LHC@home

http://www.theregister.com/2004/10/11/seti_man_sacked/

"Man sacked for hunting ET at work
By Lester Haines
Published Monday 11th October 2004 11:16 GMT

A computer programmer at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services was last week sacked after running Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) software on his bosses' server, wcpo.com reports.

Charles E. Smith, 63, claimed that it wasn't a problem since he was only running the SETI programme between 7pm and 7am and at weekends. Department director Tom Hayes clearly didn't see it like that, and showed Smith the door. Hayes later displayed the kind of biting wit which was doubtless instrumental in his rise to power at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services when he said of Smith: "I understand his desire to search for intelligent life in outer space, because obviously he doesn't find it in the mirror in the morning. I think that people can be comfortable that security has beamed this man out of our building."

Wcpo.com has attempted to contact Smith but he has to date proved as elusive as ET. �"

edit.. test

Before I retired, I had an auto shop. I fired two employees for using the shop equipment for personal use without my permission. Anytime an employee uses company equipment without permission, it is dishonest and you don't know what else they are doing that they shouldn't.

> Before I retired, I had an auto shop. I fired two employees for using the
> shop equipment for personal use without my permission. Anytime an employee
> uses company equipment without permission, it is dishonest and you don't know
> what else they are doing that they shouldn't.
>
>

I bet you didn't issue a press release and call them 'non intelligent' though.


______________________________________________________________
Did your tech wear a static strap? No? Well, there ya go! :p

Gotta ask your self if it was a situation of he did ask, and his boss didn't listen?


I had this approch once at work, but hten again i was in charge of my self....

The comments made in the article almost sounds like there was a personal dislike between the two people. I know of a company that a friend works for that will dismiss people for installing anything, even MSN messenger. It increases network traffic, creates more security issues, increases cost of support if something goes wrong, and means the person is doing work other than their job. At the end, it's increased expenses and problems.

A lot of companies (around here anyways) now have agreements that new employees have to sign when getting computers to work on saying they will use the computer for company use only and maybe terminiated if used otherwise. (I'm actually violating one of those agreements I signed posting this here.) :)
---

One more reason to live in Europe. No way anyone is going to forbid you to use computer for some (inside sensible limits) private stuff.
Anyway it's much more effective if people can take a brake from work.