The Unofficial Rules of Tech Support: Surviving and Thriving Among Fellow Techs
If you’ve ever worked in IT, you know there’s a secret code—a set of unwritten rules that govern the world behind the help desk. But what happens when those rules are written down, debated, and ruthlessly roasted by a legion of techs who’ve seen it all? Enter the “Rules of Tech Support – Techs” from Reddit’s r/TalesFromTechSupport: a masterclass in geek wisdom, self-deprecating humor, and lessons learned the hard (and hilarious) way.
Whether you’re a battle-hardened sysadmin or a fresh-faced junior tech, these rules capture the joys, frustrations, and absurdities of working with (and sometimes against) other techies. From the perils of untested backups to the existential dread of being replaced by someone who thinks you’re incompetent, this list will make you laugh, groan, and probably check your backup strategy immediately.
The Sacred (and Not-So-Sacred) Laws of Tech-on-Tech Action
At first glance, the “Rules of Tech Support – Techs” reads like a cross between a disaster-preparedness manual and a stand-up comedy routine. Rule T1—CYA (cover your, well, assets)—sets the tone: "Always have someone else to blame it on.” As one commenter, u/fatmanwithabeard, dryly noted, “Never blame things on fellow techs, unless they are maladaptive twits who make life worse just by being on the team.” In other words: blame wisely, and only when your own survival depends on it.
The rules pull no punches about the reality of tech support. Rule T2 warns, “Never lie to another tech,” swiftly followed by exceptions and amendments—because, let’s face it, sometimes you have to fib to get warranty repairs or convince the ISP that yes, you really did try turning it off and on again. And Rule T3? "Never assume anything." Or as u/Marmot418 suggested, maybe we need T3D: “Does it have power?” After all, more careers have been saved or doomed by a forgotten power switch than by any certification.
Backup Nightmares and Documentation Infernos
Backups are a recurring theme, and for good reason. Rule T9 and its many subclauses are a love letter to every tech’s worst fear: the backup that wasn’t. “If you can’t restore from it, you don’t have a backup,” the rules warn, echoing the wisdom of countless sleepless nights. Rule T9B gets even darker: “There is no backup. If there is a backup, it is either corrupt or years out of date.” You can almost hear the collective shudder from the comment section—and the stories of data loss that haunt every IT pro.
But it’s not just backups that keep techs up at night. Documentation is another sore spot. Rule T15 proclaims, “No technical person reads all of the rules. They will act like they know them until the place catches fire, then complain about incomplete documentation.” One commenter, u/honeyfixit, summed up the inevitable: sometimes you’re the idiot, and sometimes you just have to “learn and don’t make the same mistake again”—unless, as u/monedula pointed out, you ignore help and drag everyone down with you.
And when the documentation literally goes up in flames? Rule T15A is ready: “Especially if it was the documentation that went up in flames first.”
The Tech’s Tech: When You’re Your Own Worst User
A running theme throughout the rules (and the hilarious community responses) is that every tech is also a user—often a forgetful, error-prone, or just plain unlucky one. Rule T13: “Every tech is also a user,” with T13A warning that, yes, “Techs will treat you like you are a user.” This is an equal-opportunity cycle of misery, as even the most seasoned pro will eventually call for help and be schooled on the basics they’ve told others a hundred times.
Commenter u/fatmanwithabeard delivered some tough love: “If you can't convince someone of an untruth without directly lying, you need to find another career path.” But perhaps the most universal (and humbling) rule is T18: “You are incompetent. You just don’t know it. At least, that’s what your replacement will think.” A gentle reminder from u/honeyfixit: “Don’t beat yourself up (much); just learn and don’t make the same mistake again.”
And if you think you’re immune? Wait until the third-party IT folks come in, overhaul your configuration, and then blame you for the fallout. Rule T17 and T27 are there so you can at least say, “I told you so”—assuming anyone’s still listening.
Womprats, Beards, and the Art of Elegant Laziness
The community didn’t just stick to the practical. Hidden gems like Rule T16, “Womprats aren’t much larger than two meters,” earned a standing ovation from u/Algaean: “Bravo, good sir!” And for the network cable connoisseurs, Rule T568A/B is a nod to those who know their pinouts—and to the ongoing debate about “white/green and green/white” (thanks, u/K-o-R and u/TheThiefMaster).
Perhaps the best advice comes from Rule T21: “Use your inner laziness to do the most elegant solution possible.” As u/fatmanwithabeard put it, “Good IT is lazy IT. Just because the task takes 4 hours to accomplish following the manual process doesn't mean we use a manual process (and you need to know the manual process in order to write the automation for it).” In other words: work smarter, not harder—and don’t forget to grow a beard (Rule T29) so people don’t recognize you when things go sideways.
Conclusion: The Rules Are Written, But the Story Never Ends
These rules aren’t just a list—they’re a living, breathing testament to the shared struggles and inside jokes of techs everywhere. As the original poster, u/morriscox, clarified, there are even more rules (and credits!) over on their GitHub repo. The community continues to add, debate, and refine this evolving bible of IT wisdom.
So, whether you’re a seasoned sysadmin, a junior tech, or just someone who’s ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes, take these rules to heart. Maybe you’ll avoid disaster—or at least get a good laugh before your next fire drill.
Have your own tech support war stories or rules to add? Drop them in the comments below—because if there’s one thing every tech loves, it’s knowing someone else’s backup failed just as spectacularly as theirs.
Happy troubleshooting—and may your documentation never catch fire!
Original Reddit Post: Rules of Tech Support - Techs - 2026-02-17