“A couple of weeks ago, ABC News writers were forced to surrender their BlackBerry hand-held devices when the network clashed with the guild over after-hours work. According to people familiar with the situation, ABC asked writers and producers to sign a waiver acknowledging that they may use their BlackBerrys to monitor and compose work-related e-mail after normal working hours. When the writers guild advised its members not to sign, the network took the BlackBerrys away.” [Broadcasting & Cable]
This is one of the reasons I’ve always owned my own laptops (and most other work-related) toys. Even though the company would have probably provided some of these. I take the “carpenter’s tools” view. I know that all hammers are not the same. I want the best.
In my computer profession I have:
my own crackberry (Curve 8310)
computer keyboard
mouse
mouse pad.
name plate holder with cheesy wood grained name plate.
I carry all of these items around with me from job to job.
In cooking I have my own knives and knife bag. Since cooks fall into the same “realm” as carpenters, and mechanics. The “shop” tools are not always “usable”.