ocity

I’m a web applications developer. I currently develop for an e-learning company, adding functionality to their flagship web application. It’s a huge web application. I’ve been doing web apps for about 10 years now. I know a thing or two about how to make a web app, how not to make a web app. I also know how to use the systems I work with. That is, my computers. The computer on my desk at work, the computer that’s the office server, my workmates’ computers, and my computer at home.
I’m currently working with windows machines. My computer at work and the one at home are set up just the way I like them, minimal fussiness of screen decorations, no files displaying on the desktop, my own custom menus, blank pages when my browsers open new windows, hidden taskbars, show file extensions, show system files, don’t cache thumbnails to name just a few. I’ve got better things to do than be hampered by the niceties of what microsoft think will save time for me.

Then I have to use someone else’s computer. Generally, I’m trying to research something on the internet when this happens, so I have to use a browser. It’s so annoying when they leave the default home page on the browser… time is wasted either having to hit the stop button or escape key to stop loading the rubbish I dont want, or I forget, and have already started typing the address I want, and find that only half of what I typed is recognised.

And then if I’m trying to find a file, I can’t view the directories or files I need because these so called system files have been hidden to make things secure and stable.

And these are the systems of other IT Professionals… people who don’t know how to touch type, who don’t know what ALT+TAB (in windows) does, who don’t understand why they cannot change a file type because they can’t see the file extension… how can they call themselves IT Professionals?

I hate having to use other people’s computers.