[rt-users] Problem: How to avoid being too helpful, Discuss.

[Steve Harris]

On Mon, 27 May 2002, Bruce Campbell wrote:

> Actually, the situation is more one of:
>
> 	Helpdesk
> 		Helper Foo
> 		Helper Bar
>
> 	Ticket comes in.  Helpers respond via Email
>
> 		Helper Foo responds.
> 		Helper Bar responds, not yet seeing Helper Foo's response.
>
> 	Requestor receives:
>
> 		Foo: Hi, whats the specifics of the problem?
> 		Bar: Looks like X, whats the specifics?
>
> Just a little bit awkward for the Helpdesk. ;)
>
> So, what do people think should happen at this juncture to avoid the
> situation?
>
> What I'm wanting to happen is:
>
> 		Helper Foo responds.
> 		Helper Bar responds, not yet seeing Helper Foo's response.
>
> 		RT_System: Bar, Foo has already responded within the
> 		timeframe set for delaying responses.  Your response
> 		will not be sent until time X.  It can be revoked, or
> 		sent immediately, by using this URL.
>
> I have a few ideas on how to do it, but I'd like to see comments on what
> Would Be A Better Way before I implement something ;)

We use pine and have a handful of scripts that you can 'pipe' the email
through to take ownership etc. The script barfs if someelse already
has ownership. Provided people have the discipline to always take ownership
and all helper use a mail client capable of do this (gripe !) it works a
treat.

It has reduced these clashes by 95+ %.

Steve

-- 
Steve Harris
Senior Computer Officer
School Of Computing, The University Of Leeds