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<div> <font size="2"><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have to concur with the replies on this... I work for a large bank (not the 4-letter one) that employs/contracts large numbers of contractors/outsources. And, I can assure you, this bank does NOT allow anyone to access the bank's network without a bank supplied laptop equipped with Windows/IE/CiscoVPN, etc. <br>
<br>
Do we have Linux? Yes. We have thousands of Linux machines running as back-end servers. I personally take care of over 1400 FreeBSD machines around the world. What do I use for a desktop? I use the bank supplied laptop running Windows/IE/... I do install Firefox and use it because the custom built application that runs on my FreeBSD machines doesn't support IE. But, for the other intranet web sites, I use IE because the IIS based web pages require it.<br>
<br>
Also, PMs can get pretty sensitive... the PM in this story probably got her feeling hurt when she perceived this person doing an "end-run" on her when he contacted tech support.<br>
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-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Jim Popovitch <jimpop@gmail.com><br>
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux! <ale@ale.org><br>
Sent: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 9:05 am<br>
Subject: Re: [ale] Awful story...<br>
<br>
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<pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt>There probably are even more companies involved, but only 2 are<br>
pertainent to the story. Company A had a contract and subbed it out<br>
to Company B. Company B was hiring someone to fullfil the contract.<br>
It doesn't matter who the orig contract was with.<br>
<br>
-Jim P.<br>
<br>
On 2009-11-16, scott <<a __removedlink__2106551708__href="mailto:scott@sboss.net">scott@sboss.net</a>> wrote:<br>
> Actually there were three companies. IBM, Indian-company, and four-<br>
> letter credit card company.<br>
><br>
> And many companies that hire contractors/subcontractors restrict what<br>
> hardware/software/operatingsystems they can use.<br>
><br>
> A few years back i went to do a half day job for a contracting company<br>
> for Dell. Now the customer knew I wasn't Dell. But Dell required me<br>
> to use a Dell laptop and leave my mac at home (well rental car). Dell<br>
> salesweenie handed me a Dell in the lobby of the customer to use. I<br>
> went in, used the Dell for the 3-4 hours then handed it back to the<br>
> same person in the same lobby as I was leaving.<br>
><br>
> Now was I happywith the Dell? No not really. It ran windows and IE.<br>
> <shudder>. but it isn't worth the hassle of trying to force firefox<br>
> (or even worse Linux) on companies.<br>
><br>
> Here is a few words of advice (take them or leave them):<br>
> * when your employer(direct or indirect) gives you tools, use them.<br>
> Including the big evil windows.<br>
> * don't make the salesweenies nor pms upset with you at all.<br>
> Salesweenies are the ones signing the deals ($$$$) and the pms manage<br>
> the people and money allocations. Make either upset and you are gone.<br>
> * when getting hired/contracted don't use the companies resouces<br>
> including tech support without direct approval of you point-of-contact<br>
> (the pm in the case above). You could get yourself in big trouble if<br>
> you do.<br>
><br>
> Just my two cents from being in those shoes before...<br>
><br>
> Sent from my mobile...<br>
><br>
> On Nov 16, 2009, at 8:27, Jim Popovitch <<a __removedlink__2106551708__href="mailto:jimpop@gmail.com">jimpop@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
><br>
>> Don't take this as a defensive statement for IBM....<br>
>><br>
>> There are 2 different companies involved, according to the story. The<br>
>> 3 letter company, and the Indian company. It was the latter that was<br>
>> doing the hiring, according to what I read. Now, imagine if big<br>
>> companies, that used contractors, had (got?) to dictate what tools<br>
>> those contractors or sub-partners had to utilize and support. Now<br>
>> imagine that Microsft is the big company, should they have the right<br>
>> to force all their partners and contractors into using MS Office when<br>
>> OpenOffice would do the job?<br>
>><br>
>> -Jim P.<br>
>><br>
>> On 2009-11-16, Jerald Sheets <<a __removedlink__2106551708__href="mailto:questy@gmail.com">questy@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
>>> <a __removedlink__2106551708__href="http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2009/11/linux-contractor-fired-for-using.html" target="_blank">http://linuxlock.blogspot.com/2009/11/linux-contractor-fired-for-using.html</a><br>
>>><br>
>>><br>
>>> Sorry to hear this, but I know it's true from the IBM side.<br>
>>><br>
>>> You should've seen the blank stares among sales-droids trying to<br>
>>> sell us<br>
>>> hardware when we would demand both fully GUI and fully command-line<br>
>>> manageable gear. You'd swear you just told them you needed a flux-<br>
>>> capacitor<br>
>>> and an Infinite Improbability drive.<br>
>>><br>
>>> If these big companies are going to tout their Linux compatibility<br>
>>> and their<br>
>>> Linux friendliness, they need to also make sure to understand that<br>
>>> people<br>
>>> that come a-calling from the Linux world will have a higher<br>
>>> likelihood than<br>
>>> ever before of not having Windows on the desktop.<br>
>>><br>
>>> --j<br>
>>> _______________________________________________<br>
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>>><br>
>> _______________________________________________<br>
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> _______________________________________________<br>
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><br>
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