Same here. I had to write an addendum to our official corporate IT policy back in the day specifying what software was permitted and what wasn't. I had management sign off on the policy being a "condition" of employment and every employee had to sign it.
The amount of machines running like shit and needing to be re-imaged on a quarterly basis (for the problem users) went to near ZERO...Only bad thing was I didn't get to fire anyone. I used Computrace's software inventory feature to tattle tale on the fuckers if they deviated.
Now I'm an SE on a management platform that provides real time inventory on software and hardware... And I create blacklists that automatically uninstall anything not wanted.
This is what makes me nervous about working anywhere else.
Everything and Agent Ransack: They're everything that Windows 7's search tool could have been, but failed at. Agent Ransack brings back the functionality of Windows XP's very usable search interface. Everything indexes a drive and allows simple and instant searches. Both tools have made it a
lot quicker to find files, especially when looking for old projects that are buried in archive folders.
Firefox: 1) I can use Firefox - IT greatly prefers it. 2) I can install extensions that make it usable. I use more than 25 extensions at work and at home. (I don't know that a plain installation of Firefox gives much benefit over IE.)
7+ Taskbar Tweaker: Makes the Windows 7 taskbar into a properly usable one again, and adds additional functionality.
I can edit the registry to add custom right-click functionality in Explorer to make it quicker to perform certain repetitive things.
WinRAR: Excellent file compression utility, easy splitting of files (7MB limit on file extensions), and a nice interface. Okay, so 7-zip offers some of that too, though without the addition of any parity information like WinRAR does, and I much prefer WinRAR's interface.
My experience with restrictive IT policies is like saying "If I had a larger hammer, a different kind of workbench vice, and a #3 Philips head screwdriver, I could be 20% more efficient at this job," but being told that policy forbids those tools, and I have to keep doing it the hard way. Work harder, not smarter, despite the mantra that management keeps repeating.
But....I'm sure most people would use such freedom to download 10 toolbars, 7 new spyware-laden media players, and adware-filled games.
Hardware: There have been swap-outs of RAM and motherboards because the official channels never got around to replacing it. (The computer wasn't
completely disabled. It would just crash every one or two hours because the damaged section of RAM was accessed, which is of course a drag on productivity.) Approval was quietly received from local management, parts were ordered, and the damaged equipment was replaced in the shadows.
We've also outfitted some of the systems with isolated USB hubs and serial interfaces to try to prevent these sorts of problems. When testing with things like power supply designs or other mains-powered prototypes, it's possible to accidentally connect things incorrectly. 5V USB signal lines don't usually like seeing a surge of 392VDC from the rectified input section of a 277VAC power supply. It would likely have taken months to get official approval to buy a $400 (isolated) USB hub, even though the thing would pay for itself the first time there was an accidental connection.
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