The Beauty of The Web*
You would think that working on the ASP.NET team you would eventually get jaded by the novelty of the Internet and come to accept it as a fact of daily life. And to some extent this does happen because you’re focusing on the task at hand: pumping features out the door and ensuring that they rock.
I know it sounds cliché, but this weekend I was reminded of the simplest thing about the Internet: the fact that it allows people from all over the world to collaborate and help one another in real time (sometimes you don’t even need Twitter for that).
Here’s the story: I had my Mazda up on jack stands because I was planning to drain and replace the transmission and differential fluid. I got the differential fluid done fine, but when it came time to do the transmission, my transmission case looked different from the one in the step-by-step guide, so I was guessing which bolts were the fill and drain. Obviously this was the worst possible time, as I had already jacked up the car, was already dirty, and none of my friends who would have the expertise were available.
So I whipped out my laptop and posted a picture on Mazda forums, and within minutes somebody had gotten back to me and confirmed where the fill and drain plugs on the transmission were. Maybe I had just inhaled too many fumes, but in that moment, I was very grateful to have the Internet. And more importantly kind connected strangers willing to help a computer guy with his car.
*IE9 Reference Intentional. www.beautyoftheweb.com