7 ms·

I must say...being a sysadmin with the ability to ssh into developers' laptops remotely in our domain...this is one of the more fun commands ;)

by kylek 11y ago

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
zwily 11y ago
I hope that ssh'ing into anyone's laptop using your sysadmin credentials in order to play a prank is a fireable offense at your company.
- bluejekyll 11y ago
  Agree. Though until people never mess up their computers, we'll always need root. All super user interactions should be logged and audited, always. Not just "this was logged..." Which most people know means no one will ever look at it. But if everyone knew that was backed up with a call as to why that interaction happened with no associated case, etc.
  - zwily 11y ago
    You're in the minority then... My original comment has been downvoted quite a bit. It's strange to me that people think this is okay. If someone is willing to use that power for a prank, it seems to me more likely that they'll use it for... whatever. I like a good prank. Leave your screen unlocked? You deserve the abuse you get. :) But accessing my laptop in this way is just creepy.
    - toomuchtodo 11y ago
      I don't agree with your logic and think you need a more nuanced sense of humor. Spying on someone remotely? Fireable offense. Remotely kicking off speech utils between people on a team once? Not so much. Disclaimer: I have managed tech teams before. It is better to forgive then have knee jerk managerial reactions.
      - zwily 11y ago
        Sure, getting fired for doing it the first time would definitely be a bit strong. However, an admin who was regularly using his remote management capabilities to play pranks I would hope would be let go.
        toomuchtodo 11y ago
        We agree on this.
      - iamdave 11y ago
        I guess I'll take the downvotes and somewhat agree with them; probably not as far as to say a fireable matter for the first offense. Definitely a strong and unambiguous warning/disciplinary action (repeat offender, however? Fired) Sorry, I get office pranks but there's no reason to be doing anything on an end-user's workstation without their permission or consent that isn't maintenance or security related. I guess I lack a sense of humor, but I've also seen too many instances where a prank on someone's machine resulted in severely unintended consequences and breaches of trust that rippled through the team. Just not worth it, IMO.
    - kylek 11y ago
      ...and jumping on someone's unlocked computer without authorization is different but OK? right...here's your sign
      - zwily 11y ago
        Jumping on an unlocked computer is more of an "equal opportunity" thing. Only a handful of people in a company (IT) have the ability to remotely manage employees workstations. That creates an imbalance of power that needs to be respected. Using it for pranks against people who don't have that power isn't really fair. That said, I don't really find the whole "recursihoffing unlocked laptops" thing all that funny either, but it doesn't bother me as much.
    - Poiesis 11y ago
      Count me on your side (former admin--windows, alas). It always seemed to me to be kind of a bullying thing to do when the mark has less privileges as you. Seems like if they can't retaliate in kind, it's just not as fun. I'm sure there are people who have widely varying views on this, though.
      - bsagert 11y ago
        > former admin--windows, alas. Honest question, why the need to apologize for being a former Windows admin?
- kylek 11y ago
  And I hope that I would get fired for a little rare, light-hearted humor as I wouldn't want to work there anyways. Chill out, winston.
  - dang 11y ago
    > Chill out, winston Please don't do this here. This comment would be fine with just the first sentence.
    - steve19 11y ago
      "Chill out, winston" It's a British expression made popular by a movie. He is not calling out the guy by his first name.
      - dang 11y ago
        Yes, I know. But telling someone to "chill out" is a jab and superfluous. People do this kind of thing in online comments all the time, to make the other person look bad and rub in a little extra insult. Any one comment isn't much, of course, but they compound into a degraded discourse, and all of it goes against the civility we try to practice here.
        steve19 11y ago
        Fair enough. I didn't want you to think he was doxing someone.
        dang 11y ago
        Ah, I see. Probably should've left Winston out of this :)
- rconti 11y ago
  I, for one, neither wish ill will on people I don't know, nor do I wish a miserable workplace with uptight, excessively punitive policies on anyone.
- biafra 11y ago
  I think you're right. But I also have the luxury to work in a company where not one except me has root on my work computer.

I must say...being a sysadmin with the ability to ssh into developers' laptops remotely in our domain...this is one of the more fun commands ;)

by kylek 11y ago

I must say...being a sysadmin with the ability to ssh into developers' laptops remotely in our domain...this is one of the more fun commands ;)

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

zwily 11y ago

I hope that ssh'ing into anyone's laptop using your sysadmin credentials in order to play a prank is a fireable offense at your company.

bluejekyll 11y ago
Agree. Though until people never mess up their computers, we'll always need root. All super user interactions should be logged and audited, always. Not just "this was logged..." Which most people know means no one will ever look at it. But if everyone knew that was backed up with a call as to why that interaction happened with no associated case, etc.
- zwily 11y ago
  You're in the minority then... My original comment has been downvoted quite a bit. It's strange to me that people think this is okay. If someone is willing to use that power for a prank, it seems to me more likely that they'll use it for... whatever. I like a good prank. Leave your screen unlocked? You deserve the abuse you get. :) But accessing my laptop in this way is just creepy.
  - toomuchtodo 11y ago
    I don't agree with your logic and think you need a more nuanced sense of humor. Spying on someone remotely? Fireable offense. Remotely kicking off speech utils between people on a team once? Not so much. Disclaimer: I have managed tech teams before. It is better to forgive then have knee jerk managerial reactions.
    - zwily 11y ago
      Sure, getting fired for doing it the first time would definitely be a bit strong. However, an admin who was regularly using his remote management capabilities to play pranks I would hope would be let go.
      - toomuchtodo 11y ago
        We agree on this.
    - iamdave 11y ago
      I guess I'll take the downvotes and somewhat agree with them; probably not as far as to say a fireable matter for the first offense. Definitely a strong and unambiguous warning/disciplinary action (repeat offender, however? Fired) Sorry, I get office pranks but there's no reason to be doing anything on an end-user's workstation without their permission or consent that isn't maintenance or security related. I guess I lack a sense of humor, but I've also seen too many instances where a prank on someone's machine resulted in severely unintended consequences and breaches of trust that rippled through the team. Just not worth it, IMO.
  - kylek 11y ago
    ...and jumping on someone's unlocked computer without authorization is different but OK? right...here's your sign
    - zwily 11y ago
      Jumping on an unlocked computer is more of an "equal opportunity" thing. Only a handful of people in a company (IT) have the ability to remotely manage employees workstations. That creates an imbalance of power that needs to be respected. Using it for pranks against people who don't have that power isn't really fair. That said, I don't really find the whole "recursihoffing unlocked laptops" thing all that funny either, but it doesn't bother me as much.
  - Poiesis 11y ago
    Count me on your side (former admin--windows, alas). It always seemed to me to be kind of a bullying thing to do when the mark has less privileges as you. Seems like if they can't retaliate in kind, it's just not as fun. I'm sure there are people who have widely varying views on this, though.
    - bsagert 11y ago
      > former admin--windows, alas. Honest question, why the need to apologize for being a former Windows admin?
kylek 11y ago
And I hope that I would get fired for a little rare, light-hearted humor as I wouldn't want to work there anyways. Chill out, winston.
- dang 11y ago
  > Chill out, winston Please don't do this here. This comment would be fine with just the first sentence.
  - steve19 11y ago
    "Chill out, winston" It's a British expression made popular by a movie. He is not calling out the guy by his first name.
    - dang 11y ago
      Yes, I know. But telling someone to "chill out" is a jab and superfluous. People do this kind of thing in online comments all the time, to make the other person look bad and rub in a little extra insult. Any one comment isn't much, of course, but they compound into a degraded discourse, and all of it goes against the civility we try to practice here.
      - steve19 11y ago
        Fair enough. I didn't want you to think he was doxing someone.
        dang 11y ago
        Ah, I see. Probably should've left Winston out of this :)
rconti 11y ago
I, for one, neither wish ill will on people I don't know, nor do I wish a miserable workplace with uptight, excessively punitive policies on anyone.
biafra 11y ago
I think you're right. But I also have the luxury to work in a company where not one except me has root on my work computer.