Oct 2011
RIP Steve Jobs
05/10/11 20:12
Rest in peace, Steve Jobs.
You made a difference.
What more could anyone want?
Half-assed epiphany
03/10/11 19:57
half-assed
PRONUNCIATION : hfst, häfäst
ADJECTIVE : Vulgar Slang 1. Not well planned or executed. 2. Incompetent.
So…
We're discussing how a few of the older, stand alone, applications need work.
It's mentioned that things were implemented by our predecessors "half-assed" and they'll probably just have someone half-ass them again, instead of doing it right, to save some money.
Now, let’s get metaphysical.
If you half-ass something twice, do the two half-assed jobs add up to a complete, no longer half-assed solution?
Or is it now a completely and totally assed-up?
Just wanted to throw that out there...
PRONUNCIATION : hfst, häfäst
ADJECTIVE : Vulgar Slang 1. Not well planned or executed. 2. Incompetent.
So…
We're discussing how a few of the older, stand alone, applications need work.
It's mentioned that things were implemented by our predecessors "half-assed" and they'll probably just have someone half-ass them again, instead of doing it right, to save some money.
Now, let’s get metaphysical.
If you half-ass something twice, do the two half-assed jobs add up to a complete, no longer half-assed solution?
Or is it now a completely and totally assed-up?
Just wanted to throw that out there...
Spy vs. Why
03/10/11 19:27
As I work in IT, I can pretty much access any piece of information I want, if I were so inclined.
Its the nature of the job. You see things because you have to.
This does not mean I know every super-secret thing going on.
Of course, many people believe otherwise.
As I mentioned earlier, my company is in the process of changing ownership, and everyone (well, the REAL workers, not the execs who get a nice payout even if they sucked at their jobs) is understandably paranoid.
So I get asked, a LOT, if I know “what’s really going on”.
Here’s the deal : Yes, the technology DOES exist to monitor every freaking thing you do on your computer at work.
If I wanted to, I could see everywhere your surf, every file you open, everything you type.
Hell, I can virtually look over your shoulder from the comfort of my standard issue, ass numbing, Staples bargain basement office chair.
But I don’t. Believe it or not, most of us in IT have way too much going on during a normal day to care about, or waste time worrying about, every little thing everyone does.
In many places, it’s strictly against policy to look into someone's emails, etc. without their consent or approval from on high.
So I’m not watching them.. or you.
The monitoring systems we have in place are more to protect the company from getting our asses sued off because you sent someone’s personal data, or confidential company information, out insecurely.
We block certain sites in order to protect us from a virus wreaking havoc on our systems because you got bored, or actually believed that Prince Nazeem in Nigeria really does need your help in getting his $100,100,000 out of the country.
We do these things out of necessity, not from any desire to play big brother.
In reality, most of us would get axed immediately if we were caught digging through someone’s email without approval and justification.
And if we are specifically monitoring your activity, that means you did something messed up enough to make us put forth the extra effort. Don’t blame us. Someone TOLD us to.
Apparently you got caught or aroused suspicion by — oh, I dunno — spending five of the 8 hours in your workday hanging out on Pornhub or something...
Also, most of us just feel that’s just plain not cool. (Reference the Unwritten IT Code of Ethics.)
Now I can’t speak for everyone — there very well may be some perv out there abusing his IT access privileges, digging through your browser history or emails, because he’s got the hots for you.
Sleaze-bags exist in every profession - but we generally frown on the whole psycho / stalker thing as a community.
This trust works both ways - we don’t look over your shoulder needlessly, and we expect you to actually understand the policies.
Also keep in mind that even if you bring in your own machine, it’s usually against The Rules to jack it into the company’s network.
Even if it’s not, when you do, those policies for your work machine most likely apply to yours now as well, as you’re now on our network.
Just keep that in mind.
So in summary, yes, we can watch you or anyone else if necessary.
No, we don’t make an effort to spy on you, or anyone else.
Believe me, we see PLENTY in our line of work, usually coincidentally, that we’d most likely rather not. (See prior pr0n posts.)
We have no motivation or inclination to go digging for more.
This goes for everyone (depending on where you work) — your IT staff are generally not spending time and resources spying on people.
We may overhear a few more things than you, but its coincidental.