PEBCAK, Episode IV

(The head of a department wants her word processor upgraded to the latest version.)

Manager: *on phone* “Okay, I’ll send [My Name] over to upgrade you. Please back up all your documents, because he’s going to delete the existing version and install the new one.”

(I go to her office.)

Me: “Hi, I’m here to upgrade [Word Processor] for you. Have you backed up your documents?”

Customer: “Of course I have.”

Me: “Great!”

(I wipe out the existing directory and install the new version. A few minutes before I get back to the faculty computing center, the phone rings.)

Customer: *on phone* “Where are all my letters and papers? They’re all gone!”

Manager: “[My Name] says you backed up your documents.”

Customer: “Well, I didn’t know what you guys meant by that. I didn’t want to look stupid, so I said yes.”