>>> Ross Weeks <[log in to unmask]> 10/13/98 05:04pm >>>
>Speaking only for myself, one's PC is an extension of the desk and its
>contents are as private as what's kept in that desk.  No supervisor
>should be snooping around in an employee's desk except in an
> emergency. Any supervisor browsing through the files on an
> employee's PC, I'd say, has too little to do or there wouldn't be time.

Actually, you may find that the contents of one's desk at work aren't all
that private. Technically the desk and PC belong to the company you
work for and I know of places that reserve the right to go into the desks
with due cause. There are times when it is necessary for a boss or
co-worker to get into ones files (in desk or PC) when one is not present
(e.g., a secretary is unexpectedly out sick and a mailing needs to go out
THAT DAY. Well, into the computer we go to get the file to print out and
send). Going in for the purpose of snooping is not usually acceptable, but
there are times when the desk/PC need to be "invaded."

I believe the policy where I currently work is something like personal net
surfing, game playing, or other work is acceptable during breaks and
after work hours, however, if such files take up space needed on the
computer or otherwise corrupt the system, they must be removed and
the computer people are allowed to remove such files if they deem that
they are the cause of slow down, a full disk, etc.

                                                Angela

(my opinions are my own and not necessarily those of my employer)

                                                             Angela Putney, Ph.D.
                                                             Physics Management Fellow
                                                             American Institute of Physics
                                                             One Physics Ellipse
                                                             College Park, MD 20740

                                                             Phone: 301-209-3135
                                                             Fax:     301-209-3133
                                                             E-mail: [log in to unmask]