Sysadmin Appreciation Day is coming up this Friday, July 26. To help honor sysadmins everywhere, we want you to share your best gift ideas. What would be the best way a team member or customer could show their appreciation for you? As a sysadmin, what was the best gift you've ever received? We asked our writers the same question, and here are their answers:
"Whilst working in the Ubuntu community on Edubuntu, I took it upon myself to develop the startup/shutdown sound scheme, which became the default in Ubuntu for, from what I can understand, the next decade. Whilst people had a love-hate relationship with my sound scheme, and rightly so, I had a love-hate relationship with my sound card during the development.
At the time I had recorded all my sound samples using one sample rate, but my new sound card, as my motherboard had exploded a few days earlier, did not support it. I had two choices, resample all my samples (which I didn't really want to do) or buy a new sound card.
After discussing my displeasure at the choices I faced in one of the Ubuntu channels, a very kind member of the community told me they would be happy to purchase a sound card for me, in thanks for all the work I had done on the sound scheme. However, I was not prepared for what showed up.
I had expected a run-of-the-mill, entry-level sound card that would get me through the difficulties. I received an M-audio Delta 1010, a truly amazing beast of a sound card which I joyfully used for many years after. Hands down the BEST gift I've received in appreciation of my Open Source efforts ever!" —Pete Savage
"Best gift: time off." —Chris Short
"At my very first job, the CTO would hand out little 1-inch plastic pelicans if you did a good job at something. And a gold-painted plastic pelican if it was an outstanding job. He only did it for a year, I think he probably ran out of pelicans. It was a small thing, but it was nice to have a little token to say 'Thank you.' And it was a conversation starter at work: 'You got a pelican. What did you do?'" —Jim Hall
Take our poll or let us know your own gift idea by leaving us a comment. If you are still looking for ideas, be sure to check out our favorite sysadmin snack poll, too!
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