Bosses use employee-tracking software to catch remote workers slacking off on the job. We asked one tracking company what their technology does.
bbbhltz
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111Y

I never turn my work laptop on at home. I don’t even have any bookmarks saved in the browser. I have a .txt file synced using Syncthing that I treat as a perpetual notepad where I keep my links. I don’t think I’ve even turned my work laptop on at home or charged it at home this year.

Of course, these are things I can get away with since I’m a professor. But still, I have received emails asking if I need training on how to use my computer because I have barely used it. They really, really wanted me to use Outlook instead of the webapp for some reason. I never did. But, they were so insistent. Recently we lost the ability to change wallpaper, default browsers and quick launch icons.

Work computers: almost a neat perk.

Elise
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31Y

Maybe dual boot into Linux

bbbhltz
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51Y

I already got in big trouble for that about 6 or 7 years ago. I was teaching a class and one of the IT folks happened by and looked in the window. 10 minutes later my phone was ringing and emails were flying in. No dual booting, Linux in a VM if I want and they need to install it.

I use 3 things on that computer: Notepad++ (I had to ask them to install it because we’re not allowed to d ha ourselves), Firefox, and MuPDF (also needed to ask permission for that one). Now, I can’t complain too much because they gifted the teachers the previous laptops, so I’m assuming they’ll do the same again and it will be mine.

Elise
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11Y

So what exactly is going on over there?

Can you use your own devices?

bbbhltz
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11Y

Of course you can haha. They just keep most of the devices locked down because employees aren’t so skilled with computers and tend to mess things up.

Elise
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21Y

Like install windows?

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