A Common trend? 2

[nexcar]

I was an IT manager for 5+ yrs and now I've moved to another company working as a software engineer. Something I've noticed is that my co-workers don't have personal computers. Out of 8 of them, myself and one other guy are the only people with PCs. I can't imagine working in this field and not having a PC. Its like a mechanic not having a set of tools at home! My former co-workers have told me that my replacement says he doesn't have a PC at home either! I run my own 3-PC network at home and couldn't see keeping up to date without them. How do these people keep up with growing technology or programming trends? Is this common in your workplace too or have I just stepped into the Twilight Zone?

RUN FunnySignatureMessage

 

[sleipnir214]

I don't think it's the Twilight Zone -- I've known lots of IT folk who didn't have computers at home.

I think it's just a way some people use to separate personal and professional lives.


Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[carp]

I used to be an auto mechanic. I left my tools at the shop since I couldn't afford two sets, couldn't lug them all back and forth in my VW, and didn't really want to work at home anyway.

 

[CajunCenturion]

I do have a PC at home, but the family uses it much more than I do.

After having been in front of the machine all day (give or take) doing what I need to do, when I get home, I have no desire to plug myself back in. That time is for family.



Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[MDXer]

I have a pc at home that is about 5 years out of date. It's only purpose is Email and Web. I also have my laptop which has all of my development tools installed. When I walk in the house it goes in the corner and isn't touched till I leave for work. Like many others I use it as a seperation between work and family. Being away from home 5 days a week the need for seperation when at home is even greater. I have even gotten to the point that I don't take tech calls from famly members. The last time they all bought PCs I speced machines from Dell and had them purchase nice service agreements so now if something is wrong they know to call dell and not me.

"Shoot Me! Shoot Me NOW!!!"
- Daffy Duck

 

[nexcar]

Granted, I understand the family thing. I am married but no children. I guess I'M the wierd one here. I like to get on the net and relieve the stress of the work day by shooting folks in the virtual world (ie: First Person Shooter Video Games). Since I'm one of the stable people that should be the only ones to play these games. Computers are more of a hobby to me. I love to buy new parts and benchmark results.. Always trying to get a few more Frames Per Second out of my creation.

MDXer: I fully agree about the 'no tech support calls.' I believe the worst thing I ever did was hand down one of my old PCs to my parents as a Christmas gift.... I'm still paying for that one! By the way the quote goes: "I'm a fiddler crab! Shoot me! Its fiddler crab season!!!"

Thanks for the insight!

RUN FunnySignatureMessage

 

[CajunCenturion]

I find quality family time a much better stress reliever that going on-line to play shoot 'em up games.

Classifying yourself as a hobbyist definately puts a different light on the situation, and if that's what you enjoy doing in your spare time, and it doesn't detract from your marriage, then more power to you.

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[nexcar]

Nah, doesn't distract from the Quality Time with the wife since she's usually the one providing sniper cover for me as I run after the enemy flag... -lol

As for family, I imagine we'll "put away childish things" when we decide to have children. Lord knows, I don't want MY kids playing these games!

The "I spent all day in front of a PC, why do it at home" argument is the best one I've read so far, but I don't work from home, my PCs are strictly for finances and play. And after looking at it from that perspective, I see their point. Thanks guys.

RUN FunnySignatureMessage

 

[Kjonnnn]

Single with no kids. Got a 300mhz Compaq with 256RAM... other than doing some things for my church (website, Access financial database) I dont turn it on.

 

[jrbarnett]

I have the exact opposite problem: I don't know when to switch off (or should that be shut down). Like Kjonnnn, I am single with no kids and unattached, and live with my parents. As I am unemployed at the present moment, I use tek-tips to keep my skills up to date.
My PC is in my bedroom - it is one of the first things that I see in the morning and last things I see at night and I spend several hours each day on it using it for job searching, tek-tips and general internet access.
I can't really move it outside the room as there is nowhere else suitable to put it.

John

 

[spookie]

I think its a personal issue of having or not having PC at home.

As sleipnir214 says it's just a way some people use to separate personal and professional lives.
The question: is it helpfull/advantagous in any way having a PC at home specially if u r in IT field.

i have a PC at home but rarely turn it on for project work.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I never set a goal because u never know whats going to happen tommorow.

 

[lespaul]

We have two computers, one is about 5 years old and I set it up for my kids when I got a new one about 2 years ago. The old one is never used anymore. I recently switched from dial up to cable modem (on the newer computer) and now everyone wants to use it. Before the cable modem, it was used for email and minor surfing. Since then my husband has turned into a web savvy blogger and my kids are playing games and surfing.

If I use it when I after getting home, it's usually to see if anything interesting has shown up here. I don't do development at home and I don't spend much time in front of the computer. Like CajunCenturion, I sit in front of the computer all day long, the last thing I want at home is more!

Leslie

 

[benlinkknilneb]

I thought you might appreciate a slightly different angle:

I'm 21. I play lots of games, wrote lots of programs (as a hobby), etc. I got my first job as a programmer about 1 year ago. After several months on the job, I found that my appetite for computer stuff in free time was not what it used to be. I have done almost no "hobby" programming in the last 6 months or so. I love my job; but I just don't have the desire to spend my free time working on little projects like I used to. I'll occasionally start up a game; but usually I get as far as checking my email and that's it.

 

[sleipnir214]

Of course, the number of coworkers who actually don't have computers at home and the number of coworkers who claim to not have computers at home may not be equal.

After all, if your boss thinks you don't have a computer home, would he be more or less likely to send work home with you?

Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!!

 

[nexcar]

sleipnir214: Wow! Now that's an original thought on this subject. I like that.

RUN FunnySignatureMessage

 

[benlinkknilneb]

Kinda sad, though, that we have to trick our employers into thinking we can't work at home... my personal philosophy is that if I'm in the office, I work; if I'm at home, leave me alone unless someone is in danger of being killed by my program.

 

[nexcar]

benlinkknilneb: I wish I could go that route, but my programs control production testing in an industrial, electronic manufacturing environment and, by some strange fate, could possibly injure someone.

RUN FunnySignatureMessage

 

[pmonett]

nexcar:
I too have a great compulsion to launch my favorite game of the moment when I get home. I also happen to have a 3-PC network. However, I never work at home if I can help it. By my philosphy, if my employer cannot spend the necessary amount of money to have the required resources, I do not see why I should spend my leisure time working for him.
If I have to do work after hours, it is on site, not at home, and I expect to be compensated for them.

That said, I know a lot of programmers like myself with PCs at home. Hardly any of them work on their home PCs, and not many of them play like I do. Many are more of the opinion already voiced here which considers that, after work, one has seen enough screen and wants to spend quality time in the family.
I understand that completely, it just happens that my hobby is PC gaming. Besides, to me my home PC has nothing (really !) to do with my work PC.

As a passing thought, your answer to benlinkknilneb does not invalidate his philosphy, nor does it prevent you from adopting it, I think.

 

[lionelhill]

I really liked benlinkknilneb's reply. For me it summed up the whole thing: loads of us must have got interested in IT by "playing" with computers (I picked fruit a whole summer to buy my acorn atom, and then had to solder the thing together!), but on finding ourselves stuck in front of a screen all day, the desire to play goes off a bit.

In a way that's a pity, because all that "play" was quite educational.

 

[Tarwn]

Odd, I thought I was in more of the majority...
I have a two PC (soon to be 3) network at home. I destress to a little time in a first person shooter. I guess I am also a hobbyist as I am constantly playing with airflows, benchmarking, etc. Funny thing is, I work in the manufacturing/industrial software settings as well. I'm actually working on a system to automate alerting better so that people will get even better alerts whether ot not they are at work...hmm...maybe it's all the chemicals in the air or something

Now nexcar, explain to me in detail how I convince my gf to start playing alongside me

[sub]01000111 01101111 01110100 00100000 01000011 01101111 01100110 01100110 01100101 01100101 00111111[/sub]

http://www.tiernok.com/

The never-completed website