so how can talk my employer into letting me use Ubuntu at work...

[cptrohn]

I can do everything I need to to do my job in Linux (and I could actually probably be MORE productive in Ubuntu)

He's a Mac guy, and the whole department uses Macbook pros..(including me) but I just feel so darn limited in OSX....

I'm going to see if he'll let me dual-boot as an experiment and if he doesn't think it's beneficial then I'll tell him I'll wipe it an re-image with our snow leopard image....


SO how would you approach the subject?

[Icehuck]

What exactly can't you do on a MAC that you would need Linux for? You have a terminal runing tcsh/bash.

[Old_Grey_Wolf]

You may want to find out if your employer is concerned about compatibility between OS-X and Linux. If you share files with your co-works, are the files compatible? Do the spreadsheets, word processor documents, graphics documents you produce with the Linux applications work with the Mac OS-X applications? I don't think you know for sure until you try to share them. The employer will not want to pay you for your time to fix them to work with OS-X. Your employer would want to know that it is your choice to try this experiment and any additional time expended will not be charged to the company.

[|{urse]

What exactly does your company do? I'd start by showing him all the nix programs that make your job easier. Finish up with the bottom-line cost: $0 (assuming 100% hardware compatibility and assuming you are competent enough to administer all the systems without hiring outside help).

I've done this before and it ended up being a bad idea since the boss decided he hated ubuntu because of a printer incompatibility.

[lisati]

Talk to your employer before changing anything on the work machines, and find out their thoughts. As others have suggested, they won't want to be paying you or someone else to put things right when something doesn't seem to be working as well as expected.

[cptrohn]

I'm an IT technician.....

I got MS office covered through play on linux.... of course I can map to my network drives that I sometimes need access too...

The only thing that seems like it might be a little bit of a challenge for me is Citrix because I haven't really tried to hit Citrix through Linux, but from my research I see that it is very, very possible...

As for being productive I just think I know how to do more in Linux than in OSX or Windows at this point....

We use teamviewer to remote into users systems, so thats not an issue either.....our ticketing system is browser based, so again not a problem....

I would just like to use what I like to use really. They knew I was a Linux guy when they hired me... So I don't think he would have a huge problem with it since we already use alot of Linux based applications anyway....

[matt_symes]

Hi

I would be very careful about this, not because of Ubuntu but because of risk management for your company. I would certainly not set up a dual boot at the start.

As everybody has said, speak to you employer first and install to a virtual machine. Don't go anywhere near installing on base metal until you have _all_ the kinks sorted and all the software sourced.

Are you comfortable administering and maintaining the system yourself ?


What exactly can't you do on a MAC that you would need Linux for? You have a terminal runing tcsh/bash.

Agreed. Is it just a costing issue ?

Kind regards

[grahammechanical]

I am a believer in David's law. I developed this law from observing the attitude of my work colleague David. His attitude was

"Whatever you do is going to be wrong. So, do it anyway."

If you ask, he will say no. And then what will you do? On the other hand, if you mess up the install of Ubuntu and are left with a broken Mac, what will you do?

Your risk. Your choice.

Regards.

[MisterGaribaldi]

I dunno about your workplace, but anywhere I've worked, this sort of thing would have been grounds for termination.

And again, to echo the questions up-thread, what is it exactly you can't do in SL that you think you could do in Linux?

[iponeverything]

If it was my network I would not allow it -- the user side is actually only half of the equation -- from the IT manager side I would cite a few problems:

- Uniform backups and recovery
- Security policy enforcement
- network monitoring and troubleshooting
- bad precedent

As for doing it first and asking later.. I would hope that you are in an important position. Getting a reputation as a rouge user on a network will cause you and your workstation to be focused on every time something goes wrong on the network.

[IWantFroyo]

I would advise you to stay away from Linux in this case and to conform to the crowd here. It sounds like you'd do it on company hardware, too. If I were the boss, this would be setting off alarm bells in my head.

What I would advise you to do is to see what you can do elsewhere. If you commute, maybe you can take a laptop running Linux onto the bus and do some work there. My usual approach to these types of things is to type and suck it up, and then format the documents and put polishing touches using my laptop when I really don't have anything else to do (commute).

[kevdog]

Maybe I'm older now and some of the fight is gone, however I think that might be do to some experience -- wisdom perhaps.

My advice. Ask nicely, and if they say no, just don't do it! I know a lot of their arguments against your installation are probably bogus, however its their network. Just save yourself a bunch a hassle, a possible termination, and possible other headaches. As much as I like Linux, using a different OS such as OS-X isn't going to ruin my day or change my life for the negative all that much. I guess what I'm saying is just get a little perspective on the matter.

[ageofsteam]

Say that it's
1. more secure
-and-
2. free.
That should win over most employers.

If he's against you changing a work machine, but okay with using Linux, run it from a UFD. I have a USB version of Lucid that runs like a dream. (I'd advise at least a 16 gig UFD if you want to use a lot of programs; I get a bit cramped on an 8 gig at times.)

[Copper Bezel]

If they issued you the laptop, there's probably a reason for that. I mean, if you have problems, you need to be able to hand off to IT, and you don't want to complicate their lives. You don't want to end up having to explain why your security is sufficient despite not matching everyone else's, either; there are likely policies in place about how security is handled. If you have this much freedom to move, as it were, then why not bring in your own Linux machine and use that? (I mean, pick up a Macbook and wipe it?) If they won't allow you to use your own hardware for these tasks, then there are probably reasons they need to keep the machines standard.

[Dangertux]

The way my employer handles this is we can use whatever we want, however if we don't use the company standard we're supporting it, and if we don't finish our work because we were diddling with graphics/network/printer/whatever drivers...Well you get the idea...

Ask your employer, if they are okay with it, and you can take adequate care of your system and insure it conforms to all appropriate policies go for it knowing full well Ubuntu may be the reason you get fired. Or suck it up, use the company standard and move on in life. It's just a laptop, there is no need to be fanatical, you're only there to do a job.

That's just my opinion.

[CharlesA]

Hi

I would be very careful about this, not because of Ubuntu but because of risk management for your company. I would certainly not set up a dual boot at the start.

As everybody has said, speak to you employer first and install to a virtual machine. Don't go anywhere near installing on base metal until you have _all_ the kinks sorted and all the software sourced.


The way my employer handles this is we can use whatever we want, however if we don't use the company standard we're supporting it, and if we don't finish our work because we were diddling with graphics/network/printer/whatever drivers...Well you get the idea...

Ask your employer, if they are okay with it, and you can take adequate care of your system and insure it conforms to all appropriate policies go for it knowing full well Ubuntu may be the reason you get fired. Or suck it up, use the company standard and move on in life. It's just a laptop, there is no need to be fanatical, you're only there to do a job.

That's just my opinion.

Matt and DT pretty much covered it. I would just suck it up and conform. You don't want to be the odd man out.

[rg4w]

I'm an IT technician.....
...
I would just like to use what I like to use really.
That alone is worth several thousands of dollars in additional productivity to any manager smart enough to recognize it.

The world is driven by the Internet, and the Internet is largely driven by Linux.

Moreover, everything in modern tech is driven by interoperability. Mac people used to know this.

As a long-time Mac guy I know very well how hard it used to be to get Macs accepted into the workplace. Now the tables are turned, and Apple is the new Microsoft.

But all the old arguments favoring interoperability make even more sense today than they ever did.

If this dude's smart he'll hear your proposal, and be impressed when you tell him that you've been running Ubuntu off of a thumb drive for the last month anyway. :)

If he doesn't embrace the greater productivity you're offering him, it may be time to freshen your resume. Quietly, of course, but keep moving. Life is too short to spend it working for people who don't know how to spend their money wisely.

No software, no hardware, nothing adds more value to human performance than personal interest.

[mips]

I see no reason for you to this. It's their hardware & their time.

Stick with what they gave you.

[spynappels]

I work for a multinational in a specialised IT field and I was issues with a Windows laptop when I started. I asked about dual booting with Linux and was told that this was fine, as long as I supported it myself. (Much the same as DangerTux in fact)

Yes, I can do everything I need to on Windows using PuTTY but I'm happier working on Linux.

I now work solely in Ubuntu, the Windows partition never gets booted, and I'm good with the work IT department because I asked first. If they'd said no about dual booting, I'd have just asked about using a VM inside Virtualbox, but the key is getting permission.

[squilookle]

Ask nicely, explain clearly what it is you want to do. No harm in that.

[haqking]

I would imagine it may viloate your AUP or Information Security Policy or some sort of policy you signed and agreed to.

sketchy ground without consulting your line manager and they could answer all your questions.

As for more productive, what exactly cant you do in OSX which you could do in Linux from a productivity point of view.

[Dragonbite]

It is easier to ask for forgiveness
than it is to ask for permission.

Yet something like this could be catastrophic if you end up
losing the ability to do your job
tose the ability to work with co-workers
lose productivity fooling around with this
complromise security or stability in the work place


We are primarily a Windows shop here, even though the Sys Admin guy has a Mac and runs Windows in a VM. I could actually replace my system with Linux and use the RDP to my development VMs to use the programs I need. But I am not going to risk it.

They know I use Linux. They know I prefer Linux. Most of the time I am on my own if I need to get our VPN client working, or something.

They are also putting me so I am more involved with our FreeBSD websites, where Linux could connect to and work with a lot easier than Windows. But until they say "OK", I'm opting for the safer route.

[mips]

Yet something like this could be catastrophic if you end up [LIST]
losing the ability to do your job
tose the ability to work with co-workers
lose productivity fooling around with this
complromise security or stability in the work place

And get you fired. I'm aware of one guy I use to work with that did his own thing and created security breach that got him so close to being fired it's not even funny. It's not that the company was anti linux but they had regulations and procedures in place you had to follow. I applied to setup a linux box which was fine but I had to jump through technical procedure documents for locking it down and once I was finished it was evaluated by the corporate security section which I had to grant root access to.

Companies don't do this to be spiteful but for good reason which I agree with 100%. Letting a noob loose on your network doing stuff they don't fully appreciate the impact off is plain scary. Coming from a networking environment I support this and would even fire your *** if I was in charge.

[rg4w]

FWIW:

Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc

Minds at Work: How Much Brainpower Are We Really Using?
http://www.kepner-tregoe.com/newsartpub/PubOverview-research.cfm#

Critical thinking: harnessing brainpower to achieve bottom-line results
http://www.plantengineering.com/pe/search/search-single-display/critical-thinking-harnessing-brainpower-to-achieve-bottom-line-results/d754c15e53.html

Linux Popularity Sparks Salary Jump
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2012/02/10/linux-popularity-sparks-salary-jump/

Google: Indiana Linux Jobs
http://www.google.com/search?&q=indiana+linux+jobs

Love what yo do, do what you love, and make more money while delivering greater value to your employer along the way. :)

[Dragonbite]

Companies don't do this to be spiteful but for good reason which I agree with 100%.

Sometimes they do, if they have an otherwise aggressive, control-freak type IT manager. :)

I don't argue (too much) with the Sys Admin guy because he fooled around with Linux, and is a BSD guy (all of our servers, if it isn't running Windows, it's likely running some form of BSD). So he at least has a clue about what it may mean to introduce Linux to the mix, and leaves me to do all the grunt-work. He'll supply necessary settings, but that's about all.

[stalkingwolf]

ok first lets examine the welterstang of the working world today.

1. there is no loyalty of the employer to the employee. ALL employers
now look at it in the terms of there are 100 or 1000 more out there to fill this position.

2. If you dont tow the party line see #1

3. all employees are expected to maintain total loyalty to the company or else SEE #1.


So the real question is, Is it worth it to you?

Can you go on day in and day out week after week year after year knowing
you could be more productive using <insert your choice> but just towing the co. line?

You could use your own laptop install what you want and need. Document
improved productivity, cost savings, etc. Then when you have all your ducks in a row, have covered all the turds with sufficent paint etc. make your pitch.

BUT, remember management is inundated and controlled by the HUTA syndrome.

While life is controlled by Murphy's Law , Management is controlled by the Peter Principle.

Another thing to remember is that the higher you rise the more you risk and the less you are willing to risk.

Some one , when i was very young told me if you cant afford to lose it dont bet it.

So in the end it comes down to what are you willing to bet? What do your convictions mean to you and can you at this time afford the risk?

Sometimes an "I told you so" down the road is worth more than an "I won Now".


getting off my soap box now.