Memory-Lane Monday: OK, so it’s no problem for you, but what about your PC?

User complains that her PC has no network connectivity, so this help desk pilot fish gives her a call to do basic troubleshooting before making a desk-side visit.

“I describe the network cable to her and ask her to confirm that it’s connected firmly on both ends,” says fish. “Check. I ask her to restart her computer. She does. The problem persists.”

So fish starts trying to determine whether the problem is with all network functions, or only some. Can she use the web? “No,” user says. OK, can you send or receive email? “Oh, yes, no problems there,” she says.

Ah, fish says, so it’s only some network functions that are having problems? Some things aren’t working, but email is?

“Right,” user says. “I just log onto my co-worker’s computer instead, and email works just fine.”