Saturday, April 7, 2012

Gaming #atozchallenge

So as with any useful tool, someone who gets comfortable enough using a computer is going to start to play games. Now, if you bought your computer yourself and put it in your own home, you have every right to do so. However, your computer at work is NOT a toy. You are probably not supposed to be playing games on it.

Now, Minesweeper or solitaire, not a huge deal really. The only beef I could see an employer having with that is that your productivity may not be what it should be. You may be distracted. When I get pissy is when I start having to rush over and fix virus and malware issues because you clicked a link in Facebook to play Farmville, and now all of a sudden you're getting popups for anti-virus programs that are really viruses...

Ok. I realize we're all human, and if your work is done, you probably deserve some screwing around time. It's really not that big a deal. But honest to god, it is the most difficult thing to be dealing with something that a user caused, WHILE getting grief about their computer being unavailable. I know you didn't intend to install the malware, but you did. I can't go back in time and prevent it, I can only fix it.

It's like trying to drive through a six foot deep puddle, and then complaining that you have been without your car for the last two days while the mechanic is replacing your engine. I'm sure he'd realize that you thought you could make it, but you didn't. Now there's work to be done.

Facebook games are the worst. Most are legitimate, but the ads that come on the page aren't always.

If you can't simply use your work computer for work, and you're hell bent on playing games on facebook I recommend using a browser other than Internet Explorer. Use FireFox, and install Adblocker plus. This will lower your risk of infecting yourself.

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for the timely warning! I don't have a work computer (don't work anymore) but the advice is still relevant because I don't want to much up my trusty laptop!

    As for Facebook - I gave that up for Lent. I didn't play games there, anyway, but got SO annoyed by people and their blasted Farmville requests innundating me - I wanted to scream 'Get a life, people - the animals aren't going to die: THEY'RE NOT REAL!!! >:-(

    (Ahem, sorry for ranting in your rant-space!)

    Nice to meet you, anyway - just called in via the blog-hop!

    SueH I refuse to go quietly!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't have a computer at work so I never have that problem and I never play games on my home computers except for Minesweeper and solitaire.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Another gem of wisdom. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. you sound like my hub =)
    i break ours & attract viruses...we're getting a mac for xmas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yeah - I decided it was a better idea to play Words with Friends on my iPhone (the .99 no ads version.) When I pulled it up via facebook (at lunch, of course), it seemed to lock up my computer. Not a good idea for a business with no in-house IT person. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Generally steering clear of games and extra apps ... for computer security, privacy (anti-tracking) and time usage ... They can be addictive! ;-)

    I’m stopping in as an A to Z blogger. I invite you to visit my blogs, leaving a link to your own post, so my readers can find you too!

    All on Blogspot.com and all in the A to Z Challenge:

    Heart of a Ready Writer – Bible & Devotional
    Meme Express – Daily Blog Prompts (A to Z)
    Nickers and Ink – Featuring favorite classic poems from A to Z
    Practically at Home – See what fellow writers are cited – with article links!
    The Mane Point –profiling special horses from A to Z
    Working in Words – Writing How-to’s

    Simply Snickers is not posting daily in the A to Z Challenge, but you are invited to comment with your A to Z/NaPoWriMo poetry links!

    Click my name/icon for links to all these blogs! Happy A-to-Z!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I loved this! There are different times of the day I can walk through the lab and every single computer screen is on Facebook! I deleted my account because they tried to steal $1200 from one of my credit cards without my permission (they gave it back, but still...), but why can't people wait until they get home? The more we warn them to stay off it, the more they are on it because even the docs are on it! It's a loosing battle!

    ReplyDelete