For my first blog post in 2010 I decided to lighten things up a bit. We software folks get so frustrated when things don’t work as they should. Of course, our responses to these situations vary but ultimately many of us reach out for help – call support, turn to an internal helpdesk, email other end users, etc. – but have you ever noticed some common themes in their responses to our description of the problem? Below is a Top 20 list I saved some time ago (yes, I’m a pack rat) and felt like you would enjoy (source unknown):

20. “That’s weird.”

19.  “It’s never done that before.”

18. “It worked yesterday.”

17. “How is that possible?”

16. “It must have a hardware problem.”

15. “What did you type in wrong to get it to crash?”

14. “There is something funky in your data.”

13. “I haven’t touched that module in weeks!”

12. “You must have [the] wrong version.”

11. “It’s just some unlucky coincidence.”

10. “I can’t test everything!”

9. “THIS can’t be the source of THAT.”

8. “It works, but it’s not been tested.”

7. “Somebody must have changed my code.”

6. “Did you check for a virus on your system?”

5. “Even though it doesn’t work, how does it feel?”

4. “You can’t use that version on your system.”

3. “Why do you want to do it that way?”

2. “Where were you when the program blew up?”

…and #1 (you have to think like an end user to get this one)

1. “I thought I fixed that.”

Bonus: “Can you get it to happen consistently.” (this one’s on me)

Well, admittedly, some are funnier than others. I wonder which service is harder – supporting software or waiting on tables?

Thanks for your support and participation. I’m very excited about developing a mutually-rewarding online dialogue as we explore ways to “transform the software technology buying and selling experience.” Year 2010 undoubtedly presents many rewarding opportunities!

Situation: Three consultants go on an overnight toot to Las Vegas.  After losing most of their money at the Blackjack tables, they decide to get a cheap hotel room so they can shower and shave before catching their flight back to the client site.  The room is $30, so they each give the front desk clerk ten dollars.

After they go upstairs, the front desk clerk realizes that it’s after midnight, so he should only have charged the men $25 instead of $30.  He hands the bellhop five one-dollar bills with instructions to return the money to the men in their room.

On the way upstairs, the bellhop decides to keep two dollars for himself.  He knocks on the door and gives each of the men one dollar.

Challenge: Now, each of the men has paid $27 and the bellhop has $2, which adds up to $29.  What happened to the other dollar?