Of music and work

On my way to White Plains, I pass through Hartford. A bit more than 10 years ago, I worked as a contract system manager (VAX/VMS with some early Windows 95 PCs) at a company near Hartford. On my first day of work, I brought my portable CD player, a stack of CDs, and headphones so I could listen to music while working. Mid-morning, the supervisor stopped by my office and told me that there was a company policy against listening to music during work hours. I didn't ask him to explain, figuring that such a silly rule would have an even sillier explanation. So, for the next four months, instead of listening to Van Halen, Bach, or Miles Davis, I got to hear, in rather extraordinarily intimate detail, how the young people in the office were spending their weeknights and weekends.

Of course, technology would eventually win out. These folks have been able to convert the activity of their systems and networks into something that approximates music. If something goes wrong with the systems, then something will go wrong with the music.

When Scottish bureaucracy meets blogging, (PDF) both will emerge bloodied, but not bowed.

The Four Horsemen seen gathering their saddles and riding gear.