Just Whos Computer is this Anyway?

Well, this is an article I never thought I would have to write. computer ownership was just not something I thought people would get confused over but, after overhearing a number of conversations last week from my co-workers, I realized that quite a few people just don't know how cut and dry this topic is.

Here's the scoop. Over the last few weeks the company I work for has been going through a massive systems upgrade. And as part of that roll out, they upgraded everyone's computer with new versions of software via the network. Announcements were made everyday that the changes were coming and to save everything that you didn't want to lose.

This upgrade, like I said before, was massive. In some cases the software was completely changed over to a new package that the end user had not seen before. There were also security upgrades that allow for remote uploads of patches and system inventories of computers. In short, about the only thing that was the same was the physical computer itself and the files we had saved on our hard drives.

Access levels were changed, passwords were changed, unauthorized software and any related files were deleted, desktop options were locked, Internet access was throttled down (and a content proxy server brought online) and a whole host of other changes implemented. (IMHO, it was about time. The network was slow and the system about 5 years out of date. Here's kudos to one company trying to make it easier for it's employees to do their jobs...)

Boy, the wailing and gnashing of teeth I heard around the office would have made an IRS agent proud! Comments like, "Who said they could upgrade my computer" or "I didn't give them permission to access my computer" were common. I was floored!

Ok, I'm going to clear this issue up in short order (and I apologize for the "YELLING" below...)

Unless you purchased the computer you work on or you made a deal with your boss or you work for yourself, IT'S NOT YOUR COMPUTER! That's right. Take a deep breath and say the following with me, It's not my computer... It's not my computer... It's not my computer...

Write that phrase out on a sticky note and stick it to the monitor. Write it in ink on the back of your hand or set up a daily pop up reminder. Do something, anything you need to do to remember that the computer you do work on for your boss does NOT belong to you. This will save you a ton of grief in the future. Why? Well it's about privacy - your privacy.

Your employer has the right to do anything they want to the computers they have bought with their own money and connected to their network.

And if you connect a computer you do own to their network, they also have rights pertaining to the intellectual property that may be generated by or stored on your machine.

So what does this mean to you? Well, for starters, don't load anything on the computer that you don't want to be made public. Also, don't use company assets for personal stuff. In other words, don't load any banking software on the machine and balance your checkbook at work. You may lose your data files or you may even run the risk of having your bank balance exposed to the public. Or if you have any "questionable" surfing habits, surf at