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I suppose that at the root of the matter, there is a fundamental difference between how the current management and IT departments view access and use of the internet in the workplace, and how I do. When I agreed to take up employment with this company, I had a certain understanding of what my job responsibilities would be, what my pay rate would be, and what my benefits included. I accepted a reduced amount of paid vacation time and increased technical requirements from my previous job in return for full medical and dental coverage (which went entirely unused in 2001), a small increase in pay, and high-speed internet access availability during working hours.

Continue reading Employment vs. the internet (2)

So today I came into work, and in addition to 6 new automated emails to my personal account, I recevied several actual business-related emails. Which is weird in the first place, since there is very little anyone in the company ever needs to communicate to me. Usually just whatever garbage they’re sending to an “Everyone” list. Which is what this was.

I guess there’s an exciting new security flaw in AOL Messenger that could theoretically compromise the security of our network, so the head of our IT department sent out an email to everyone in the company that first, since AOL Messenger is not approved software, it shouldn’t be on your computer in the first place, and if it is to please stop using it. This was fine with me; I try to avoid any software that has the letters AOL attached to it. Second, he said that any other messenging software, such as MSNIM, is also forbidden. This is my messenger service of choice, primarily because it is a built-in function of Microsoft’s browser. But, I’m now officially not allowed to use it. Third, he says that disallowing the use of messenger services should not cause an increase in email use, since personal email has been prohibited the whole time. This of course includes any service such as hotmail. Our CFO followed up on this saying “Consider this a formal written notice- anyone who is using any chat programs or ANY personal email while at work is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination. “

Considering the unavailability of internet access through any other means, including email and messenger services along with access to the WWW, I do not plan to discontinue my use of the internet here at work. I will look into reducing the amount of unneeded email that is automatically sent to my personal account, but I don’t know if this job is worth it to me to give up internet access altogether. I will have to think about that.

So, I was reading along MacWorld’s predictions for Apple in 2002, and I heard the words “I would use an Apple cellphone” came out of my mouth. Then I realized how absurd that must sound. Apple is a computer company. What do they know about making cellphones? Maybe if they team up with Nokia, my current mobile communications brand of choice, they could create a great product with a great design and a slightly-too-high price.

Anyway, I’m looking forward to going to Apple.com Monday morning after lunch, because by then the site will be trying to sell me whatever it is Steve Jobs will have announced at his keynote speech at MacWorld. I am personally expecting to read about how much faster the G5 processor is, and not just because Meg Ryan referred to her G5 in the charming Kate and Leopold recently, as though the G5 were supposed to hit the market before her movie did. I am also among those hoping to see an LCD screen iMac. Remember how small and easy the original iMac was compared to PCs? Imagine how small and easy it could be with a light, flat screen instead of a big, heavy picture tube! There is a lot of room for great industrial design there, too.

Oh, and if they can just go ahead and announce Photoshop for OS X, I can finally upgrade to last year’s OS.

1) Click on starting location.
2) Click on destination.
3) iSee will generate path of least surveillance.

Click here to try it.

I haven’t been able to check my email in about twelve days, and I get a lot of … automatic emails. What most people would consider SPAM. I like to know the prices of the products I’m interested in, so usually these emails are worth a quick look, and then I don’t have to actually visit online stores to find out about price drops. Of course, after the holidays I don’t have a lot of spending money, so I went through and deleted all the “Big Savings!” emails, and a few actual unsolicited SPAM messages, and read the two or three personal messages (Hi Sara, hi dad, hi mom, sorry to hear about Uncle Frank dying,) and there are still 33 messages remaining. Most of these are either Gaming News (I like to keep up on what’s going on in the video games industry, even if I can’t afford to play) or online comics I have mailed to me (so that even if I forget to go to a site, I still see the comics I want to see). Ooh, and it looks like my Discover Card (sponsor of this years ball-drop in Times Square) statement is available.

Still, there was something else I was hoping to see.

I don’t actually feel bad that it isn’t there. Yet. Maybe later I will. Right now though, it’s kinda just … like Saturday was a dream of some kind. Like it never really happened. Then I reach up and touch my head … and … I know something happened.

I suppose if I haven’t learned anything new by Friday afternoon, I’ll write another letter this weekend, to be sent out with some sort of confirmation or return receipt. Of course, if I do learn something new on the matter, if something new comes into my inbox that is, I think I’ll let you know. Because now some of you get to see if your patience is as long as mine. I just hope it doesn’t have to be.