I work in IT in a school and I stopped going to the school social functions a few years ago, not because people don't like me, they love me, often when they call our department with a question, they ask for me, which is a bit embarassing sometimes, but I see that as validation of the good work I do. The reason I don't visit those social functions anymore is because every damn time a lot of the users come up to me asking workrelated IT stuff or personal IT stuff, normally I don't mind answering questions, but not during a party/etc. Work has to end sometime.
This is what I did, I built a tiny HTPC house in an old NES case, the only moving parts are in the slot-in dvd burner. It's an Asus ION3 Deluxe motherboard with 4gb ram. I added a 60GB SSD and installed Ubuntu/XBMC on it, it works perfectly in full HD. There is no active cooling, but the temperature doesn't get high at all. The deluxe version of the motherboard had an USB IR receiver and remote control which work just fine in XBMC:) I keep my media on a nice NAS with 4x2TB Drives in it, if that is full, I will add another NAS.
I posted my project for a bit here: http://forum.fok.nl/topic/1470800 The pic with me and the glasses was after I got a molten piece of plastic in my eye, the site is in dutch. Enjoy:)
First, that was hilarious:) Second, it gave me the thought that Mario should get better intelligence before storming a castle. That thought lead to the MIA, the Mario Intelligence Agency, it could literally have spooks that find out where the princess is so Mario won't waste anymore time:)
I'm european, dutch even. I'm ashamed to say I felt elation at hearing of his death. So weird to feel happy about a death and then guilty about feeling that happy, that was a feeling I only had once before.
I guess it had to do with the danger he posed and feeling happy for the victims of 9/11 that they finally may have some closure and if possible get on with their lives.
If we already have a piece of software that does what the employee wants to do, then we are not buying other licenses, unless the employee can make a very good case that he needs product X. I am not talking about the mainstream products like this, I am talking about smaller less important programs, like Copernic, etc.
nom nom nom, I love how you try to put words in my mouth, tastes kinda bitter though. If you did work in our company and you came to us with your problem, we would have found a solution, no hard feelings all around. Bringing your own hardware is just not acceptable, I couldn't care less about a mouse, but the next guy will bring other things that is of a bigger threat to our infrastructure. Now you could be trolling, I just hope you're not. Almost everything can be solved by reasonable discussion. When I tell a user no, I always do my best to explain why and so far every user, from teachers to high level managers have always accepted my explanations, I am not in this for personal glory or a powertrip, I am part of a company that has 1 main goal and as part of that team I do my part to make that goal happen.
P.S. don't stay anonymous please, if you believe enough in your opinion, please put your name on it.
I'd like to add a small tidbit. If a user comes to our department with a request for a certain piece of software that does X, we might deny that request and offer an alternative since we already have a license for software Y or we researched it and found that software Y is easier to use, has fewer problems, etc. This goes for hardware too. I consider it a point of principle to give the best service possible within the framework of our IT policies. We do have to say no on a regular basis.
We issue the people who need it laptops, they are however responsible for their own backups for the stuff they don't put on the network. Btw, one other reason for not allowing personal computers in the building is to prevent any confusion about softwarelicenses, if we get raided by the BSA and their gestapolike cronies, we want to be able to show all licenses for the software used in the building and we don't want to explain why we don't have a license for a crappy piece of software that is free for home use but should be licensed in a company.
Where I work we have a webfilter as well, however when a user needs a site that is actually workrelated, the user mails us, we check it out to see if it is workrelated or just a youtube/vimeo/etc site and if it is workrelated, we whitelist it, no problem.
If the user really does know better AND he is working in a function where that knowledge is put to use, then the type of communication with that user should/will be of a higher level than with the "standard users", this should be decided at management level. If this has not been decided, then the IT department should treat the user the same as other users at first and maybe give a little leeway after getting to know the user and what he can do better. I work in a school and most users are teachers who are not that well versed in IT, there are a few who know a lot more and they are willing to assist us in our work when needed, these are the users that we give leeway too and we appreciate their help as they appreciate our flexibility and recognition of their skillset.
I wonder why you were modded 30% funny, this is informative and insightful, thank you for taking the time to write this, I might even steal an argument here or there when I need to educate a user.
The Netherlands:) I can say what I want, I can smoke weed if I want, I can visit a prostitute if I want, all without fear of being arrested or ticketed. In the US prostitution is outlawed here and there if I am not mistaken, marihuana is illegal and we don't have no stupid stinking free speech zones.
For living normally, the US is fine, no problem and those examples I gave, I don't do them anyway, but I could if I wanted and that's freedom good sir.
Yes even the executives that didn't know anything, how can they be responsible for a company and not know something going of this magnitude. People should take responsibility more often.
The best example I saw was a few years ago, a japanese executive publically admitted that his leadership damaged the company and he resigned. He also implored the people not to blame the people who worked at the company since they were not responsible, he was. I can respect that.
Disabling Autorun isn't enough, most people doubleclick "This Computer" and then doubleclick the usb-drive, doubleclicking it like that also infects the PC.
Ignore the fool, he is only trolling. You seem to have a passion for you job as I do for mine, it isn't always easy, but we get the feeling of getting stuff done after a long day.
It also allows the users to work longer without problems, so it's win-win. (and it also protects idiot users from themselves and from the wrath of the IT department)
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I work in IT in a school and I stopped going to the school social functions a few years ago, not because people don't like me, they love me, often when they call our department with a question, they ask for me, which is a bit embarassing sometimes, but I see that as validation of the good work I do.
The reason I don't visit those social functions anymore is because every damn time a lot of the users come up to me asking workrelated IT stuff or personal IT stuff, normally I don't mind answering questions, but not during a party/etc. Work has to end sometime.
That's why when I can't dazzle 'm with brilliance, I baffle 'm with bullshit. :)
Well you're still screwed either way :)
Glad you liked it :D
This is what I did, I built a tiny HTPC house in an old NES case, the only moving parts are in the slot-in dvd burner. :)
It's an Asus ION3 Deluxe motherboard with 4gb ram. I added a 60GB SSD and installed Ubuntu/XBMC on it, it works perfectly in full HD.
There is no active cooling, but the temperature doesn't get high at all. The deluxe version of the motherboard had an USB IR receiver and remote control which work just fine in XBMC
I keep my media on a nice NAS with 4x2TB Drives in it, if that is full, I will add another NAS.
I posted my project for a bit here: http://forum.fok.nl/topic/1470800 :)
The pic with me and the glasses was after I got a molten piece of plastic in my eye, the site is in dutch.
Enjoy
First, that was hilarious :) :)
Second, it gave me the thought that Mario should get better intelligence before storming a castle.
That thought lead to the MIA, the Mario Intelligence Agency, it could literally have spooks that find out where the princess is so Mario won't waste anymore time
I'm european, dutch even. I'm ashamed to say I felt elation at hearing of his death.
So weird to feel happy about a death and then guilty about feeling that happy, that was a feeling I only had once before.
I guess it had to do with the danger he posed and feeling happy for the victims of 9/11 that they finally may have some closure and if possible get on with their lives.
Then you are in the wrong company.
If we already have a piece of software that does what the employee wants to do, then we are not buying other licenses, unless the employee can make a very good case that he needs product X.
I am not talking about the mainstream products like this, I am talking about smaller less important programs, like Copernic, etc.
From the moment of receiving the mail, usually less than an hour.
nom nom nom, I love how you try to put words in my mouth, tastes kinda bitter though.
If you did work in our company and you came to us with your problem, we would have found a solution, no hard feelings all around.
Bringing your own hardware is just not acceptable, I couldn't care less about a mouse, but the next guy will bring other things that is of a bigger threat to our infrastructure.
Now you could be trolling, I just hope you're not. Almost everything can be solved by reasonable discussion.
When I tell a user no, I always do my best to explain why and so far every user, from teachers to high level managers have always accepted my explanations, I am not in this for personal glory or a powertrip, I am part of a company that has 1 main goal and as part of that team I do my part to make that goal happen.
P.S. don't stay anonymous please, if you believe enough in your opinion, please put your name on it.
Bravo bravo, very well put.
I'd like to add a small tidbit.
If a user comes to our department with a request for a certain piece of software that does X, we might deny that request and offer an alternative since we already have a license for software Y or we researched it and found that software Y is easier to use, has fewer problems, etc. This goes for hardware too.
I consider it a point of principle to give the best service possible within the framework of our IT policies.
We do have to say no on a regular basis.
We issue the people who need it laptops, they are however responsible for their own backups for the stuff they don't put on the network.
Btw, one other reason for not allowing personal computers in the building is to prevent any confusion about softwarelicenses, if we get raided by the BSA and their gestapolike cronies, we want to be able to show all licenses for the software used in the building and we don't want to explain why we don't have a license for a crappy piece of software that is free for home use but should be licensed in a company.
Where I work we have a webfilter as well, however when a user needs a site that is actually workrelated, the user mails us, we check it out to see if it is workrelated or just a youtube/vimeo/etc site and if it is workrelated, we whitelist it, no problem.
I just checked my company, too bad you weren't in there, you would have been on report so fast your head would spin.
If the user really does know better AND he is working in a function where that knowledge is put to use, then the type of communication with that user should/will be of a higher level than with the "standard users", this should be decided at management level. If this has not been decided, then the IT department should treat the user the same as other users at first and maybe give a little leeway after getting to know the user and what he can do better.
I work in a school and most users are teachers who are not that well versed in IT, there are a few who know a lot more and they are willing to assist us in our work when needed, these are the users that we give leeway too and we appreciate their help as they appreciate our flexibility and recognition of their skillset.
I wonder why you were modded 30% funny, this is informative and insightful, thank you for taking the time to write this, I might even steal an argument here or there when I need to educate a user.
Hey don't go bashing the asians, I am dutch, we are supposed to be stereotyped as cheap :P
"There needs to be a lot more vigilantism in the United states."
Yes, but keep it there, so I won't become a victim of this vigilantism here in europe.
The Netherlands :)
I can say what I want, I can smoke weed if I want, I can visit a prostitute if I want, all without fear of being arrested or ticketed.
In the US prostitution is outlawed here and there if I am not mistaken, marihuana is illegal and we don't have no stupid stinking free speech zones.
For living normally, the US is fine, no problem and those examples I gave, I don't do them anyway, but I could if I wanted and that's freedom good sir.
Yes even the executives that didn't know anything, how can they be responsible for a company and not know something going of this magnitude.
People should take responsibility more often.
The best example I saw was a few years ago, a japanese executive publically admitted that his leadership damaged the company and he resigned.
He also implored the people not to blame the people who worked at the company since they were not responsible, he was. I can respect that.
Disabling Autorun isn't enough, most people doubleclick "This Computer" and then doubleclick the usb-drive, doubleclicking it like that also infects the PC.
Ignore the fool, he is only trolling.
You seem to have a passion for you job as I do for mine, it isn't always easy, but we get the feeling of getting stuff done after a long day.
It also allows the users to work longer without problems, so it's win-win.
(and it also protects idiot users from themselves and from the wrath of the IT department)
If you've got a stupid user, it doesn't matter which tool you give him/her.
They'll fuck it up beyond recognition.