[lm-announce] problem with LMF Spectris/uncharacteristic rant about calendar

[Sam Swift]

Dear All,

The LMF spectris has a broken stage motor and will be out of action  
until the manufacturers send a replacement.  I have booked out the  
LMF DV3 (under c.thomson or s.swift) to accommodate existing  
bookings; for those of you affected by this please ask me or Calum  
for help if you're unfamiliar with this particular microscope.  The  
LMF DV3 is now running the latest release of softworx, runs a fast  
camera, as well as quad, JP3 and JP4 filters.

Whilst trying to find alternative microscopes for these poor sods to  
use, I was a bit miffed to discover the number of people who have  
booked "all day events" on the calendar, despite previous emails  
asking you very nicely not to do this.  This means everyone else has  
no idea if you're starting first thing or sometime after coffee and  
finishing at midnight or in time to watch Countdown.  Please can you  
book the time you are actually going to use.   Without wishing to  
sound patronising - which I'm undoubtedly now going to - it's in the  
drop down menu next to the word "time" and the gap where you put the  
time in.  This is actually a big problem for us from a maintenance  
perspective - there are a number of routine jobs that we can do first  
thing in the morning if we know you're not really starting until 10  
am.  If you want new bulbs, clean objectives and a facility manager  
who looks slightly less inclined to beat you to death with a  
promotional aliquot of draq-5, you need to calendar your work as a  
timed event.  You know it makes sense.

Thanks,
Sam



**Change of contact details**

Dr Sam Swift
1.45D MSI/WTB Complex
University of Dundee
Dow Street
Dundee
DD1 5EH

Tel: 01382 386412