Work computers/phones

So I've been arguing with my girlfriend about this for awhile, and I figured I might get some opinions on here about it.

What is the general practice in the consulting industry regarding personal use of company-provided phones or laptops? I'm starting a new job at a consultancy in the fall, and assuming I get a laptop for work, would it be okay to keep music and some personal files on it? For those of you who have work laptops, do you bring it home on weekends?

Maybe a petty question, but I'm just trying to determine if I need to get a new computer. I finished my college career on library computers at school after I dropped my old laptop in the fall.

Thanks!

12 Comments
 
iambatemannot a consultant but i think its fine depending on the type of shit you do. i wouldnt watch porn on a work computer so you prob will need a personal one

Don't listen to bateman. You can watch whatever you want, just use Google Chrome Ghost mode.

In all seriousness, just use good judgment and don't keep anything on the laptop that you wouldn't want someone else to see. If you're unsure, just ask HR/your boss.

 

I would be wary of downloading/sharing anything illegal or "not kosher."

you may be able to get away with blogging, facebook, ebay, etc. But if you're out of the office and not connected to the company's network, you should be fine with whatever you're watching.

but you can't download music illegally (ie torrent). I know people who got fired for downloading songs from P2P programs. Things like iTunes or Amazon Music are fine. And if you have a CD/flash drive and then just upload the songs from there, thats fine as well because you didn't download it from the internet using the work computer.

I'm making it up as I go along.

------------ I'm making it up as I go along.
 

I have personal crap on my work laptop and take it home if I want to. Dont do it that often though since I already have a laptop at home though so dont take it too often.

Im at a big 4 accountant by the way, and they are pretty chilled about it. I think though you arent supposed to use it for personal stuff officially, as you would have to pay a fringe benefits tax on it I'd suspect.

And whats this google ghost mode? Enlighten me I use chrome, and it may be useful on my personal laptop to hide all the porn I wathc from my girlfriend. Please tell!!???

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ideatingYou argued about this with your girlfriend for a while?

Haha, it was more like an ongoing debate. She was appalled that I was considering not buying a new personal computer and just using my work one. Since I don't use a computer for anything more than music and browsing, I figured I would just use whatever my company gave me.

 

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