:The Linux consultant: The Maytag repairman of the IT world
The Linux consultant: The Maytag repairman of the IT world Nov 16, 2009, 16 :04 UTC (2 Talkback[s]) (2867 reads) (Other stories by Jack Wallen)
"Now understand the people I was with were all self-employed consultants who depend upon their client’s needed support for income. Needed support. That’s the key. My freelance clients…they rarely need me. Oh sure I secure shell in to some of the boxes now and then to check security logs and update. But other than that - those machines just run and run. Of all my IT consultant friends, I am the Maytag repair man. If you don’t get the reference, I will explain.
"Years ago the Maytag company had a wonderful advertising campaign (that was mostly successful due to the casting of a rather charming Gordon Jump of TVs WKRP in Cincinnati) that illustrated how dependable the Maytag washers and dryers were. The old repairman grew bored and lonely because those machines never needed his assistance. His lack of work helped define the reliability of a line of machines."
