an AMD CPU which fits better. I transferred the hard drives and everything was working just fine...except for sound.
I spent a good bit of time tracking this down. The audio devices were recognized, the sinks were all operational (I could see activity on the meter in the sound settings), but there was no actual audio through the TV which was my monitory. All this had worked with the same equipment under the Intel resgeme.
My searching online provided no real help. I had a friend from the Fedora IRC support channel check things for comparison. But we couldn't find any real differences after two days. Being still frustrated had me checking Google results again.
I had found this page and started to look it over this morning: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=256989. It got me thinking about Alsa configurations which are part of an older configuration possibly left over from upgrades. I had my friend check his /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf for what he had. He didn't. Mine had some options.
options snd-hda-intel model=generic
I enjoy my sleep. An uninterrupted night after completing a coding project and having it deployed into a production environment is some of the best sleep I can have.
Being woken in the middle of the night because my code is failing in production and the support team not knowing the cause is something I have learned over the year to try to address long before my head hits the pillow. My logging should help them understand if the problem is really bad code or really something else such as a network problem or bad data. Well constructed logging can point the spotlight on the right place to look.
I was going through logs of some automation software at work trying to find a flow to the process. I will admit I did not know the package that well, so I was trying to gain an understanding reading through the logs. I've found using an application's logs to be helpful to understanding how it works without taking a class on the software. This got me thinking about how I log my own code. I've been writing log statements for years, but I know I could always improve my own logging skills. The following aspects are a few things I've learned over the years.
Relationships are always better with good communication. The clearer the communication, the better the relationship. Assumptions can be made when it comes to believing what the code is doing, and we all know what is said about assumptions. In fact, the logical flow one expects might actually be part of the problem which logging could reveal. Being explicit when logging to remove any guesswork will save so much time when troubleshooting. Log clearly and concisely. Get to the point.
Logging generally has about five levels: Debug, Info, Warning, Error, and Critical. And most loggers allow for customizing these levels or even adding levels among these defaults. Knowing what goes into a general flow of knowledge when reading logs and what belongs at the debug level should be obvious, but it might take a little time to make those judgment calls. At the Info level, I normally want to give more of an overall stepping through the code at points which mark functionality so that a first pass of the logs can help me at least see where in the code it is failing. I will throw in more variables and values into my Debug level statements when I need to see beyond the obvious logic. Warnings are for giving notice of things to not do or things which could be done better. Errors should be obvious as are Critical responses.
To be clear, logging does not replace documentation. It is a form of documentation. It goes hand-in-hand with documentation. Instead of explaining how the code functions, it shows how the process flows. It's a real-time walkthrough of the logical execution of the code. It can tell the story of what the program is doing while you watch it play out before you. If you consider it a part of the of the documentation, how you construct the statements might vary a little from what might seem obvious when in the middle of coding.
Another idea is to combine the documentation with the logging. Sometimes it is better to put longer explanations and suggestions for solving in the actual documentation and use custom codes in the logging to direct the support team to text that will give them a better understanding of the causes and outline the solutions to take.
Sawing logs is an expression defining heavy sleeping. But when someone in a support capacity who does not have an intimate knowledge of the code, what they have in the logs can be enough for them to know what is wrong or leave them confused even a little bit which will prompt a next level call to the development team and possibly the developer.
My approach to logging has always been to write it so that no one needs to call me in the middle of the night because they have reached a point where it cannot be solved by them. In most cases, other pieces in the system could be the cause and easily determined with clear logging. When certain common problems have been experiences, adjusting the logs to better pinpoint the place to check and even suggest a course of action can help keep notifications at bay.
Logging is generally put on a protected file system (or it should be) and/or ingested by a secure logging service, but logging credentials is generally unnecessary. Login ids should be enough to know which credentials are being used. Sometimes connection strings logged as a lump of information. Measures should be taken to mask passwords in those blocks of strings. I've seen functions built to parse that output before it's put out to mask the sensitive information. Knowing again the audience who will view the logs should also be considered for this.
I'm sure more could be said about logging. Clear and thorough logging can keep you sleeping when your code is being reviewed by a support team. Support teams can do their jobs more efficiently and effectively with skilled logging. Developers who will manage projects you leave behind will herald you wise. It should be every developer's goal to become a master at logging.
This is a sad day for me. I have been a big supporter of Dell computers for years. I have spent a lot of money over the years choosing Dell hardware including some PowerEdge servers. When a few batteries had started reaching the end of their lives, I went to Amazon to purchase replacements. This practice has extended the life of the laptops past their supported time.
But all this changed when purchasing new batteries from Amazon. The batteries are not official Dell batteries and are prohibited from charging because the BIOS does not allow it. I surf over to Dell's site to purchase an official battery, but they do not exist. I cannot get an official Dell battery from Dell. (There is the eBay option, but that's no guarantee of a new battery.)
This is the transcript from the technical support when I inquired about batteries and the policy:
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:48:44 AM): Welcome to Dell Out of Warranty Chat Support. My name is Vidya Sehgal.
While I am checking the details, let me also inform you that your chat has landed to paid support queue.
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:49:01 AM): Greetings, Hope you are doing well today!
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:49:37 AM): To confirm, you are contacting us today in regards to the system service tag ******* ?
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:49:41 AM): Yes
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:50:35 AM): Thank you for confirming.
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:50:43 AM): I regret the inconvenience this issue has caused and assure you that I will try my best to resolve the issue to your satisfaction.
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:51:02 AM): I have purchased third-party batteries for this and other Dell laptops I own to extend their life. But for some reason, the BIOS no longer recognizes these batteries informing me to purchase official Dell batteries. I come ot the site to do that and cannot find official Dell batteries to purchase.
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:51:37 AM): Is there no way to get these other batteries to be accepted since Dell can no longer provide what they require?
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:51:38 AM): Okay!
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:52:33 AM): No! They won't work.
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:52:51 AM): And there is no provided batteries from Dell anymore?
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:53:13 AM): *are no
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:53:30 AM): Let me check the part availability.
Vidya S (2/16/2023, 8:54:38 AM): Part is not available.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 8:55:15 AM): Welcome to Dell Out of Warranty Chat Support. My name is Tanuj Sharma.
While I am checking the details, let me also inform you that your chat has landed to paid support queue.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 8:55:29 AM): Greetings, Hope you are doing well today!
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 8:55:45 AM): To confirm, you are contacting us today in regards to the system service tag ******* ?
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:56:09 AM): Yes
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 8:56:26 AM): I can see you have mentioned issues with battery, correct ?
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:56:58 AM): Since Dell cannot provide the part and third-party batteries are not supported, I have no options to continue using my laptops other than power cord, correct?
Mark (2/16/2023, 8:58:26 AM): This seems like an Apple approach to business: Only allow use for the supported time and then force new purchases every few years. I'm not a fan of this.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 8:59:22 AM): Unfortunately the part is not available. It is not possible for us to procure parts after certain point of time as the technology advances, the old products gets obsolete from the market.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 9:00:39 AM): I understand how frustrating it is, but the parts can only be procured for 4-5 years of manufacturing as after that the system is considered as end of life.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:01:13 AM): The option for me to procure parts is possible through Amazon, although they are not official Dell parts. They do work as I have tested them in the past. But the programming of the BIOS restricts it. At the very least, there should be a disclaimer to accept to proceed with the use of the non-Dell batteries.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:01:33 AM): It not just frustrating, it's restrictive.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 9:04:00 AM): That is true. Every part is not compatible with the system. That is the reason parts goes obsolete as software and hardware products advances.
Regarding BIOS, you can try to update the BIOS if it is not updated.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:05:56 AM): I will try the BIOS update. but this is a real disappointment in Dell.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:07:39 AM): If that fails, I am going to make a public post about this policy change as a warning to others who consider purchasing equipment from Dell and am going to look for another laptop provider who will support good equipment.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 9:08:26 AM): Unfortunately there is nothing we can do in this case. This is situation with all the products. We can not procure parts after a certain point of time.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:09:12 AM): This is a sad moment for me. I've been a big Dell supporter for years. I have spend a LOT of money on laptops and other hardware. Knowing Dell will no long honor that loyalty means I need to find another place for it.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 9:10:58 AM): We really appreciate you being a loyal Dell customer however you also have to understand that the parts can not be procured for ever.
I wish there is something I can do for you.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 9:13:30 AM): Is there anything else I can assist you today ?
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:13:50 AM): I realize these laptops will not last forever, but their lives don't need to be truncated because Dell chooses to give up on them. There is a lot of tech out there outliving their expected life cycles with other options. I have extended the lives of these laptops already with third-party batteries, so it's possible. Having Dell cut that option off from customers is the change in all this.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:13:56 AM): No, I guess not.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:14:06 AM): Thanks for confirming all this for me.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:14:43 AM): And if it can make a difference, please let them know about how this affects a former customer.
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:14:57 AM): ...how this affects a now former customer.
Tanuj S (2/16/2023, 9:15:48 AM): Thank you for choosing Dell and allowing us the opportunity to assist you. Have a wonderful day!
Mark (2/16/2023, 9:16:02 AM): You too.
At the very least, Dell, provide a legal disclaimer in your BIOS to shift the responsibility of potential problems to the customer. I would gladly accept the waiver knowing that the batteries could cause fires. To be honest, you cannot prevent your own batteries from not catching fire. Will you cover a house fire if your own official batteries overload and cause damage? (Maybe I need to read the fine print on the documentation more closely.)
I post this as knowledge before buying Dell equipment. If you do this, know that you will spend money for a limited life laptop, not because it cannot continue to live but because Dell will not allow it to continue to live.
One more thing: I cannot update the BIOS on these laptops because the BIOS has determined that being plugged into an outlet and a dead battery insufficient power requirement to allow the update. This has turned into a lose-lose scenario.
Very disappointed, Dell.
This quote still seems appropriate in so many places that I built this meme, yet I don't have it readily available. So, I'm posting it here for my future reference.
The source of this was Alex Albretch's guest appearance on Tiki Bar TV years ago when he and Kevin Rose were producing Diggnation. The quote is genius. You can find that episode linked below, which at this point is still online.
I actually made a t-shirt with this quote.
Source video: https://vimeo.com/124379530
