This darn reply window. I just typed a hell of a story but the cursor arrow sticks instead of hi-lights. Hit a stray key and all the text is gone.
I know this may be long-winded and sound bleak but, sadly, for many, this is reality.
Anyway, I worked at a company that was a Microsoft Partner when MS had those programs that you PAID to be a part of and they would give you a sticker to certify that your product worked in Windows. I always made sure that I used licensed or freeware, even for business use, software to compile or compress anything I posted on the company website. MS busted the company for widespread use of unlicensed software. They gave the company a chance to pay to convert unlicensed software to licensed software along with a fine that was small in comparison to how many unlicensed programs they had.
The company blatantly ignored licenses. They would blame and even fire employees to save face and then get back to unlicensed software as business as usual. Your boss would order you to install unlicensed software so you could do your work. If the head of the computer department busted you for putting unlicensed software on your computer, your boss would look like the "good guy" who kept the guilty, unclean, derisive element that you are from being fired.
The head of computers would confiscate your computer to strip it down to "company standard". He didn't care that you needed the software to do your job. Your boss didn't order the software through the computer department so you couldn't have it on your computer. Does anyone see a catch-22?
Your boss would order you to install the software on another computer and to get back to work as soon as the head of computers walked away with your computer. You would also have to re-install the software on your confiscated computer when it got back to the department.
Your record in personnel would be ruined and your boss could use you as a scapegoat for any future wrongdoing he had going on in the department if it ever came to light. YOU'RE wrong. YOU misunderstood. YOU lie.
The head of the computer department needed something useless to do. He could blame having to police the evil, illegal software using riff raff as an excuse for not getting any real work done or seeing to the company's software needs. He's a saint who protects the company from lawsuits due to your evil doings. He's saving the company money that would otherwise be lost in law suits.
It's not that they don't give you the tools you need. It's not that your boss got the software from somewhere IN HOUSE and ordered you to install it. It's not that you NEVER get to see licenses and you only install what your boss gives you and orders you to install. It's not that the same software is on every computer in the company. It's not that the vice presidents of the company have you install it on their laptops when they go on company business, want it on their home laptop or on their spouse's or kids' computers. It must be that you steel the tools you need and install them on your computer against company policy.
Hmmm, what's in it for you? Is it fun for you? It makes it possible for you to do more work? Is it fun for you? Oh, I see, if you don't have the software, you can't do any work. If you don't get the work done, you get fired. If you don't do as your boss orders you to do, you get fired. Hmmm, could it be that you thought there was a license, at least, the first time you were busted? This must be fun for you.
The only company policy was to preach purity out the front door, blame others instead of themselve for THEIR misdoings, incompetence and deceitfulness while they sold crack out the back door. It's a metaphore.
Bad companies have bad people work there and you're better off being away from there. You'll be blamed for everything and as the worst of the lot as in cutting you makes them a better company. The reality is that you're better off out of there. You're just the latest scapegoat who will be blamed for everything that goes wrong or doesn't get done across all departments for the next 6 months until the next person quits or is fired.
Sometimes fired is just another word for, as Monty Python would put it, "Run away!" or "I see crazy people". Sometimes "fired" means YOU are the lucky one. You're the winner. Getting out is success. The friends you still have there will be telling you you're lucky to be out of there. They'll look to you to see what waits for them outside of that company.
I don't know if I'm helping or just on a on a runaway train at this point.
As far as the dating thing goes, most companies have a policy.
At one of the places I worked, you could date your peers in your department or anyone from any other department. You couldn't date anyone who had authority over you. If you had a position of authority, you couldn't date anyone who worked for you.
As far as dating peers in your department, it was still at the discretion of your boss if it became a problem at work. Outward signs of affection, preferential treatment of your loved one, favoritism, letting your involvement effect your judgment, making others feel uncomfortable or screwing around instead of getting a project done could get you screwed...not in a good way. Also, any breakup playing itself out in the department would result in one if not both of you being fired.
That doesn't mean that every elevator, most desks and hidden areas, even open areas, were known to have been scenes of humping, blowing; you name it. Not to mention, most of those who had power hired their mistresses or were humping the horniest if not hottest employee in their department or the company regardless of anyone's marriage status, sexual orientation (strait or gay), personal policy or company policy. If it was to be had, they had it.
Bosses would say they wanted more qualifications over looks but then ask how a candidate looked, specifically how "hot" the candidate was and exclaim that they had to see any hot candidates. They'd run out of a meeting to ogle the candidate up for a job in another department. If the candidate were hot, they would do everything they could to get them hired. If the other department didn't hire them, they'd try to get them humped, I mean, hired for their department.
Don't get me wrong. I'm going to look at a hottie myself. I just mean thery're hypocrites who will screw someone over when THEY are the only ones who go too far over the line.
You know what's right and what's ethical. Be true to yourself. There are idiots and hypocrites and assholes everywhere, oh my! Don't get any on you.
Having said that, there were also some good people, good employees, good managers and competent people there.
I saw another post on here a long time ago of something much worse. It ended surmising that the biggest offenders are excused while the minor offenders are sacrificed as tokens. You can?t blame the bigger idiot. It?s in his nature and he?s incompetent. You know better so you?re expected to keep the company afloat.
That ends this portion of Radio City Theater.
Excuse any spelling errors. I'm tired of this.
) I called Microsoft's Anti-Piracy line and turned them in. They wanted the company's information and everything I knew about them as far as software is concerned. So after a little investigation, I turned them in for the following:
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