Should IT Shops Let Users Manage Their Own PCs?

An anonymous reader writes "Is letting users manage their own PCs an IT time-saver or time bomb waiting to happen? 'In this Web 2.0 self-service approach, IT knights employees with the responsibility for their own PC's life cycle. That's right: Workers select, configure, manage, and ultimately support their own systems, choosing the hardware and software they need to best perform their jobs.'" Do any of you do something similar to this in your workplace? Anyone think this is a spectacularly bad idea?

Sure

[Dan East]

Sure. I'm getting them to write their own software too, but the learning curve is a little steep. We would like to have them fabricating their own chipsets by 2010. Of course we'll have them start with FPGAs first before actual silicon, because that only makes sense.

We tried that with cell phones.

[Anonymous Coward]

After letting users pick their plan, phones and cell providers and having ***$900*** cell phone bills each month we said "You will pay for anything over $85".

Surprisingly the bills dropped to about $85 and they let us manage the plans.

As a IT guy like so many others - the reason users don't manage their systems is a) they can't and b) it's better for the company if professionals do it.

Tagging?

[fuocoZERO]

Any idea why this article hasn't been tagged "whatcouldpossiblygowrong" yet?

Re:Sure

[moderatorrater]

Of course we'll have them start with FPGAs first before actual silicon, because that only makes sense.

Good idea. And while you're at it why not give them a mint, tuck them in at night and make sure that they have all their stuffed animals. Do you want employees or pussies?

madness!!!

[jollyreaper]

I have trouble convincing people not to set their beverages on the copier while waiting for jobs to complete. Give these people local admin rights and we're going to have smoke and shrapnel.

Re:Select own software?

[vertinox]

I have a 72 years old guy in a next cubicle ...I don't think the man knows the difference between a CPU and motherboard ..

I don't think he knows the difference between a 401K and lottery tickets either.

Re:in the perfect world...

[KillerCow]

"I'm trying to make an Internet on my desktop but I can't get the file to program."

Can those people really manage their own machines?

Re:I worked as a site tech in one place...

[cb8100]

Yes, this was a SCHOOL... these are the people teaching your kids what to think...

I like to let the TV teach my kid what to think

Re:It Could Work...

[Nullav]

We installed him 6 years ago on my computer (I was a freshman in undergrad then) so that we could have him say stuff like "punch me in the testicles"

I hate to break it to you, but you could have said it yourself and it would have been much less painful in the end.

Re:madness!!!

[Selanit]

Have you considered putting a table right next to the copier?

Alternatively, if there's one already there, have you put coasters on it, as a hint?

And if it's got coasters already, have you considered purchasing a cheap mug, drinking coffee out of it just once so it'll have an authentic ring-stain in the bottom, and then setting it on one of those coasters permanently as an added hint?

Failing that, have you taken a bunch of tennis balls, cut them in half, duct taped them to the top of the copier and spray painted them the same beige as the rest so there's no flat place to put drinks?

Further, have you considered sneaking into their cubicles by dead of night and supergluing their cups and mugs to the desk?

If all else fails, have you considered supergluing your coworkers themselves to their desks? I bet their productivity would go up. The smell might get bad after a while, though ...

Re:I worked as a site tech in one place...

[Anonymous Coward]

Absolutely! And another thing, some teachers eat too much, and some have no fashion sense, and some even (gasp) SPEED! Breaking the law and everything. We should immediately close the entire US school system and have all parents stay home and home school their kids.

Yeah, that will work.

Moron.

Re:in the perfect world...

[jwo7777777]

In my business, I force my users to submit all requests in triplicate and reject any that aren't perfect in spelling and I allow no smudges, tears, or other obvious defects on the submission. I provide the forms in the building basement and keep the inbox on the second floor.

Users are required to change their password every login. Only approved software is allowed on the machines and access to our intranet is strictly controlled by a hypervisor proxy installed on each and every machine.

Our one and only security breach was when my wife slapped me and choked the common network and local admin password out of me after she demoted me to assistant adjutant information technician.

She will pay for her insolence. I have already connected together the velcro-like fasteners on several of the baby's size 5 disposable diapers, creating a low cost darknet to create a denial-of-diaper attack on the server I used to control.

She will pay ... oh yes ... she will pay.......