“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”
By Bob Plankers on Aug 17, 2005 in System Administration
I nominate the following for the sysadmin motto, as stated by God in the “Godfellas” episode of Futurama.
“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”
It sure seems that way to me. Take, for instance, patching of machines, which is a thankless job because the customer often sees it as an unnecessary inconvenience. If you get hacked, though, it’s blame city. A good customer of mine asked me last Friday if all the downtime to patch is necessary. “Doesn’t it seem sort of reactionary?” he asked. Yes, it is quite reactionary, but I think all this news of Zotob.? and RBOT seems to justify it. I mailed him the link to the CNN article this afternoon. His response: “Thanks for insisting that we patch.” Hey, thanks for listening to me and letting me do my job.
That guy had a few Windows 2000 servers. He also has a firewall protecting him, but it just keeps the real bad guys out. I fear for all of those admins that have Windows 2000 laptops floating in and out of the networks behind the firewalls. Good luck, folks.
12 Comment(s)
By Bryan on Jan 22, 2007 | Reply
I quite agree. That quote alone made that episode, in my opinion, the most profound of all Futurama episodes.
This idea can also be applied on a moral level. In life one sometimes comes across an opportunity to help someone in a certain way that will go unnoticed. Morally the right way to handle the situation would be simply to help and the wrong thing to do would be to manipulate the situation so that it makes you come out as a hero even if what you did was truly helpful or not.
By Misery Darkness on Feb 4, 2007 | Reply
I rarely watch Futurama…not that I don’t want to, it’s just I don’t know when it’s going to be on. When I do get to watch it though, it usually is just pointless humor. However, when I watched the “Godfellas” episode, it really made me think. As soon as I heard that quote at the end, I had to run and find a piece of paper to write it down. It made me want to start my own list of quotes to keep me going. So I did…and now that quote is on the very top. Quotes are one of my favorite things in the world. I try to write a new one every day.
Thanks for reading.
By Grimpy on Feb 28, 2007 | Reply
100% agree, thats the best sysadmin moto ever
By Saintsun on Sep 24, 2007 | Reply
No clue what a sysadmin is…but I agree about that episode and the quote. I find theres a deecent amount of Futurama episodes that aren’t pointless humor all the time, which is why I like them. Nowadays, Family Guy, South Park, other stuff, they’re funny. But pointless. Futurama sometimes has that profound or emotional or sumthin side to it. Like when Fry had a chance to get his dog back.But yea great quote, I had to google it to make sure I had it right
By Bob Plankers on Sep 24, 2007 | Reply
Dead on. The end of the dog episode was easily the saddest thing I’ve ever watched on TV.
By Corpseesproc on Oct 7, 2007 | Reply
yeah the episode with the dog actually had me in tears, it was so incredibly sad.
I really hope that god is a space probe that crashed into god.
By Ziggy H on Oct 9, 2007 | Reply
i love this quote….if only everyone knew it…
By Kris on Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
i love this quote as well, i just used it in a paper for my english class, and i really hope my teacher is not a futurama fan! But yes this show is very excellent, and the episode when Fry thinks of his brother as a jerk, and later finds out in the end what he really was, is the best episode of any show i have ever seen.
By Jeff on Mar 11, 2008 | Reply
No kidding. I almost cried watching that ending. I guess thats the mark of a good show. It can make you laugh and cry. Or almost since Im too much of a man! :)
By Travis on May 4, 2008 | Reply
Man I love this quote just saw it in a Futurama episode I watched for the second time. Straight after I googled it. It pretty much sumerises a sysadmins job. I am a SysAdmin, and people are so oblivious to the dedication and sheer expertise thatgoes into keeping their computers, servers, and networks running as they “expect” it should be. It is a thankless job. Apart from the stress I love it none the less. But my point is it’s a great and very relavent quote.
By Graham on May 31, 2008 | Reply
the episode aired today wasn’t the first time i saw it but i just realised the quote this time, really good one, also if your into quoted look up carpe diem quotes… and that dog episode shoulda had a happier ending i think the dog woulda added alot to the cast
By Marshall on Jul 8, 2008 | Reply
I have to agree with, yeah, all of the posts. It’s a very sophisticated quote.
I hope it’s not seen as spam, when I recommend one
fine piece of electronic music: “Nugatti All Ova Me Butty” by Olav Brekke Mathisen.
The first track “Hasjbox” contains the conversation between the “Godfellas” Bender & God in this Futurama episode and thereby this very quote.
Knew the episode before and was surprised to get this with an album I wanted because of another track :)