System Administrator Appreciation Day 2017 is almost here, and to celebrate the special occasion we’ll be publishing a series of themed posts right up until the big day on Friday, July 28. Remember when we explored the history of programming a few months ago? Well, today we thought it would be fun to look at the origins of SysAdmin Appreciation day. Ready for your history lesson? Here we go:
Sysadmin Appreciation Day is Born
SysAdmin Appreciation Day was created way back in 2000 by (believe it or not) a sysadmin named Ted Kekatos. In an interview, Kekatos explained that he got the idea from an HP LaserJet 4000 Ad that depicted users in an organization giving their sysadmin wine, fruits and flowers to show their appreciation. Kekatos figured that since administrators had Administrative Professionals’ Day, then system administrators should have System Administrator Appreciation Day— and hence the sacred day was born.
Kekatos sent a message to his fellow sysadmins about the idea, and the response was so positive that it quickly spread around the world (it went viral before people started using the term viral). There wasn’t too much publicity and fanfare around the very first SysAdmin Appreciation Day on July 28, 2000, but over the years it has grown into a global event that falls on the last Friday in July.
Ironically, most sysadmins have to work on SysAdmin Appreciation Day because they’re so essential to their organizations. But then again, it couldn’t be any other way!
How do You Celebrate SysAdmin Day?
Do you have any special SysAdmin Appreciation Day traditions? Or have your colleagues taken a moment to thank you for your hard work — perhaps by sending you a special eCard, getting you an extra large coffee, or inviting you out for a beer after work? Let us know by commenting below!