Those crazy plastic-manglers at Mattel have accessorised Barbie with a pink laptop, Bluetooth headset and – get this – a watch, and called her a ‘tech support’.  Forget larking on the beach in a bikini; this babe is having enough fun down in the basement talking idiot users through IP configs, and rummaging around behind the server cabs for that old bag of cable ends.

Turn it off, wait, then turn it back on again

One positive use already identified for the doll – other than wedging the comms room door open – will be to raise the debate concerning women in the male-dominated world of IT.  Reading the reaction to this story in all the usual places, opinion is split between those apparently disgusted that Barbie still exists in 2010, and those (predominately female voices) who find it somewhere in a sliding scale between harmless fun and ‘empowering’.

Let’s not forget that Barbie is a doll for children, most likely girls under the age of ten.  In that context, the ‘tech support’ aspect of this toy is more laudable than most of the other get-ups we know Barbie for.  And we are dying to see the ‘Barbie’s IT Department’ action set that you’ll be able to get with it in time for Christmas.

The 10th annual System Administrator appreciation day is today; you can celebrate at www.sysadminday.com

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Thanks to hangfire who pointed our attention to this press release showcasing webinars with some IT professionals who are ‘automating IT’:

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/hollywoodreporter/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090727006022&newsLang=en

But all these guys are American! No offence meant, but wouldn’t it be great to champion some UK-based people?

If you know someone who is Automating IT and deserves to be showcased then let us know and we’ll do it!