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Worker Fired For Running SETI On State-Owned PCs
Formica writes "A programmer working for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services was fired for running SETI software on a state server. As quoted in this article,
department head Tom Hayes says, 'I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building.' More articles from Google."
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said. "I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."
What an ass Tom Hayes is! Come on now, there is no need for personal attacks, especially because this statement was publicly released in a news interview and they have already fired this guy. I am half tempted to find Tom's email address and tell him just that.
So the issue is: Was there a policy that prohibited use of those systems for that purpose? Granted, since the machines were taxpayer funded, this should have raised some red-flags for Charles Smith (the fired employee), however...... immediate termination rather than a warning seems a bit harsh. Any time you are using publicly funded resources for personal use, there should be extreme caution, and my bias is to never, ever go there in the first place unless there is a prior agreement for reimbursement.
Of course we do not know all the circumstances, but Tom Hayes is still an ass for publicly attempting to humiliate this guy. Tom, whats wrong with you? I suspect you are a former high school football player turned college frat boy who has to put people down to make yourself feel better. Ass!
Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said.
However justified the firing of the employee, there was no reason to make such a denigrating comment about that employee. Smith should file a complaint and Hayes should publicly apologize. I hope that if Hayes ever makes a mistake he is treated a whole lot better than he chose to treat this man. I sent an email to them asking how this manager can behave in such an awful and slanderous manner. If you feel so inclined you can go here and do the same.
http://www.busyweather.com/
*winces* context clash! Please, don't mix your metaphors. Star Trek!=SETI. At all.
hayest@odjfs.state.oh.us
T: 614/466-6282
This qualifies as "Useless waste of government resources", just like browsing Slashdot. See ya, buddy.
Life in Orange County
maybe he was searching for illegal aliens stealing jobs in ohio
I have to agree with Hayes' decision (though not his commentary).
Wasting cycles looking for ET = wasting tax dollars.
BLING BLING. Meet the architecture that's changing everything.
Because SETI@Home is such a security risk.
My mother works for the County Gov't, and I've seen some of the spyware infested cesspools that they call computers, and they fire this guy for doing what? Wasting clock cycles?
Wouldn't it be useful if we could run these distributed programs on these fast servers when they're not in use?
After all, they are public servers --- they should be serving the public at every moment.
"Unauthorized software" means just that. Just because he was in the IT department doesn't give him free reign to do what he wants to with a production server.
Remember: Those servers, routers, switches, and workstations aren't yours, they belong to your employer. You're paid to do what your employer wants to them, and not do what said employer doesn't want. Nothing more, nothing less.
If you're stupid (yes, STUPID) enough to flaunt the rules because you think they don't apply to you, you deserve what you get.
It's stupid to fire someone for running this on company/institutional computers (whatever happened to warnings?), but it's also stupid to just decide to run it on the assumption that your boss isn't stupid.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Finally we have the proof. The state is covering up the existence of ET's I can see "they" now - "One computer less for them to know the truth MUAHAHAHAHA"
If I worked for the state and used say a government car for personal use they wouldn't just fire me. They would arrest me for misuse of public funds and materials. This theft just the same.
Running SETI costs tax payers money if the form of the electric bill and ware and tear on the equipment. I am running on my personal system GRID.org to fight cancer and my electric bill went up $20 a month for just 3 computers. This shit adds up, fast!
Slashdot, home of supporters of free software, free music, and free speech.Except for Moderators that disagree with you.
Not a simple computer, a server (as stated in the article). Furthermore, he ran a CPU (energy) intensive (and useless, in my opinion) program on a computer he didn't own, consuming power. Imagine all state employees start doing the same thing. A simple warning would have been enough; he served as an example. Sad in a way...
Eureka Science News - automatically updated
I had it running on 5 servers at one time at a gov agency I worked for. Soon it got around that SETI was running on 'production' servers and I was told politely to quit running it for all of the common reasons,, misuse of public funds etc. Keep in mind the servers were only using a fraction of their capability doing what they were doing in the first place,, and what they were doing was pretty useless and just bureacratic pork programs on a small scale.
dude, there is far more fraud, waste, and abuse in government then this piddling little thing. In the scheme of things, it probably cost more in administration costs to fire the poor bastard and hire a new guy than any expense brought on by the SETI program.
Yeah? Well I think you're overrated too.
The chick in HR who's downloaded the "kitty-cat screen saver" spam zombie is doing just fine.
Well, mixed feelings...
On one hand what this guy did is clearly wrong - even according to SETI rules - you're warned not to run this shit on computer on which you're not allowed to do so.
SETI uses up a lot of CPU cycles and makes outgoing network connections on its own (well he could have set it up in different ways, I guess) so it's dumb to have it run on a government SERVER without getting explicit permission.
On the other hand - this sort of shit shouldn't get someone fired* - maybe some embarasing talking to followed by an office-wide memo reminding everyone that "in light of recent transgressions, PLEASE BE ADVISED not to do this kind of shit"
*The stories that I've seen do not indicate whether there's been any prior incidents. Perhaps in this workplace, the "don't install shit on the server" policy is so ingrained into the office culture that someone can't be unaware of the severity of the consequences, in which case the firing is in order.
But actually I hink the comments by Tom Hayes are truthful (but unprofessional). Someone who values his SETI workunit count to such an extent as to fuck around at work, isn't brilliant.
Ecce Europa - Web Design for Business
What about if someone only runs said program while they are logged on? This really then only affects their own computing, and they are technically using all the electricity anyway. I agree though, servers are a totally different thing.
http://www.governor.ohio.gov/releases/080404hayes. htm/
Looks like he's done anyways. For shame!
It's pretty clear you've never worked in a corporate IT department. So the issue is: Was there a policy that prohibited use of those systems for that purpose?
Any employer worth his or her salt has an item in the employee handbook that prohibits employees from installing stuff on systems without permission.
Furthermore, and I have to point this out to users ALL the time- the computer they use is not theirs. It belongs to the company, as does the telephone, the power that PC uses, and its internet connection.
Granted, since the machines were taxpayer funded, this should have raised some red-flags for Charles Smith (the fired employee)
That would be an understatement.
, however...... immediate termination rather than a warning seems a bit harsh.
Not if the employee handbook says that's the consequence. Not if Smith was doing other things deserving of termination. Not if his actions endangered adherence to security protocols, placed sensitive data at risk of disclosure, or caused a department to loose certification. As a professional system admin, the mere fact that he considered it appropriate to install stuff like that on government systems shows his judgment is impaired.
Any time you are using publicly funded resources for personal use, there should be extreme caution
I've been a sysadmin for years, and it's pretty much common sense, as in the "don't walk off building tops" kind of common sense, that you do not use your employer's systems for anything you haven't specifically sought authorization for. Reasons, off the top of my head:
I can hear the kids yelling "but commercial software could be insecure too!" Well, that's right- but the difference is that if you're running something the IT department said was OK and the company gets h@x0r3d, they're the ones who take the heat. If it's because you were running some clownish search-for-ET thing or a program that puts a dancing ape on your desktop, well, then you get your ass canned so fast your head spins, and possibly get slapped with a lawsuit for damages as well.
Maybe the IT department has picked that official program because it's more secure, or has been certified by another government agency. Or they've actually tested/explored its security, or an outside consultant says it's more secure, or the maker of the software has signed agreements that their application meets security requirements of the government agency using the software.
Please help metamoderate.
We fired someone over the summer for running Folding@Home on multiple computers. It wasn't because of what he was doing, but because he had installed and run software that was not approved by the university, and therefore considered a security breach.
I don't necessarily agree with the firing, but if the rules state explicitly that you can't do it, then don't.
I e-mailed the bastard!
3 9&tid=126&tid=1
Here's the message:
Good morning/afternoon/evening Mr. Hayes!
You have just appeared on Slashdot as the asshole of the day today (09 October 2004), the largest geek news website. Expect many many more e-mails and possibly telephone calls and faxes from other geeks like me!
Use of such software on production line equiptment isn't a good idea in the first place. SETI does not cause damage, but may slow things down. Warning, pay cut, write up, whatnot might have been a more suitable punishment, but fireing the dude and saying:
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said. "I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."
is just uncalled for. And because of your actions, this is now on slashdot and you have basically been deemed asshole of the day.
Your personal info is in the comment tree of the article such as address, this e-mail address, fax, etc.
Here is the link: http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/09/17402
Good luck!
"And so the Trekkies were executed in the mannor most befitting virgins - thrown into volcanoes" - Futurama
There are, in fact, lots of different kinds of "unauthorized sofware".
There is the kind that introduces viruses, the kind that is used for trading porn, the kind used for trading Windows source code, the kind for sharing MP3's with a million of your closest friends, and the kind that people use for running a side business.
And then there is the kind that people use to contribute to a not-for-profit scientific effort at a public university for no financial gain, software that only uses idle cycles and is known not to interfere with anybody's applications.
Unauthorized use of sofware of those different kinds demands different kinds of responses. The use of the latter kind of software use warrants at most a warning.
Dear Governor Taft,
I am writing regarding the despicable conduct of one of your appointees, namely, Tom Hayes of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. He recently fired an employee, a computer programmer named Charles Smith, for running a program called SETI@Home on the department machines. The program uses spare computer time (when the computer isn't being used, like when a screensaver is running, for example) to do mathematical analysis on data received via radio telescopes by the SETI Program.
The SETI@Home project is well-respected in the scientific and technology communities, and there was no need for Mr. Hayes to fire the programmer for installing the program on department computers. However, the issue goes much deeper than that.
Mr. Hayes demonstrates not only a lack of knowledge on the subject, but also an unwillingness to learn about things he doesn't already know about. A very small amount of poking about on the Internet would have revealed a wealth of information on the SETI@Home project, including its endorsement by a variety of educational organizations and industries.
http://setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu/
Instead, Hayes indicates his assumption of intellectual superiority with such witty repartee as this quote from the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
"I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning," Hayes said. "I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."
Hayes's complete lack of tact when dealing with the media over what is actually an unjust firing demonstrates that he is incapable of performing his duties in a way that reflects positively on the State of Ohio, and I hope you will take appropriate action in this situation.
Hayes was stepping down Oct 1. Why he's still there, I don't know. (Or is Slashdot posting weeks-old news again? No, couldn't be!)
I don't really see it. One Google result showed the difference in power consumption between an idle and loaded 3.4GHz P4 to be about 80W. I pay about $0.09 for a KWh of electricity. That works out to about $5.62 extra per month per computer - assuming that the CPU would otherwise be completely idle for the entire month. This is for a particularly power-hungry CPU, and most would be cheaper to operate.
Note that the same system (from the source above) would already cost $10.60 per month per machine to run at the price I'm paying, no you're not exactly getting to use it for free anyhow. This has nothing to do with the discussion; it's just a side observation.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
One - the guy was fired, and he's 63; many organizations attempt to get rid of people before retirement, because then the person doesn't get the full package. They were probably looking for a reason, and this was it.
Two - When media says "computer server", it doesn't have to be a "server" in the sense that slashdotters think. Media doesn't know; this could've been a sparc 10 used to generate a report or something.
this isn't a sig. i type this (including the two dashes), every time i post, just to make it look like a sig.
Tom Hayes is set to step down as director this month. I wonder if he maybe had a personal grudge against this guy.
Mr. Hayes is apparently as ignorant as he believes the programmer was. I imagine there are a LOT of people who would get fired if all managers were as ignorant as this tool.
Either way, it's too bad neither of the phone numbers that show up on Google for "tom hayes, ohio" were actually him. I'd certainly love to for him to realize his ignorance.. 24x7.
Firing this guy is severe and unwarranted. A simple warning should have been enough.
Since he's a state employee, I hope his union takes up the case and files a grievance.
Interviewer: "So, why were you let go of your last position?"
TheGuy: "Well, I was fired for using company equipment to find space aliens."
Interviewer: "Space aliens?"
TheGuy: "Yip!"
Interviewer: "Um, okay, nice meeting you, we'll call you, don't call us."
Table-ized A.I.
Been running Folding@Home. Like to see them fire someone for that. "Oh yeah, we fired him because he was using spare governement computer resources to try to find cures and other medical breakthroughs."
"Sic Semper Tyrannosaurus Rex."
Also note that some places may pay more for electricity than you do. Here in Austin, TX, the first 500 kW/month is relatively cheap, then the next 1000 kW/month is about twice as much, and the rest is even more. My average price per kWh works out to about $0.10, but using more power costs me more like $0.12 per kWh. (Also, the electric company shows a nice profit, which goes into the city coffers to pay for libraries and such. It's like another tax.)
As a general rule of thumb, when you try to use real world numbers and math to show that somebody else's estimate is way off, it's a good idea to use figures that don't agree with theirs quite so closely :)
Assuming that a single person owns three desktop computers, and is a pretty typical user, and leaves them all on 24/7, I'll bet their cpus are idle over 95% of the time, unless he runs something like a fancy screensaver or Seti. So `completely idle' is pretty close to the truth. Actually, it's also possible they were all (or maybe two) turned off when not used, but now are left on to run GRID, and that'll increase the power usage greatly. And if he lives somewhere hot, the extra heat generated will require more air conditioning to keep cool. Sounds like he got off cheap at $20/month, doesn't it?I got my share of calls at 5am from system admins freaking out back in the distributed.net days because I was the DNS contact. We've had people get fired for running Folding@home too. This is actually not as rare as you would think.
We do everything we can to tell poeple NOT to do this, and they KNOW they are doing something wrong.
I feel bad for the guy, but only as bad as I feel for people that choose to live in Florida and then bitch about hurricanes.
- Adam L. Beberg - The Cosm Project - http://www.mithral.com/
"His tenure at ODJFS has demonstrated once again that he knows how to bring the best of his employees out."
Most state government employees can easily file a grievance to challenge any termination. No lawyers or representation is usually necessary, but just to be safe he might want some.
If this firing were challenged in my state, especially considering the derogatory and defamatory comments issued by this employees boss, a grievance committee would almost certainly give his job back.
I suspect this employee was given no warnings about the conduct for which he was fired. In addition, he probably wasn't violating any direct orders or specific policies. Sure, he was in violation of general policies regarding personal use of computers. But when his boss publically accused him of being crazy, he almost certainly overrode any minor policy violations by the employee.
In my state, the comments made by his boss would have violated any number of state regulations and policies regarding correct termination procedures. And considering that this employee could sue for defamation, I wouldn't be surprised to see his boss actually fired over this.
One might ask why he would want his job back? Certainly he wouldn't want to work for this jerk again. Because state governments are large, and he could immediately apply for a transfer to another agency. One where he would no longer have to work for the ignorant fool that is Tom Hayes.
Please read this.
Once upon a time, somebody put the seti@home screensaver on a box that was being used as a server to host a little web app. The client started getting customer complaints about timeouts, so I made a trip to their site because nothing funky showed up on pc-anywhere.
It turned out that when the seti screen server kicked in it starved out IIS. Maybe there are settings to say "run in nice mode" and so forth, but I was less than amused at the time.
Personal hardware, fine - knock yourself out. Server hardware, not such a good idea (unless it is _your_ server hardware).
Maybe the man was a border-line screw-up and this was the last straw. Or maybe he was too close to retirement, lost the political infighting, hit on the manager's wife, who knows.
It does seem, however, that the manager's ignorant attitude towards the SETI project had a strong influence on his firing decision. To be expected from a PHB.
They say the first thing to go is your penis. Well, it's either that or your brain. I forget which...
Not in Columbus, Ohio. The village idiot is heading the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
But every employer I've worked for has made it very clear that using their resources for non job-related business is a no-no.
I suspect Buddy had already pissed off el jefe. After doing that, running SETI on el jefe's computer was just plain stupid. Buddy needed to be fired for stupidity.
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, it doesn't go away." - Philip K. Dick
Shop owner finds city computers with residents' personal info in http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid =12944909&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6
http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid =12952176&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6
http://news.google.com/news?q=lorain%20computers&h l=en&lr=&safe=off&sa=N&tab=wn
Unauthorised software on servers ?
Supervise him clearing his desk and get him escorted out of the building.
"Tzu Chang said, 'What can be called the four vices?'
Confucius said, 'To put to death without teaching can be called cruelty. To judge results without prerequisites can be called tyranny. To impose deadlines on improper orders can be called thievery. As when giving in the procedure of receipt and disbursement, to stint can be called officious."
Sigh... More than 2000 years later people still don't have a clue...
On Saturday 09 October 2004 4:23 am, John Burrowy wrote:
>
s tinfo/colug1
>
> http://www.newsnet5.com/news/3793629/detail.html
Actually, he wasn't a programmer. He was a database application specialist
(Oracle). And it wasn't just a server. It was a 4 processor LPAR running on
an IBM p690, with 6GB of RAM assigned. I've known about the SETI project,
but who would have guessed that they made an AIX version?
And contrary to his claim about the system not being used on the weekend, he
was discovered precisely because some of the other developers were
complaining about the reduced performance on the system.
_______________________________________________
colug1 mailing list colug1@colug.net
http://www.colug.net/mailman/li
Dear Mr. Dachannein,
Regardless of how respected the SETI@Home project may be, those servers were purchased for a reason and running SETI@Home was not it. We find that the employee was vioating policy and his termination was appropriate.
Dear Governor Taft,
I am a taxpayer in your state and, therefore, partially responsible for the funding of this computer. I would rather this computer be used to its fullest potential, and I feel that whenever it sits unused, it is wasting tax-bought resources.
It is common knowledge that computers typically become obsolete before they actually stop working. Therefore, getting as much use out of them as possible before they become obsolete is important. It is the same principle as using any product to its fullest potential before its life cycle is ended. I would assume that, for example, your state cars are not retired while they are still in good shape.
SETI@Home, and other distributed applications, are a good method of using computers when they would otherwise sit unused. The applications are designed to benefit the public (ie, taxpayers), and is therefore a method where the taxpayer dollars are directly beneficial to the taxpayer. In my opinion, running such applications on tax-bought machines should be required.
Punctanym: alternate spelling of words using punctuation or numerals in place of some or all of its letters; see 'leet'
You can find an online feedback form for Governor Taft here:
http://governor.ohio.gov/contactinfopage.asp
user@host$ diff
Mr. Hayes demonstrates not only a lack of knowledge on the subject, but also an unwillingness to learn about things he doesn't already know about.
(cue Quentin Tarantino)
Do you see a sign over Mr's Hayes' desk that reads: SETI Scientist? No? Do you know why you don't see that sign? Because being a SETI scientist aint his fucking business.
Seriously though, your letter is well written and such, but every geek has to respect the fact that they like control over what goes on their system. This guy (Hayes) is the head geek in that particular flock, and he said "no". Granted, I don't agree with him being a dick about it, especially in a media outlet, but regardless, it's not his job to "learn about" or become "enlightened to" the concept of SETI@home software. He's put put in charge of a fleet of servers, his bottom line is the integrity of said servers.
Does the presence of SETI software compromize the secutity of those machines? No, probably not. But Charles HAD TO ASK PERMISSON TO PUT IT ON or risk the consequenses. He risked them and got bitten. Bummer.
He left the department on 10/1:
. htm
http://www.governor.ohio.gov/releases/080404hayes
But the artile listed above was printed 10/9. So this guy's dismissal had to have happened on or before 10/1. I suppose if this thing blows up, this quote "...what I am most looking forward to now is spending more time with my family" may not be as easy-going as he hopes.
These are points that I believe and that I have expressed in my email:
1-Publicly insulting someone without any reason was unacceptable.
2-Tom Hayes is a public servant and it makes is act much more critical because he receive is pay from taxpayers.
3-Charles E. Smith is 63 and I think that we should have much more respect for our seniors.
4-I support the SETI project as many other million people and because Tom Hayes as a lack of culture, education and sight, that doesn't give him the right to insult is ex employee and at the same time all supporters of SETI project.
5-They should have give Charles E. Smith a warning; it's not like if he did something with malign intentions. Installing Internet Explorer is probably much more dangerous than installing SETI@home.
6-Tom Hayes should be sacked for is lack of judgement.
Yahh, hiii haaaaa! -Major Kong, from Dr. Strangelove
To Ohio DJFS:s sf?/base/news/1097228025306530.xml) for one, I am more than a little shocked that a Department Head in the State of Ohio would slander an employee in such a manner. If the quote "I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning" is correct, it is my fondest wish that Mr. Hayes be publicly reprimanded by Governor Taft and removed from his position. Even assuming that Mr. Smith's termination was somehow justified (and unless there is a long history of similar offences, I suspect that it is not) there can be no justification for such remarks to be made, and most CERTAINLY not in public.
Shame on you Mr. Hayes for the discredit you bring to yourself, the employees of DJFS and the office of the governor. Shame.
If there is a more direct way for me to contact Mr. Hayes, I would be glad to use it, but I'm unable to locate it on your web site. With regards to the recent termination of Charles Smith, as publicized in several news articles (http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.
Office of the Governor:
Governor Taft,
I am sure you are already aware - or soon will be - of the shameful actions of Tom Hayes, the director of ODJFS with regards to the termination of Charles Smith, a computer programmer on the DJFS staff as chronicled in several news articles (http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.s sf?/base/news/1097228025306530.xml), for one. Whether or not Mr. Smith's dismissal is justified (and on the surface it certainly does not appear to be so) the remark attributed to Mr. Hayes following Smith's termination leaves me shocked and aghast. If Mr. Hayes was correctly quoted "I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning" is correct, it is my fondest wish that Mr. Hayes be publicly reprimanded by your office and removed from his position. There can be no justification for such remarks to be made, and most CERTAINLY not in public.
I believe - and certainly hope - that you will hear from the technical and scientific communities, both loudly and publicly, about Mr. Hayes' appalling action. I see no possible way for someone so callous, unthinking and uncaring as Mr. Hayes to serve successfully as the director of an agency like DJFS.
And no, I am not related to Mr. Smith of Ohio...
This has been a test. If this had been an actual Sig, you would have been amused.
Certainly he should have downloaded SETI@Work.
~D
True dat. My dad works for the State of California, and there is a significant difference in benefits if you retire at the age of 60 instead of 65. Actually the only benefit of working for the State is the benefits; the private sector consistently pays more. Benefits in CA are awesome; 50-90% of your pay for the rest of your LIFE! This guy should definitely sue for age discriminination.
Disclaimer IAADP
The organization that hired the meathead running the IT organization should be forced to pay out a multimillion dollar damage judgement. Unfortunately, this will come out ot the pockets of the taxpayers, not stockholders, but shit happens.
Tech Public Policy stuff
Comment removed based on user account deletion
The guy installed an unapproved program onto to a production server without approval and bypassing change control. What happens if his little stunt had brought the server down or worse yet the network down and had cost people in Ohio tax dollars? What if the program had allowed a breach that let confidential information out?
The retort that "It was just the SETI client" isn't the issue. Smith's complete violation of process and gross misjudgement is the matter at hand.
This reminds me of one 'tard at work who decided that he was going to install MS Works on a server so he could write his school papers. Didn't matter that the idiot was provided a workstation with the latest version of Office at the time. To make matters worse he installs the x86 binaries on the NT Alpha machine we have. So here I catch him sitting at the server merrily doing his homework and of course I have to make a shift report saying that the server has unapproved software on it after telling him to get off the box and stay away from it. He was lucky it happened back then than now. With SOX and all the auditing we have to do now he would have been fired on the spot. Smith reminds me of this guy and I have no sympathy for either.
I don't want knowledge. I want certainty. - Law, David Bowie
If installing SETI@Home is all he did wrong, I wouldn't have fired him either. I would most certainly have disciplined him and reviewed his permissions/other boxes he's touched. However, I would not have fired him for just that. He made a mistake; point it out to him, admonish him for it, and move on. If he did it again, then I'd send him packing.
Treat those who work for you with respect, especially when you're disciplining them, and yes - even when you're firing them. They're people, goddamn it - treat them like you'd like to be treated.
I'd just like to point out that expecting a salaried employee to work 10+ hours a day and not use the phone/email/web for personal use is immoral.
And there's a difference between a sysadmin who "gets it" and one that's a "fucking ass". If your sysadmin cannot gain the respect of the rest of your employees - to the point where they ignore him and he must constantly harangue them - then it's time to get a new sysadmin. There are plenty out there, and not all are total dicks.
Literalism isn't a form of humor, it's you being irritating.