Janči, a Linux-proficient bioinformatics student, anticipated an easy assignment in a beginner's biology course involving Linux server access. The professor explained the need for a private key, which was shockingly distributed via email to all students. Janči, familiar with Linux, attempted to connect immediately using OpenSSH, expecting success. However, while others logged in with ease, Janči failed, feeling initial embarrassment. He tried various troubleshooting steps, blaming potential server issues, and reconfiguring SSH settings. Despite multiple attempts on his own machine and even a Windows box, he remained unable to connect. A friend suggested using her credentials, which surprisingly worked, revealing the issue. Janči discovered a mismatch between his email alias and Ubuntu server username, causing problems with ssh configuration. His home directory was missing crucial SSH files, preventing successful login with his own credentials. He could connect with other student’s credentials, highlighting the issue specifically affecting his configuration. Therefore, Janči was unable to complete the assignment because of his username setup. The story concludes highlighting Janči’s struggle and the underlying problem.