Solving a Customer's Server Problem

People often use funny slang and abbreviations in chats and other social situations. Typically, there is also a more relaxed attitude towards grammar as well. The following is a chat transcript between an account manager and a software engineer working at a web hosting company. They are troubleshooting a server problem that affects one of their customers.

Please note that you should not use slang with unfamiliar people. Using slang is not professional and can be taken badly by some people. You have been warned!

Account Manager: TIL that certain web page requests are taking forever to load on some of our servers. One client in particular is really pissed off.

Sysadmin: what is the name of the client?

Account Manager: Svensson Trucking Supply

Sysadmin: brb i need to be afk for 30 minutes

Account Manager: 30 minutes? this guy is a major client and management says we need to fix this issue asap. they told me you were the 1337 alpha geek who could resolve this issue right away.

Sysadmin: lol... 1337 alpha geeks need to eat lunch too :P

Account Manager: LMAO that you would eat lunch right now. Please look into the problem BEFORE lunch!

Sysadmin: okay gimme 5 minutes

Time passes...

Account Manager: Did you find the problem?

Sysadmin: wow did i... imho the site was set up by a total n00b. there is a major security hole in their iis web server. someone set up a warez site on a subdomain and there are 100 leeches sucking up all the bandwidth.

Account Manager: WTF. No wonder their site is so slow

Sysadmin: they are using a really old version of iis server. let me upgrade and patch it for them.

Account Manager: Okay. I will call the client and update them on the status.

Time passes...

Sysadmin: okay the server is patched and running normally. now im gonna go eat... 1337 alpha geek ftw!

Account Manager: Nice work! Thanks a million!!!!

Sysadmin: how about telling management to give me a raise since im the only one who knows how to solve client problems?

Account Manager: Wow that's funny. I'm literally ROTFL

Sysadmin: fu

Account Manager: Hahahaha! I'll pretend I didn't hear that. L8R SK8R.

Discussion Questions

1. Which of these slang words do you think are okay to use with unfamiliar people or customers? Which ones shouldn't you use with anyone except your closest friends?

2. Why does grammar and spelling often suffer in chats compared to more traditional forms of communication such as emails, faxes, or written letters?

3. Who is the most 1337 alpha geek that you know? Would you want to be like him or her? Why or why not?