Play Poker on a Work Computer?

[JohnnyHumongous]

I recently started a job at a mgmt. consulting firm. They gave me a laptop that is "mine" (although technically owned by the company) with the assertion that nothing on it will be monitored. My cynical side isn't so sure, though.

My job entails a fair amount of travel, and as such I wouldn't mind whipping out the ol' laptop in the hotel room and playing for an hour or two when on the road. Does anyone authoritatively think I could get burned somehow for that? Reasons why or why not are greatly appreciated.

[Brainwalter]

If they claim nothing on it will be monitored, and then investigate your use of it, find out you played poker on it, and fire you, then it was a shitty job anyway.

Normally when companies monitor their users Internet they use one of the following methods:

-They monitor sites visited that employees visit (ones working out of the home office). Site histories wouldn't actually be obtained off each person's computer, but from a central server.

-Email transmissions are monitored and companies look for illicit content transmitted through email.

Field employees who are using third party Internet connections (I assume you would be using a local wireless connection) will almost certainly not have their Internet monitored in any way. While it's theoretically possible they *could* monitor your Internet from a third party connection, it's extremely unlikely. People at consulting firms just have better things to do. If you're using a company dialup connection to connect to the Internet while on the road, I'd be slightly more concerned, though. Most hotels offer wireless so you should be able to avoid that in most circumstances, anyway.

-dustyn

[pshabi]

[ QUOTE ]
I recently started a job at a mgmt. consulting firm. They gave me a laptop that is "mine" (although technically owned by the company) with the assertion that nothing on it will be monitored. My cynical side isn't so sure, though.

My job entails a fair amount of travel, and as such I wouldn't mind whipping out the ol' laptop in the hotel room and playing for an hour or two when on the road. Does anyone authoritatively think I could get burned somehow for that? Reasons why or why not are greatly appreciated.

[/ QUOTE ]

This situation is virtually risk free. Play on!

[AcmeSalesRep]

[ QUOTE ]
My job entails a fair amount of travel, and as such I wouldn't mind whipping out the ol' laptop in the hotel room and playing for an hour or two when on the road. Does anyone authoritatively think I could get burned somehow for that? Reasons why or why not are greatly appreciated.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do this. And many of the people I work with (including some higher managers) know that I play poker when traveling.

I'm not worried about it...and if your company does not restrict you from installing programs on your machine, it likely does not mind.

But why not ask someone at your company? They certainly are not going to fire you for asking the question. And you don't have to specifically say you are looking to play poker...just say you want to download some games to help the time pass when you are on the road...

Acme

[Granite]

I play while on the road with work. I would think most employers would think this is fine.

Tough enough to be away from family. Taking poker away as well would be just cruel.

Cheers,
Granite

I travel for work as well. One of the posters above hit the nail on the head. When companies speak of monitoring, it is allmost 100% internet usage via a proxy and email monitoring. I doubt your company would go as far as monitoring the applications you install and your usage while away from the office.

If you want to feel a little more safe, install the program under a renamed folder, dont use desktop or start menu shortcuts and just browse/open the executable. Most likely you dont need to take these steps but if it makes you feel a little safer, there is no harm.

[jn110]

Find out what the actual corporate policy is, both on installing "non-approved" software and on gambling using corporate assets.

As the person who has to write and/or approve these policies for my company, I took out the section that mentioned gambling for precisely this reason.

If it is against policy and you choose to violate it, understand that they can easily see what software has been installed if the IT department is at all on top of things. Whether they'd enforce the policy or look at the logs of what has been installed is another matter entirely, and depends on the management's style.

[jn110]

[ QUOTE ]
When companies speak of monitoring, it is allmost 100% internet usage via a proxy and email monitoring. I doubt your company would go as far as monitoring the applications you install and your usage while away from the office.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is not entirely accurate. Any decent-sized company must monitor software installed on its computers in order to comply with software license agreements. It's far more important (and not doing it potentially much more costly) than monitoring email and internet usage.

My company regularly audits and monitors the software installed on computers, but will only look at internet and email usage logs at the request of a manager who suspects a problem. And yes, most of the poker software shows up in those audits. Installing while on the road and uninstalling before returning _may_ keep you off the logs.

If you want to be 100 percent sure and safe why don´t you buy yourself your on lap top and take it with you. Even if the risks are very slim that your company will be monitoring your internet connection I wouldn´t take chances.
Tess