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Subject:TWs and their work tools! From:"Mark Emson" <mt -dot- emson -at- ntlworld -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Sun, 28 Jan 2001 00:04:02 -0000
Hi all,
Having moved from a large Government writing job to be the sole author in a
local engineering firm I have found that my working facilities are quite a
bit poorer than I anticipated. (I'll ask better questions next time.)
The company has never had a full time writer and it seems that I am a bit of
a trial. I've ended up with an old slow PC and a mix-match of software that
is made up in layers of upgrades. These seem to contribute to the hours
spent each week trying to recover crashes and lost files.
I have two obstacles to overcome but I can only see one real solution.
1) The IT dept thinks that as the new-boy I am just whinging and hence don't
take any interest in my problems.
2) The boss thinks about equipment and software and can see £s being flushed
down the pan.
Like in many companies, the author is seen as the poor relation that
gets the family hand-me-downs.The common phase is,
"How much power do you need?..............You're only doing a bit of
writing." (If only that were true.)
My solution: I have started using my own laptop and software to get the
job done.
I must admit that apart from the annoyance of being in this position, I
quite like the idea of using my own stuff. I know where everything is, how
it works and how it will behave under conditions xyz and abc, etc.
I was thinking of adopting the idea as a standard practice ready for my next
job move.
After all, many engineers take their own tools with them from job to job and
is not the PC, just another tool?
Now for my questions.
Q1) Does any one else, other than teleworkerkes or home based contractors,
find this sort of practice necessary?
Q2) As well as a PC and software, what other personal stuff do people find
themselves using/needing on a regular basis?
Q3) What is the legal aspect of all this.What happens if my PC looses files,
gets stolen or breaks down before a full backup had been made?
Q4) Can the company legally distribute work that has been created in
software that I own --- but they do not?
Is there a better solution?
Should I carry on in this way or is the company just failing in its
obligations and saving cash at my expense?
My Lords and Ladies, I await your wise council.
Thank you to you all,
Mark Emson.
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