Re: is this stealing
I saw the thread that spawned this question, and I think a couple of clarifications are in order for those who are unaware.
A lot of computer jobs require obscene amounts of concentration for short bursts of time, which management may or may not be aware of. Time spent surfing the internet replaces time spent at the water cooler, in other people's offices, reading the newspaper, taking smoke breaks, or staring into space. (Anybody who has worked with non-internet savvy people knows that their creativity knows no bounds on avoiding work.) Time spent on the internet does not replace time spent working.
Furthermore, at the modern company, there is an implicit contract. Workers work stupid and obscene hours, any time the workplace needs them, and in return, the workplace gets off their back with the strict rules from 9-5. I know the original question assumed a workplace where this is not the case, but these types of workplaces are becoming fewer and fewer. Both sides occasionally take a step back in horror and gasp at this implicit contract, and would *never* view their side as part of the agreement, but it's just the way the world works.
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