If I may chime in on the computers as the employer's property. If the
computer is connected to a network, it is using up resources. If an
employee is using the computer/network for personal things (personal
e-mail, storage of games, etc) the employer or computer systems manager
should have the right to go into the the system and remove files, provided
that there is a true concern that these things are draining the system and
making it hard for work to get done.  Also a company or organization could
possibly be held libel for "unathorized" or pirated software/stuff found
on computer. And unlike your desk, bad software that causes a nasty giltch
or a virus infects other computers, whereas your desk is not likely to
have any adverse effect on the next guy/gal.

But hopefully everyone is using authorized and properly purchased
software, and most e-mail messages are business or professionally related.
Of course I do believe in some employer subsidy of e-mail and computer
use, but I try to take as much care with it as I do when I have "borrowed"
pens from the office.

--
M Marie Maxwell
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~maxwell/
http://www.maxwells.org/
<Profound thought>?</Profound thought>