Could I lose my job over iTunes? :(

[CRXican]

fired on your day off

 

[rudder]

At least it did not DL child porn to your pc.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Don't install shit on a computer that doesn't belong to you. Not hard to understand.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

I was messing around with my CAC settings on my computer trying to update my certificates and I guess I messed something up. I couldn't log in anymore using my CAC after I restarted. No problem I thought, I'll just call the help desk.

Technicians can't fix the problem over the phone. They send someone physically over to to fix it. No luck.

They see that I have iTunes installed and Yahoo Messenger. They confiscate my laptop and tell me they are going to report me to security. I immediately tell my deputy director who tells the director.
Turns out the reason my computer is not working is because they found a virus on my computer .................. as a result of third party applications. :rolls eyes: That's B.S. Computer is not working because I was trying to update my certificates and I goofed something up in the settings. I would assume a 'system restore' could possibly fix the problem but they said they do not allow that.

Now I'm worried about losing my job. Tech people are making a huge freaking deal out of this IMO because they can't solve the issue.
Guess I'll find out Thursday.....

Not saying that I think its right, but typically the reason the IT guys are jerks about this kinda stuff is because users are jerks when something doesnt go their way, so the only way to protect themselves is to nitpick on everything that could even remotely cause a system issue

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Seriously. If they don't want you to install stuff then remove privileges. What am I missing?

The part where it isnt his machine to be installing stuff. Does there need to be a lock on everything?

 

[arcenite]

The part where it isnt his machine to be installing stuff. Does there need to be a lock on everything?

I've never heard of anyone getting fired for installing non-standard software unless it was intentionally malicious or illegal.

 

[SonnyDaze]

portable apps is your friend

I always had a thumbdrive with portable Firefox. Until they banned flash drives at work. 🙁

Bingo. The air force base in my area has banned all USB thumb drives, period. I have little reason to doubt using one would be grounds for discipline/termination.

The Marines have done this as well. They still allow external hard drives (rotating) but not flash drives of any type.

 

[Joemonkey]

Don't install shit on a computer that doesn't belong to you. Not hard to understand.

In a perfect world! Then you can say "here is your corporate cell phone, never make or receive a personal call on it" as well

we allow all our users to be local admins, and we've even had a few users say that they have no home computer, they use their work laptop for all things personal and work related... and we bend over backwards to help support this

maybe this is why we allow drinking booze on the job?

 

[0roo0roo]

considering 10+ % unemployment, probably 50 people in line for your drone job..don't goof off.

 

[TreyRandom]

If I let someone else log on my workstation, their CAC gets stuck in the box.

One: Cut a hole in the box.

 

[frostedflakes]

In a perfect world! Then you can say "here is your corporate cell phone, never make or receive a personal call on it" as well

we allow all our users to be local admins, and we've even had a few users say that they have no home computer, they use their work laptop for all things personal and work related... and we bend over backwards to help support this

maybe this is why we allow drinking booze on the job?

Where do you work? And do they have any openings? :awe:

 

[Pliablemoose]

The day I take an Aimster thread seriously is the day I start bidding on a bridge...

 

[Zee]

marked for update of whether dude gets fired for connecting his iphone to his work machine

 

[guyver01]

In a perfect world! Then you can say "here is your corporate cell phone, never make or receive a personal call on it" as well

Most companies, this is the case, and should be expected. The Company provides you BUSINESS equipment to better your job, not for personal use... Computer, Cell, whatever is given, is not YOUR equipment.

Where i worked, they would audit every user's company provided cell, and numbers called would be cross referenced. If it was not a business contact, the employee would be warned. If it occurred multiple times, the user would LOSE their company provided cell phone.

 

[sportage]

THere is always the postal route... (I didnt say that)

 

[sciwizam]

so, did you?

 

[olds]

so, did you?

Probably did like me and took the day off for a 5 day weekend.

 

[Kev]

update?

 

[mugs]

Most companies, this is the case, and should be expected. The Company provides you BUSINESS equipment to better your job, not for personal use... Computer, Cell, whatever is given, is not YOUR equipment.

Where i worked, they would audit every user's company provided cell, and numbers called would be cross referenced. If it was not a business contact, the employee would be warned. If it occurred multiple times, the user would LOSE their company provided cell phone.

Seems like losing the company provided phone would hurt the company more than the employee since the employee isn't allowed to use it for personal calls.

Companies give their employees cell phones so they can keep the employee in contact even when they're not expected to be working. For that benefit to the company (and detriment to the employee), I think a reasonable number of personal calls is a small price to pay. It's stupid to expect the employee to carry a work cell phone in addition to their personal cell phone. I think if the company doesn't want to pay for any personal calls, a better alternative would be to just reimburse a portion of the employee's phone bill. That way the employee can still use a single phone for personal and work calls.

 

[olds]

update?

Last Activity: 11-18-2009 07:01 PM

 

[Kev]

So when your company fires people, they kill them?

 

[lxskllr]

So when your company fires people, they kill them?

Harsh, but I bet it does wonders for performance :^D

 

[evident]

another reason not to use itunes or any stupid apple product

 

[NoCreativity]

If he works for the Army. they have some strict policies that they train you on every year. Not just a form you sign, but actual training to make sure they are followed. Here is a list of the rules he broke:

- having iTunes on the machine if it isn’t approved by IT (not sure how he got it on there, but it shouldn't be there)
- instant messenger was banned a couple years ago. No IM programs, period (Yahoo, MSN, AOL, etc.)
- hooking up an iPhone to his computer (assuming it is personal, since AFAIK most govt employees are issued BlackBerrys). No personal USB storage devices are allowed on the computer. Since his phone has a hard drive, it’s considered a storage device.

And yes, he could lose his job.

Edited to clarify that comments are based on Army policy and most likely don't reflect policies in place at other fed govt agencies per Codewiz's comments below.

 

[Codewiz]

If he works for the fed govt. they have some strict policies that they train you on every year. Not just a form you sign, but actual training to make sure they are followed. Here is a list of the rules he broke:

- having iTunes on the machine if it isn’t approved by IT (not sure how he got it on there, but it shouldn't be there)
- instant messenger was banned a couple years ago. No IM programs, period
- hooking up an iPhone to his computer (assuming it is personal, since AFAIK most govt employees are issued BlackBerrys). No personal USB storage devices are allowed on the computer. Since his phone has a hard drive, it’s considered a storage device.

And yes, he could lose his job.

Really? I think you are talking mostly out of your ass(from your very narrow POV). I hope you realize that all federal gov't agencies don't have the same rules.

Yes, Yahoo is banned by almost all. But to say something like all IM programs are banned is just stupid. I happen to be looking at my jabber compliant client using my command sponsored jabber IM server. OH NOES!!!!! Fire my command for providing it.

As for iTunes, that is funny, my command left itunes on my Mac. So iTunes isn't banned outright.

As for the iPhone, that might be the case in the DoD, but I sure haven't heard that as a Federal Government wide directive.

And odds are he won't be fired. It took two offenses of looking up porn here for one guy to get fired. Could he be fired? Sure, but odds are against it.