Part of my job is doing software and applications testing. You may have noticed how I sling complicated computer jargon around with terrifying efficiency. Now of course I don’t know a damn thing about computers, or programming, or “environments,” or “anything,” which is, sadly, kind of the point. Since I work with people who, against all reason, actually know even less than I do about these things, I get to be the liaison between the compserv staff and the other pasteheads in my department. That’s a grand thing to realize: my office is full of fumbling morons, and I am their leader. I’m the Alpha Moron.
Anyway, since compserv is staffed by cruel, vicious Torquemadas, they immediately implemented a sweeping plan to break my spirit, which I must say was incredibly effective. The first thing they did was take away my PC.
WHAT? I need that! “No you don’t,” they cooed. “You can use this.” “This” is a fucking plastic do-funny that looks like a big Chiclet. It has one malevolent green eye next to a single power button. It says “Wyse Winterm.” I dolefully surveyed this . . . toy . . . while the compserv staff dumped my old PC into the garbage, which they then set ablaze. They stood around, warming themselves, while cracking open bottles of malt liquor.
“We got tired of dealing with you retards,” said one of them laconically. “So we’re not going to any more. That little guy connects you to a single server that runs all of your applications on something called Citrix.”
“Wha . . . I have no idea what you’re talking about. How does it work?”
“Basically, it means that we can just dump all the shit that used to live in your PC onto the server, and that’s that. Any changes or fixes are now done centrally on the server. And you access them all there as well.”
“Oh. Does that work all right?”
“Oh, no, it’s terrible. Christ, it’s a fucking debacle. For you, anyway.”
“What?”
“Some of these apps were built in-house, some were contracted out years ago, and frankly, there’s some we don’t even know how they run or what they do. Anyway, they all work terribly on Citrix from a user standpoint. Oh, and by the way, your monitor resolution is going to suffer a bit.”
“How much is ‘a bit’?”
“A lot.”
“Oh. Uh . . . why are you doing this to me?”
“We hate you and don’t want to see your ratlike faces any more. That’s actually how Citrix markets their product: TORTURE PARASITIC END USERS WITH CITRIX! So now we can sit around and drink beer and still get paid! Haw! Isn’t that a crotch-twister? Anyway, get cracking. You’re going to have to explain to your co-workers how miserable their lives are going to become!”
“I, uh, see. Okay. Listen . . . is there like . . . instructions . . . or a tutorial or anything? Don’t leave me totally ass-out here. Please?”
“Ooooh, of course. We wouldn’t leave you dry like that.” There were broad smiles all around. My old PC emitted noxious fumes as it burned. One of them leaned in close and leered. “There’s a tutorial. Just access it through the server.”