Don't let me keep you from your donut, ITDufus.

Yesterday, I went into the computer services on campus to get help with my computer. My supervisor, Dr.PureEnergy, bought me a new Mac laptop and last week they transferred all my old data onto this new computer. The IT people, however, had made two accounts one was an administrator account and the other was my account. Well, this caused a problem when it came to installing R libraries at the system level. The package would download into the R library but then it couldn't automatically recognize where it had put it. I've had this problem when using computer clusters to run simulations and programs.

I got to their offices and this IT dude was sitting at the reception and on his desk was a box of donuts. I'm not kidding. I can tell you that it answered my question of why all IT guys a little on the pounchy side.

I explained to him my problem and he said,

"I've done this for a PC but not a Mac, but I'm sure I can figure it out?"

Then I asked for ComputerGirl, the one who worked on my computer last time.

"I can do this," he insisted. "Show me where it is in the library." I pulled up the package file folder and showed him where it was in the library. I explained that it should automatically recognize where these packages are downloaded but for some reason it doesn't. He disagreed and said that you have to tell it where the library is and then vomited some computer geek code. I looked at him and repeated what I was saying that it seemed to be a matter of permissions. Then he stopped and and said in THE MOST PATRONIZING VOICE,

"I have a motto, it's called K-I-S-S. Keep it simple and straightforwad."

If that's you're pick up line, ITDufus, it explains why you take refuge with a box of donuts in a basement full of computers.

Okay, I know that there are just a few IT dweebs. But I just hate it when IT dweebs treat me like I'm a doe-eyed dumb girl.

Just then ComputerGirl came out with her bike. Her bike! I knew, there was a reason I had a good vibe from her. I told her my problem and she looked at it and said it was a permissions issue and that her manager could deal with it. He came out and suggested something, I tried it and it worked. All the while ITDufus kept repeating that he dealt with this sort of thing on PCs and that he's sure he could have fixed it. TheManager reiterated what I said earlier, that R automatically knows where the package is kept and that you don't have to specify the path.

As I was packing up my computer, the ITDufus was trying to talk to me, saying "What a great program you have there." But you know what? I said nothing and just walked out of there.