Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Dear Technology Packrats

This morning, I met a member of our team at the computer room, and we went through another round of "Let's clean out the storage room".

The following things were found and summarily marked for disposal:

  • DEC networking gear that hasn't been needed in our environment since before I was hired almost 10 years ago
  • SCSI cables that have more dust on them than a pharoah's tomb
  • Thermal paper for an unknown printing technology
  • Serial and parallel cables for printers we don't have anymore, and no-one can remember ever owning
  • DLT tape drives that are either still in the wrappers or are so old they remind me of the Clinton administration
  • Outboard serial modems, which no-one wants to admit ever having used


This time, thankfully, the DEC Alpha system, rack included, that sat in the storage room for at least 8 years was gone, so I did not throw my back out moving the bleeding thing so I could see what was behind it.

I did, however, leave spare parts for server models that I can prove we still use.  But why we need three spare power supplies for the SUN server that has never had a problem with its power supply is beyond me.

In the future, I would appreciate it if you could proactively get rid of spares for server models we retire.

Nothing says nostalgia like taking a few minutes to look at parts for systems you don't even remember.  And nothing is better for my allergies than plodding through all of the accumulated dust, pollen, and mold and mildew that has accumulated in our little storage room.  I'm going home to take another shower and change my clothes.  Hopefully my nose will stop running in the very near future.

Thanks much,

Daddy Bear

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