Small problem?

Yesterday evening my boss pulled me into an email thread started by the Director of IT/CFO (he's currently filling both positions). Apparently a firm Partner called him and said he was having to reboot his computer several times a day because an application I developed was locking up his computer. This particular application is used to transfer dictation files from attorney to secretary so they can be transcribed. Hundreds of people have used this application every day for over two years without this sort of problem, so I was a little dubious.

Today I called the Partner's secretary, who sounded like a sweet little old lady, and asked for details. "I can't hear the files my boss sends me", she explained. Any problems with your computer locking up? Do you need to reboot? "Oh no. I just can't hear the audio. I have to turn my volume way up and then I sometimes still can't hear."

The usual cause is a mumbling, grumbling attorney who either swallows his dictation device or tries to record an entire conference in a crowded conference room, background noise and all. So far I haven't come across an adequate remedy.

Then she proceeded to explain all of her other technical issues. I was cornered. I told her I was calling to ascertain the severity of her problem, and that I would "research" her issues and touch back later. I almost wish the problem was more serious. If her computer was in fact requiring periodic reboots, I could have requested that Desktop Support reimage her PC, which would give her computer a fresh start in less than an hour.

Sometimes the smallest problems are the largest.