# Who else is using a computer at work for personal reasons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2001, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715 "2001-11-28T15:44:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/1 "2001-11-28T15:44:29Z")
I’m in study hall, should only be using this computer for “school research”. I’m checking out the boards, bands, downloading a few smaller mp3’s… I know I’m not alone, how many others are doing the same? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/2 "2001-11-28T16:00:38Z")
Not me, I’m… wait a minute… ---
**Author:** ![Payne\_N.Diaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Payne\_N.Diaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payne_N.Diaz)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/3 "2001-11-28T16:02:42Z")
Me! ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/4 "2001-11-28T16:06:44Z")
Well, me. But I do work stuff at home, so I figure it’s a balance. ---
**Author:** ![BillyGnos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71c47a/32.png) [@BillyGnos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BillyGnos)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2001, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/5 "2001-11-28T16:12:52Z")
I use the internet here at work (right now for SDMB) all the time for personal reasons. The connection is real speedy! ---
**Author:** ![sirjamesp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@sirjamesp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sirjamesp)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/6 "2001-11-29T08:33:58Z")
You think I’m gonna CONFESS? Oh wait, I just did. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/7 "2001-11-29T11:47:35Z")
If it wasn’t for the internet in general, and this message board in particular, there would be no way to stay awake all night. If my company ever tried to say “no web surfing” I would just show up with a pillow. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/8 "2001-11-29T16:35:57Z")
I work for the government, so I claim plausible deniability. As in, “Nobody told me I coulnd’t …” ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/9 "2001-11-29T16:53:35Z")
posting in the SDMB is not “personal reasons”, **We are fighting ignorance here!.** geez… :rolleyes: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/10 "2001-11-29T17:07:01Z")
I always use my computer at work for personal reasons. Some of them are: [ul] [li] Looking for a new job[/li][li] Surfing the Straight Dope (and the web in general)[/li][li] e-mailing friends[/li][li] Doing homework[/li][li] Playing on-line games at Excite, Yahoo, and various others[/li][/ul] I do real work sometimes. Honest! ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/11 "2001-11-29T22:35:20Z")
I post at work, but my boss doesn’t care. My job is really boring and I am far over-qualified for what they pay me and do far more then what they pay me for, and my boss knows it, so she pretty much lets me do whatever I want. Ahhh…Life is Good. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/12 "2001-11-29T22:51:40Z")
You betcha! Let’s see T1 at work vs. a _pathetic_ dial-up at home. hmmm… I do work at home and after/before hours, so it evens out. At least, no one has said anything to me yet! ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/13 "2001-11-29T23:06:25Z")
No, I would NEVER do that. There is some other perfectly good reason that all my posts are made between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM (Pacific), Monday through Friday. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@The\_Tof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tof)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2001, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/14 "2001-11-29T23:09:51Z")
Oh yeah! All you computer users wondering why your friendly tech support rep seems disturbed by your call-- now you know. You’re taking away from his Straight Dope time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BalmainBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@BalmainBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BalmainBoy)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/15 "2001-11-30T01:48:23Z")
I think the short answer would be: everyone. (written in that short period just before my lunch break) ---
**Author:** ![Redboss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8baadc/32.png) [@Redboss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Redboss)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/16 "2001-11-30T02:54:36Z")
I admit nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/17 "2001-11-30T03:31:48Z")
Who would ever do such a thing? -crickets- All us! My usual: 1. Email. 2. Covert use of Instant Messenger. Super-illegal at school, y’know. Never, EVER use my own SN, just rip off those poor dumb kids who check “autologin” and have their password all nice and ready for the next person who comes along. 3. Hi Opal! And here’s the clincher- I CAN’T ACCESS SDMB AT SCHOOL! They blocked it on the internet filters! Those BASTARDS! Oh, it makes me weep. It’d make computer lab trips so much more worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/18 "2001-11-30T05:35:36Z")
All day long 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/19 "2001-11-30T05:55:30Z")
Well, obviously not right this moment, considering that it’s 12:47 AM. But I’m currently using what “spare time” I have at work to create a world in which to set (currently unplotted, uncharactered) stories. Since my computer at work is set up strictly as an office computer (no art programs other than MS Paint), I’m doing them with the drawing tools in MS Word. So far I’ve got about half the world-map done and I’ve created a diagram/illustration of a particular type of defensive fortress for a particular kingdom in that world. Which looks damn good for being done in Word, if I may say so myself. I also listen to self-compiled CDs on my CD-ROM. Which I shouldn’t, since I’m supposed to back up on phones and can’t hear them when I’ve got the earbuds in. jayjay ---
**Author:** ![pati12812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@pati12812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pati12812)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715/20 "2001-11-30T06:20:32Z")
Once again, You people are the wittiest & word wise group of posters I’ve seen on any message board!! Now, not that I’m some bulletin board bimbo, but…I’ve posted on a couple, and read a few…This one is the best so far!!! Informative & entertaining, and helpful to my well being (not this particular forum)…So, I just wanted to say that!!! In answer to your question!!! Uh, YEAH…As the other poster said ‘hmmm …lousy snail paced dial up at home, or speedy gonzalez dsl at work…that’s a toss up’ hardly…I don’t really care if it’s unethical at work to check my stocks, play a couple of stock market games, or…OH YEAH, there’s that really fun ‘3 hole challenge’ on msn, Oooo, I gotta check the posts on the SDMB…wait a minute!! See how easy it is for me to get sidetracked on the net!!! I end up all over the place sometimes… when I was initially checking on something work related for my boss, or one of the reps. at work…I fugure, hey…it’s DSL, it’s quick, I couldn’t be wasting THAT much time…They’re lucky they switched from dial up 😉 Thats a good question!!! I was cracking up at everybody saying yes!!! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-else-is-using-a-computer-at-work-for-personal-reasons/95715.md?page=2)