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Old 03-18-2014, 11:53 AM   #21
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The Verizon smart phone will do all you want, especially for just reading email. I finally upgraded form the dark ages phone to a smart phone myself. It works good for most things ii want, but I hate typing on the phone for reply or searching for something. I mainly use it to check email and read only.

Two main reasons why co restricts the email:
1) Email, especially web-based like gmail or yahoo mail, are prime sources for malware and viruses entry into the co computers.
2) Many applications use a lot of bandwidth, easiest to just restrict access to keep work related processes running smooth.
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Old 03-18-2014, 12:49 PM   #22
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Brow beat employees and treat them like children; that'll improve morale and productivity...
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Old 03-18-2014, 12:55 PM   #23
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It's a normal way of doing things some places...
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Old 03-18-2014, 01:05 PM   #24
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+1. Managers get really tired of having to waste their time trying to administer internet privileges to individual employees. And MegaCorps don't want their managers to waste time, they have better things to do, so MegaCorps just do company wide bans. Sometimes what's practical and what employees would like don't mesh - that's life.
Let's do away with the strike through so we can stop beating around the bush, shall we?

I am sure all of these measures are the acme of convenience for management. I am sure that you were able to cite the dollars saved, incremental productivity, etc. Did anyone bother to wonder what effect this might have on the morale of the drones below them? Wonder if perhaps all these little incremental chopping off of toes might increase turnover? The title of this thread is "Work is Prison." Does that paint a picture to you?
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Old 03-18-2014, 03:30 PM   #25
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Times have changed. My tech friends acknowledge that corporate networks must be secured and cannot allow computer computers accessing social media sites as well as other ISP's for email.

I would suggest you completely separate personal from work - from here on - everything. Too much spying going on everywhere.
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Old 03-18-2014, 06:59 PM   #26
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"Number 2 pencils are carried by the office supply room. Engineers needing a new pencil should turn in the old pencil stub to the supply clerk in exchange for a new one."

Yah. An office supply room staffed full time. At least we didn't have to fill out a requisition for the new pencil.

We also had 'flex time', those flexible work hours. You only needed to be present during core hours, when meetings were scheduled.

Engineers could start work any time between 7-8:30 AM. We could take lunch any time between 12 and 1, and could end our work day any time between 5 and 7:30 PM. Replacement pencils were only available between 9 and 5, though.

And then there were the keys and logbook to use the printer or copy machine...

Oddly, they had a somewhat higher than average turnover in employees...
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Old 03-18-2014, 07:25 PM   #27
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Brow beat employees and treat them like children; that'll improve morale and productivity...
Organizations are not interested in morale. In today's winner takes all world of work, the top 10% get the goodies and the rest eat cake. Anything you're told to the contrary is just HR spin. Employees would be shocked if they knew how disposable they really are anymore. HR people are really all just a bunch of George Clooneys in the movie Up in the Air, whether they'll admit it to themselves or not. We're the henchmen for organizations, who have sold our souls for "a seat at the table", a share of the spoils. No thinking, sensitive person could do this work, which is why I want out. I've fired/downsized my last person.

More forward thinking organizations allow personal email and phone call use within reason, not to be abused. For those afraid of malware, spam, etc., effective IT departments have the capability to thwart this.

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Let's do away with the strike through so we can stop beating around the bush, shall we?

I am sure all of these measures are the acme of convenience for management. I am sure that you were able to cite the dollars saved, incremental productivity, etc. Did anyone bother to wonder what effect this might have on the morale of the drones below them? Wonder if perhaps all these little incremental chopping off of toes might increase turnover? The title of this thread is "Work is Prison." Does that paint a picture to you?
Thank you. It's not just productivity. It's control.

To the OP, do you really think you are going to make it another 1-3 years in a place like that?
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Old 03-18-2014, 08:01 PM   #28
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More forward thinking organizations allow personal email and phone call use within reason, not to be abused. For those afraid of malware, spam, etc., effective IT departments have the capability to thwart this.
The best way I have seen it done was at a financial institution I regulated. They had dedicated "social media terminals" which were on a separate system from the rest of the network. The terminals were in public spaces so you could use them if you wished but of course it would be obvious if you lingered too long.
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Old 03-19-2014, 06:53 AM   #29
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"Number 2 pencils are carried by the office supply room. Engineers needing a new pencil should turn in the old pencil stub to the supply clerk in exchange for a new one."
Little wonder why so many people want to bail from their jobs if things are like that.

I'd be one of the guys to put a pencil through the shredder and turn in a pile of wood/graphite chips and tell them I was using the pencil to write classified material with so it had to be destroyed.
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Old 03-19-2014, 07:00 AM   #30
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Times have changed. My tech friends acknowledge that corporate networks must be secured and cannot allow computer computers accessing social media sites as well as other ISP's for email.

I would suggest you completely separate personal from work - from here on - everything. Too much spying going on everywhere.
Work data should not touch a personal computer in many cases. As you point out, the big picture has changed, and the potential loss is enough to keep personal business off the company networks.
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Old 03-19-2014, 08:37 AM   #31
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"Number 2 pencils are carried by the office supply room. Engineers needing a new pencil should turn in the old pencil stub to the supply clerk in exchange for a new one."

Yah. An office supply room staffed full time. At least we didn't have to fill out a requisition for the new pencil.

We also had 'flex time', those flexible work hours. You only needed to be present during core hours, when meetings were scheduled.

Engineers could start work any time between 7-8:30 AM. We could take lunch any time between 12 and 1, and could end our work day any time between 5 and 7:30 PM. Replacement pencils were only available between 9 and 5, though.

And then there were the keys and logbook to use the printer or copy machine...

Oddly, they had a somewhat higher than average turnover in employees...
Been there, we only could get supplies 2 days a week, 2 hours each of those days. You didn't have to return the used supply. I once asked for 2 pens, as I was prone to losing them. 'Well I guess you'll learn to take better care of them'.

Our flex time included the privilege to work 24 hours straight.

For pete's sake, 6 figure salary, presented to many C level execs, I have to protect a pen! I guess I don't miss it.
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Old 03-19-2014, 09:14 AM   #32
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Stop all this moaning and groaning and enjoy your newly found freedom.
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Old 03-10-2016, 09:58 AM   #33
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Have you tried using a personal VPN service? If the VPN is engaged before attempting to connect to your email account your privacy is protected from corporate network snooping. One downside is they may block the ports these services typically use. There are some ways around that, but it can get complicated. I included a web link to some reviews of these VPN services and their monthly expenses. Good luck.

Top 10 Best VPN Services
Reviving an old thread. Not the Work is Prison part , but the post about a VPN.

I was using my smartphone yesterday when I came across a free VPN app saying I can just use that to get some security when traveling and at a wifi hotspot like hotel or Starbucks. I went, "What, you can do that?" I've always thought a VPN was something the IT dept did, but not for everyday use. Now after doing some reading. appears that with all the talk about hackers and gov't spying, I wonder why a VPN isn't more common. Most folks say, on a computer, install antivirus, and anti-malware, but not so much a mention of a VPN.

I suppose most VPN services aren't free and it is still considered a luxury?
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Old 03-10-2016, 10:17 AM   #34
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Reviving an old thread. Not the Work is Prison part , but the post about a VPN.

I was using my smartphone yesterday when I came across a free VPN app saying I can just use that to get some security when traveling and at a wifi hotspot like hotel or Starbucks. I went, "What, you can do that?" I've always thought a VPN was something the IT dept did, but not for everyday use. Now after doing some reading. appears that with all the talk about hackers and gov't spying, I wonder why a VPN isn't more common. Most folks say, on a computer, install antivirus, and anti-malware, but not so much a mention of a VPN.

I suppose most VPN services aren't free and it is still considered a luxury?
The title got me, and dang, it IS prison and doesn't make you free. But to your question:

When I'm out of prison, I will be using VPN. I currently do so through Megacorp.

Why don't people? There is some setup effort. Then there is connect time. And an extra password. A good VPN uses some sort of rolling password scheme. It isn't always easy, depending on the VPN device on the other side. People are extremely lazy and impatient these days. They don't have no stinkin' time to connect through a VPN! Seriously.

And then there is cost.

Finally, it can slow you down, depending on your level of service. If you have a crappy VPN service and you are sharing a pipe with a bunch of bittorrenters, you may be hosed and throttled way back.
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Old 03-10-2016, 10:22 AM   #35
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Reviving an old thread. Not the Work is Prison part , but the post about a VPN.

I was using my smartphone yesterday when I came across a free VPN app saying I can just use that to get some security when traveling and at a wifi hotspot like hotel or Starbucks. I went, "What, you can do that?" I've always thought a VPN was something the IT dept did, but not for everyday use. Now after doing some reading. appears that with all the talk about hackers and gov't spying, I wonder why a VPN isn't more common. Most folks say, on a computer, install antivirus, and anti-malware, but not so much a mention of a VPN.

I suppose most VPN services aren't free and it is still considered a luxury?
You can use a well recommended service for about $36/yr.

One issue I have with it, is it means you are REALLY trusting the vpn provider, as they set up the encryption and could simply tap into your transmission since they know the keys.

That free vpn service might simply be offered by a criminal group.
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Old 03-10-2016, 11:08 AM   #36
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Interesting...I guess the question is what do you trust more (or less) being out in the open or handing your computer habits over to a place that says they will treat you safe.
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Old 03-10-2016, 11:26 AM   #37
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My real question, however, is how can I continue, in a cost effective manner, to retain access to personal email during work hours? As of now, I do not have a smart phone, but rather a "feature" phone. I can access Gmail through this feature phone, but it is SUPER slow and cumbersome.
I am not allowed access to email either. Get a smart phone, 4G coverage. Or ignore email during the day.

Since it has been ~2 years from the original post, and you had 1-3 years, are you (nico) out of prison?
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Old 03-10-2016, 11:38 AM   #38
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Lifehacker has a good discussion about VPN:

Quote:
Dear Lifehacker,
I've read about why I really should use a VPN and I've been looking into different providers, but there's one thing I'm worried about. Can't a VPN provider just look at my traffic all they want and see what I'm doing? Don't I just have to trust them not to spy on me? If that's true, how do I pick one I can trust, when they can all see what I'm doing?

Sincerely,
Watching the Watchers

Dear Watching the Watchers,
To a certain extent, you're right. You do have to trust that your VPN service provider has your best interests at heart, because you're relying on them to secure your connection, keep everything encrypted, and to protect your activity from prying eyes. You're connected to their network and their servers, and you have to trust that when they say your exit IP is in Sweden, for example, it really is and they're not just obfuscating something else. It's true—when you sign up for a VPN, you put a lot of trust in the company you sign up with.
How Do I Know If My VPN Is Trustworthy?
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Old 03-13-2016, 04:24 PM   #39
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Why do some people think they are entitled to use a work computer for personal use?
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Old 03-13-2016, 04:34 PM   #40
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Because the company uses your personal time on nights and weekends. It's a one way relationship. But I don't care anymore, I am FIREd.
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