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Ford Giving Free PCs to All Employees

Posted by Roblimo on from the promoting-computer-literacy-in-a-very-cool-way dept.

trims writes "Ford Motor Company is giving each of its 350,000 employees a computer & printer (and good ones, too), plus Internet service (by UUNet). Are we getting to the point where corporations subsidize the Internet in the name of productivity? It's a NY Times article (free registration required)" The Internet access is supposed to cost $5 per month - and possibly less in low-wage countries. Nice move, Ford!

3 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. The Ford style by Pseudonymus+Bosch · · Score: 4

    You can have your computer any color,... as long it is black.
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    Men with no respect for life must never be allowed to control the ultimate instruments of death.
    GW Bu
  2. leery... by wavelet · · Score: 4

    For one I'm leery of the privacy concerns now that the "company" owns the machine that is supposed to be for "home use". I try to keep a clear distinction on what is work related and business related.

    I have a business laptop and for all intents and purposes, it does everything I need it to do for work related purposes. I take it home and do work at home. I have a dial-up account with the company that gets me to the corporate intranet and internet access through the company proxy. Having a "home" PC from the company really would *not* add any "functionaly".

    I also have a "home" PC, which I own. I have a dial-up account and email address with a personal ISP. I think the distiction is important because of privacy concerns. Knowing alittle about computer forensics and security, I would want to keep my personal files, browsing habbits, etc on a machines that can't be revoked by the company for analysis at anytime.

    There seems to be a growing trend towards providing services for employees for their "conveniece". I read an article about how companies are using concierge services to help out employees with getting flowers, planning parties etc. The premise was that for every $1.00 spent by the company on the concierge service they company would recieve $1.75 worth of work out of its employees. With company t-shirts, cups, parties, home PC, etc I think we take one step towards being owned by a cult. In the article it tells of a woman who was emotionally distraught that the company was providing all these services just to get more productivity out of her not because they thought she was a great person.

  3. This is not the first time by Corrado · · Score: 4
    My best friend's Dad used to work at Ford and in the early to mid 80's they sponsored a workshop in which they taught you how to assemble a computer. It was a 9-10 week course and at the end of it you got to keep your computer. I think it was yours to keep with no strings attatched.

    I think it's cool Ford is doing it again. Kudos to them.

    Later...

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    KangarooBox - We make IT simple!