Otherwise, what's it good for?

This pilot fish works at a big PC company, handling support for point-of-sale systems, when a call comes in from a user who says her store's computerized cash registers aren't working properly.

"They all say Q123," user tells fish.

That usually means that they can't talk to the server, fish explains. Is the server powered on?

"It's not getting any power at all," user says.

Are you sure the circuit breakers didn't trip and the server is plugged in? fish asks.

"I can't really check that right now," user says. "We've had all this rain and it flooded out the store, so I can't really do anything right now. Do you think that you can send someone out?"

Wait, says fish -- did the server box itself get water in it?

"Well, it's still sitting in about two feet of water right now."

What? says fish. How are you able to check the registers?

"They're on these counters that are up high, so they aren't sitting in the water," user says. "But the server sits on the floor so it did get water in it."

And we know the power is on, since the registers are giving you that code, fish says. Ma'am, I would strongly suggest getting out of the store until all of the water drains. You could get shocked by the equipment or anything else that uses electricity.

"Can someone come out to look at it today, since it is down?" user asks.

I can't send someone out until the water drains and the machines have had at least 24 hours to dry out, fish explains.

"Well, what am I supposed to do until then?"

You need to get out of the store and call your home office to let them know what's happening, fish says. And I can't send out a tech, because he can't do anything with it while it's still underwater. Electricity and water don't mix, and we can't put our tech in harm's way. It's not like you can open the store anyway."

"That's not the point," user says. "We have a 24/7 fix contract with you, and we expect service."