I’ve seen this story going around. Basically, a new trend among some companies is to give new employees a computer fee ever two years, so that they can buy, own, and support their own computer/laptop. In other words, Bring Your Own Laptop (via Kottke and Boing Boing). If you ask me, it’s brilliant.
Looking at the thread, the common complaint is, “How are we IT guys supposed to fix XYZ?” Umm, that’s the whole point. The IT department is no longer responsible for upkeeping these machines. They just run the servers, network, etc. At the very least, it might force companies to hire people who know how to use the tools they were hired to use.
April 26th, 2006 at 9:26 am
If a company allows employees to conduct that company’s business on the employees’ own personal computers, then legally, a part of that employee’s personal computer will be owned by and beholden to that company. Where would the line be drawn exactly? It would be a legal and ownership-in-general nightmare. The system as it stands doesn’t do any harm; do your own work on your own computer, do your company’s work on your company’s computer. Melding the two worlds would just cause too much grief to do anyone any good, ultimately.
April 26th, 2006 at 10:39 am
The worlds are already melded. People do work at home, and often that work in on their home PC.
The company wouldn’t own a piece of the employee’s PC. They would own the digital output from it. The line is drawn pretty easily. When you are on your employer’s time (during the workday), your digital output belongs to them.