IT guys, ever heard of the skymall syndrome ?

[Deschodt]

Maybe it was just us..
Remember the old Skymall magazine on airplanes that was like a catalog of toys for grown ups? each time our CEO /CTO flew somewhere for a conference they'd come back with stupid ideas about new software solution we should implement, even if it made no sense. Like clockwork... we called it skymall syndrome ;-)

Skymall is gone I think... The attitude not so much... We have many apps making use of a central cred store, making life easier (and safe) for thousands. Any given day if even one app breaks, it's like all hell broke loose for the help desk because people love this convenience (and are lazy). Management found a new toy they really want, that will break at least 50% of these profiled logins... Any other day that'd be a nuclear option, but today they don't care - new toy, shiny ! Do it !

Same goes with security stuff... no budget limit..We can't hire a single extra help desk/tech, but anything fancy that security wants is fair game. The security stack is now so tall I genuinely have no idea how PCs even boot anymore - I built one with nothing isntalled and it was like a rocket ship. 90% of crashes are one security app crapping on another... All that with full knowledge all our data was already stolen long ago, just because "cool toys make us look compliant".

It really is all getting old... And I can't retire yet, dammit !!

[masraum]

LOL! My team (network) deals with this sort of thing from our clients.

"Hey, we want ____ because it'll make everything better." (because they read an article or heard someone mention it)
"Actually, that won't improve things. It'll make things worse or just move the problem that you're trying to solve somewhere else."
"But based on my very limited understanding, I'm sure it'll make everything better. I WANT IT!"

[masraum]

And I didn't see the catalog in the seatback pockets last time I flew, but it's still out there.

https://skymall.com/

[Noah930]

Slight threadjack: Has anyone actually purchased anything from Sky Mall? Just curious.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Slight threadjack: Has anyone actually purchased anything from Sky Mall? Just curious.

I can't even imagine. I'm sure that some of the stuff there is OK. I also suspect it's over priced. I assume it's like the ultimate "impulse aisle". Like "impulse aisle" meets "sharper image".

But, I've spent plenty of time perusing the catalog on various flights.

[HobieMarty]

I remember looking through a Sky Mall catalog once. It was like "Sharper Image".

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[MBAtarga]

I recall the catalog - as I don't believe it would qualify as a "magazine."
To me, everything seemed to be rather pricey.

[HardDrive]

Oh yeah. Some managing director reads an article about what is hot in our industry, and we are off on some snipe hunt, despite the fact the tech stack has no application in our org.

[KFC911]

I shoulda bought that $350 plastic snow shovel!

I used to read 'em .... those were 1990 prices

[rockfan4]

Originally Posted by Deschodt

Maybe it was just us..
Remember the old Skymall magazine on airplanes that was like a catalog of toys for grown ups? each time our CEO /CTO flew somewhere for a conference they'd come back with stupid ideas about new software solution we should implement, even if it made no sense. Like clockwork... we called it skymall syndrome ;-)

Skymall is gone I think... The attitude not so much... We have many apps making use of a central cred store, making life easier (and safe) for thousands. Any given day if even one app breaks, it's like all hell broke loose for the help desk because people love this convenience (and are lazy). Management found a new toy they really want, that will break at least 50% of these profiled logins... Any other day that'd be a nuclear option, but today they don't care - new toy, shiny ! Do it !

Same goes with security stuff... no budget limit..We can't hire a single extra help desk/tech, but anything fancy that security wants is fair game. The security stack is now so tall I genuinely have no idea how PCs even boot anymore - I built one with nothing isntalled and it was like a rocket ship. 90% of crashes are one security app crapping on another... All that with full knowledge all our data was already stolen long ago, just because "cool toys make us look compliant".

It really is all getting old... And I can't retire yet, dammit !!

Are you sure we don't work for the same company?

Right now, my laptop has Crowdstrike, Proofpoint, Nessus from Tenable and now Qualsys all watching me plunk the keys and wiggle the mouse.

We did a reorg, and went from 3 levels for each position to 5. Almost nobody outside security is a level 4 or 5, even people who have been here 30 years. Almost all of them are 4 or 5, I think the new hires start at level 3.

I'm almost out. I've been working 3 days a week since last July 1, I'm going to call it quits for good in the next couple of months.

[john70t]

(fill USB port with JBweld, then reach behind box and use olympic fingertip dexterity to remove Cat5 cable?)

The last fancy gift I bought from Hammecher Schlemmer was something like a flashlight with $65 shipping.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

Are you sure we don't work for the same company?

Right now, my laptop has Crowdstrike, Proofpoint, Nessus from Tenable and now Qualsys all watching me plunk the keys and wiggle the mouse.

We did a reorg, and went from 3 levels for each position to 5. Almost nobody outside security is a level 4 or 5, even people who have been here 30 years. Almost all of them are 4 or 5, I think the new hires start at level 3.

I'm almost out. I've been working 3 days a week since last July 1, I'm going to call it quits for good in the next couple of months.

I'm jealous you get to get out...and same w/ Security. They recommend a lot, give us tons of work, but "do" little. Even when 2 of their babies are fighting !

[stealthn]

I wish our clients would focus (spend) more on Security, it seems to be bottom of the want pile here. Sadly most are woefully under protected…