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On Sat, Oct 06, 2001 at 02:26:25AM -0700, Steve wrote:
> Derek D. Martin wrote:
> 
> >  - keep your boss(es) and/or coworkers from reading your private mail
> >    which could get you ostricised/fired/worse
> 
> 
> I agree with a lot of points, but this is an odd one if you're talking about 
> using the company's assets to do these personal things.

I'm not sure why...


> Nobody's data on company equipment can be considered theirs. Companies allow 
> you to use their assets for private purposes, but that's at their 
> discretion. It may not be the company's right to know your private data, but 
> it swings both ways. It's not your right to use the company's assets for 
> your personal purposes.

While this is certainly true, the practical realities of life
sometimes necessitate that you use your company's e-mail system to
send private, personal e-mail. I've never worked for a company that
didn't expect this would go on, to some degree at least.  So long as
it's not expressly forbidden in their company policy, why would you
NOT want to do that?  And if the communication is sensitive and
private, then you owe it to yourself to encrypt it, as odds are not so
terrible that someone's reading all your e-mail anyway, with the
company's permission or not...

An example?  A common one for this type of thing involves a person's
alternative sexual preference, so I'll use that.  Really, it applies
to anything that you consider sensitive, but that is time-critical and
involves being at work...

Let's say that you're gay, and not comfortable with people knowing
that.  You also have a co-worker who is a friend and also gay, and you
want to invite them to lunch at your favorite gay bar.  Telephone is
not a good option, as you can easily be overheard.  Same with an
invitation in person, unless you make a point to do it in an open area
where you can see anyone approaching (which can be quite difficult to
do, i.e. if no such area is readily available).  E-mail is probably
the best solution, as it's quiet, and for the most part it's private,
EXCEPT that it can be intercepted by the IT staff (or system
crackers!) at your site.  It may be impossible for you to use your
personal e-mail accounts, due to access issues...

So you solve the problem by sending encrypted e-mail.  Unless your
company has a policy against it, and actively punishes those who use
it.  But that would also mean they're actively sorting through your
e-mail, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to work for that
company!

- --  
- ---------------------------------------------------
Derek Martin          |   Unix/Linux geek
ddm@pizzashack.org    |   GnuPG Key ID: 0x81CFE75D
Retrieve my public key at http://pgp.mit.edu

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