The Woodwork

I’m preparing a list of things to do tomorrow, when it occurs to me:
I wonder if Larry or Sergei ever have to fix their family members’ computers?
If so, that’s got to be the World’s Most Expensive Tech Support.
I wonder how many six(or more)-figure-salary software engineers weekend as the family Geek Squad?

(I am sitting in a presentation on a web framework in our office conference room given by a former employee who is now a consultant. One of my engineers asks the consultant to give an example from experience where he had to modify the framework code itself.)
R—: “Yeah, that happened to me, you know when [...]

“The front office is to your back that way and to your left,” someone says.
The delivery man walks a bit, gets confused, and looks at me across the floor, “Which way from here?” he points.
“It’s right of that.” I shout back.
He points in another direction, “That way?”
“No. Bisect the angle you just created.”
…blank stare…
“Errr…Or something.”
Mathematics [...]

My computer has a GPS in it using the same SIRFstar III chipset as my hiking handheld, which also doubles as my cycling GPS.
On the Mac, it appears as a “USB-serial” device whose driver is made by Prolific Technology which, coincidentally, makes the driver for my camera GPS receiver. Like all SIRFstar III GPSs, getting [...]