"Sysadmin of the Year" Winners Announced

lisah writes "Ten winners of this year's 'Sysadmin of the Year' contest have been announced and, while Robin 'Roblimo' Miller says it's not quite like winning the Miss America contest, being selected from approximately 2,500 entrants is nothing to sneeze at. This year's first place winner battled an office fire to save a RAID backup server, while another IT manager won an honorable mention for his dedicated work at a yarn store. From the article, '[The nominating entry said:] Any man who would take on a position at a yarn store, much less a technological position while surrounded by a dozen women, ages 55+ deserves some kind of reward...'" Linux.com and Slashdot are both owned by OSTG.

Rewards?

[Non-CleverNickName]

So does the winner recieve all of the Xena and Star Trek: Voyager season DVDs, as well as a lifetime supply of Hot Pockets and Pop Tarts?

OSTG?

[JustASlashDotGuy]

Linux.com and Slashdot are both owned by OSTG.

I dunno who OSTG is, but they must be pretty awesome. They pwned Slashdot and Linux.com!

Re:Rewards?

[Brill]

pocket protectors. dozens of 'em.

Cocoon-like reward?

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

Any man who would take on a position at a yarn store, much less a technological position while surrounded by a dozen women, ages 55+ deserves some kind of reward

Oh, c'mon. I think we all know what his "Cocoon-like" reward was.

Proving once and for all...

[Old VMS Junkie]

... that there's a place in the universe for dorky looking white guys.

Those Darn flames.

[Anonymous Coward]

" From the article, '[The nominating entry said:] Any man who would take on a position at a yarn store, much less a technological position while surrounded by a dozen women, ages 55+ deserves some kind of reward...'""

It could have been worse. The yarn store could have burst into flames.

for the love of all that is holy...

[Anonymous Coward]

no bathing suit contest segment, PLEASE!

What a Grand Prize

[zentinal]

The winner got "Washington DC"? The whole thing? Man, I knew OSTG had major league pull, but that's amazing! ;-) Note to Michael Beck - Now that you own Washington DC, please replace Congress, the Supreme Court and the President with a few Beowulf clusters. We should see a marked improvement in performance.

Re:Something smells crispy...

[ToxikFetus]

I would think that company could afford to let the hardware go up in smoke instead of facing a possible lawsuit if the sysadmin died on the job.

You obviously don't read enough Dilbert.

Hardly!

[Darlantan]

Why, I take very good care of my users. In fact, I wouldn't have a job without them, right? I mean, I support the computers they use, and without them the computers wouldn't NEED any support. In fact, I just had a brand new backup system installed in our halon-protected server room. It's there to ensure that any data they find valuable will always be available. Go ahead, step in and take a look for yourself. It's right there in the back row, about halfway down.

No, really, I insist. Have a look.

Re:What a Grand Prize

[J.R. Random]

Heck, just replace the President and Vice President with an abacus and there will be a marked improvement in performance. When was the last time an abacus started a war just for fun?

Yams

[StarvingSE]

I read through the entire blurb and half the comments until I realize the guy works at a "yarn" store and not a "yam" store. I was trying to wrap my mind around the business logic of selling nothing but yams.

Wow, that prize takes some beating.

[cliveholloway]

"Grandprize: Washington DC".

I thought DC was owned by the lobbyists? How did they negotiate that?!?

Re:No one talks to sysadmins...

[houstonbofh]

Perhaps that's because so many of them are BOHF, power freaks who treat "their" users like crap.

Actually, livestock would be more appropriate. After all, users have some value at contract time.

Even more difficult

[Quila]

ny man who would take on a position at a yarn store, much less a technological position while surrounded by a dozen women, ages 55+ deserves some kind of reward...'"

That's not so hard. Try being doing the same at a modeling agency or such, and actually be able to concentrate on your work while surrounded by a dozen hot babes.

OTOH, that would be its own reward.

Re:Rewards?

[roseblood]

He is expected to perform greater miracles in the future! afterall the sysadmin of the year should be able to fix anything!

"The computer doesn't work, fix it asshole, its your fault, you're the computer guy!"

"My password was 'iloveu' and now all my stuffs are gone, put them back you asshole!"

"I cant login to my account, I don't remember the password, fix it asshole!"

"The computer deleted my emails, put them back you asshole, now!!!"

You should be able to handle all four of these user requests at the same time, and resolve them all yesterday. If you don't people will wonder why they are paying extra to have the sys admin of the year, and will fire you and replace you with some one else at a lower payscale.

No picture of the Hot Sysadmin?

[zcubed]

Sysadmins are famous for coming in all sorts of packages, but Dawn stands out in that you'd never guess she spent all her working hours tippy-tapping as a senior system administrator and technical lead. She's model gorgeous--tall-ish and slim with strawberry blonde hair and, of course, the requisite sysadmin pale skin.

But they have a picture of the idiot that risked his life for a damn server!

Re:sysadmins

[elcid73]

There were sysadmins in medieval days?

They must have been protecting *from* burning during raids, not protecting RAIDs from burning.

Re:Rewards?

[thisIsNotMyName]

Actually, the Grand Prize was apparently "Washington D.C."

Re:sysadmins

[nizo]

I think he made the rational decision that he would rather burn to death than wait for the new server hardware to arrive, and then wait for file restores to finish, all while people dropped in every 2 minutes to ask when the server would be back up.

It just so happens...

[NineNine]

It just so happens that that place for them is in a back room, away from all customers.

Re:Knit picking

[Kazrael]

Your mancard has been deleted from the system. Have a nice day.

Re:Rewards?

[crazdgamer]

So does the winner recieve all of the Xena and Star Trek: Voyager season DVDs...

Why would the winner want to receive something he already has?

Re:Rewards?

[speculatrix]

a lifetime supply of all-you-can-eat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts - about two month's worth!

Re:Hardly!

[Anonymous Coward]

I have enclosed the following diagram describing the situation, for your convenience.

    *     <--- Joke

    O
   \|_    <---- You
    |
   / \

Re:sysadmins

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not as easily replaceable.

From your perspective maybe.

Re:sysadmins

[Mister Whirly]

And my employer's perspective also. I have a $50,000 life insurance policy they would have to pay off. That money could buy a quite impressive RAID setup. Plus, last time I checked online, I was pretty much "out of stock" everywhere.

Dangit!

[nortcele]

Never even got nominated. Next year I'll demand the users nominate me, or I'll erase their files.