What should people not do with their work computer?
A friend of mine works in IT and while repairing a company issued laptop found an entire folder of porn images.(conveniently hidden) Got me wondering if thats really an exception or do things like these really happen out there?
Besides committing crimes (pirating content, fraud, etc) and doing questionable things (such as accessing porn), I would refrain from creating anything using my work computer (such as a web app, mobile app, blog). It is very common for companies to add clauses that says that anything you produce using their equipment is their IP.
Having done IT, I'd say it's fairly common. If the company does not have strict rules about personal use of systems, I generally ignored it ("Oh sorry, wrong folder" if the user was looking over my shoulder).
In my current company we specifically ask users not to store pornographic images on their work systems so we can all be spared the embarrassment, so far that seems to work well.
Personally I try not to use work systems for anything non-work related. Why risk it? hardware is cheap.
I've heard lots of stories about work computers full of porn, even in the government.
It's definitely a very bad idea, but I don't think it's that uncommon. Usually these people eventually get in trouble for it, but it might take a while (esp. in the government).
The best thing you can do with your work computer is leave it at work.
Using company-linked profiles to express your personal opinion. Keep your company name out of your personal Twitter profile, for example.
Don't use a work computer for any personal or side projects. Otherwise the employer may be able to claim copyright ownership over the work.
I go as far as avoiding personal email, Facebook, WhatsApp, assuming that the device can be taken back any time. But this is difficult as an app developer, where logins often use personal accounts.
I like porn as much as anybody, or so I thought. Never in a million years would it occur to me to access or store it on a work computer. Just why?
Had a guy mining Monero on his. Didn't find out until he left.
Tacky, considering the kinds of salary this field draws.