Reply to: Client - Supplied PC is full of viruses - yeh righto

[psychocandy]

Let me guess. You call in sick with the main client, don't you?

Nope. Not at all. BUT, I do get to advise the client of days when I'm not available and not 'ask' for leave. :-)

I just picked a day which I knew wasn't going to inconvenience them. Advised them and made sure they didn't have an issue.

But I haven't told them why because it's not relevant what I do when I'm not there, whether I'm off to the dentist, staying home cracking one off all day, or working for another client for the day.

[psychocandy]

At first I thought this was a joke/troll post but????? How long have you been contracting and you are still doing favours? Oh by the way, any properly switched on (no pun intended) site would also check your electrical connections before allowing you to plug in (yes I am dreaming about that bit)but this is a joke post....?

Jeez. Read the thread properly. Its not a freebie favour. He just happens to be my mate who has his own company. He pays me!!!!

[FatLazyContractor]

In the past I've done these sort of things as a favour to my mate. All invoiced. I just take a day off at main client to do this. .

Let me guess. You call in sick with the main client, don't you?

[TheLordDave]

Wasn't free. He always covers my day rate as a minimum. In fact, in the past, I've done work for him at weekends and hes paid me VERY WELL.

A few years ago he even paid me a retainer to be on call for him if he never needed to phone me.

All done properly with VAT invoices I might add.

(LOL. Know what you mean, I cleared a mates PC of porn pop-ups etc and saved his ass- next time I wanted a key cut (hes a cobbler) - £8 please).

Same thing with my brother in law, gave him our old (1 year) £2500 sofa when the Mrs changed all the colors down stairs when nesting. He is an unqualified chippy, when I wanted a hand laying some decking he wanted to charge us 150 quid a day and got the sister in law to try and negotiate it with us.

[SlipTheJab]

PC full of viruses... I suggest you get yourself off to the doctors

[BolshieBastard]

Occasionally, do the odd days work for a friend of mines company. His clients PM is a right PITA dell boy wheeler dealer (but working for a large public sector place). Worked with him before when me and friend worked for same company.

Anyway, his client wanted a PC supplied with some software on - which is my area of expertise.

So did that - all sorted. I did think it a bit strange at the time that they got a few junior staff to connect this up to their lan, and add it to the windows domain. After all, we'd just dragged this in from the car - but who am I to argue.

Mate has had a call today. Please take your PC away its full of viruses.

For a fact, I know its not - so pretty sure he's blagging it. Sounds very much like to me that his IT department has spotted the new device on the network and told him (hes a PM) to get it off the network PDQ because there might be a virus on it.

But of course, hes not going to tell my mate he didn't bother getting it authorized and wasted our time trekking down to visit him.

Comments?

In the past I've done these sort of things as a favour to my mate. All invoiced. I just take a day off at main client to do this. Can't really do that now since its all been thrown back - not that its my fault I think.

[Taita]

PC was handed over by PM an IT dept guy who then took it away. Half hour came back and said its connected, we've got a monitor and keyboard etc added to domain, here's the IP address etc. Here let me show you where it is so you can do your bit.

I'm beginning to think that this PM has cajoled a junior member to do this 'on the side' for him. (But he had domain admin account or it wouldnt have been possible to add to the domain). I just smell a rat that someone has decided to short cut things and now its all gone wrong.

At first I thought this was a joke/troll post but????? How long have you been contracting and you are still doing favours? Oh by the way, any properly switched on (no pun intended) site would also check your electrical connections before allowing you to plug in (yes I am dreaming about that bit)but this is a joke post....?

[SlipTheJab]

Occasionally, do the odd days work for a friend of mines company. His clients PM is a right PITA dell boy wheeler dealer (but working for a large public sector place). Worked with him before when me and friend worked for same company.

Anyway, his client wanted a PC supplied with some software on - which is my area of expertise.

So did that - all sorted. I did think it a bit strange at the time that they got a few junior staff to connect this up to their lan, and add it to the windows domain. After all, we'd just dragged this in from the car - but who am I to argue.

Mate has had a call today. Please take your PC away its full of viruses.

For a fact, I know its not - so pretty sure he's blagging it. Sounds very much like to me that his IT department has spotted the new device on the network and told him (hes a PM) to get it off the network PDQ because there might be a virus on it.

But of course, hes not going to tell my mate he didn't bother getting it authorized and wasted our time trekking down to visit him.

Comments?

In the past I've done these sort of things as a favour to my mate. All invoiced. I just take a day off at main client to do this. Can't really do that now since its all been thrown back - not that its my fault I think.

tulip happens, move on HTH.

[psychocandy]

In 20 years, I've worked at one site where you had to supply your own laptop. The client IT department scanned all PCs before they could be connected to the LAN.

PC was handed over by PM an IT dept guy who then took it away. Half hour came back and said its connected, we've got a monitor and keyboard etc added to domain, here's the IP address etc. Here let me show you where it is so you can do your bit.

I'm beginning to think that this PM has cajoled a junior member to do this 'on the side' for him. (But he had domain admin account or it wouldnt have been possible to add to the domain). I just smell a rat that someone has decided to short cut things and now its all gone wrong.

[NotAllThere]

AND!! you should have known better, the world and his wife know's no client lets anyone plug a personal device in, you might get on the guest wifi but in 15 years contracting I have never been to a client who allows it.

Yes I know some sites have BYO now but its still pretty rare

In 20 years, I've worked at one site where you had to supply your own laptop. The client IT department scanned all PCs before they could be connected to the LAN.

[psychocandy]

AND!! you should have known better, the world and his wife know's no client lets anyone plug a personal device in, you might get on the guest wifi but in 15 years contracting I have never been to a client who allows it.

Yes I know some sites have BYO now but its still pretty rare

Yes maybe my fault as well.
BUT my mates company has been a supplier to his client for 15 years or more. Its not like hes a random stranger - he installed most of their network infrastructure for them.

So I assumed that between them they'd have sorted out authorisation for things like this.

[psychocandy]

NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!!! do favours or work for free, you devalue your own skill and no one ever appreciates something they get for nothing.

I used to do work for people thinking it's ok one day I might need a favour back, I used to get called regularly by a friends who's a plumber forever at his office sorting his network and computer out then when I wanted some work doing at my house he charged me full whack, I have never done anything for free since

Wasn't free. He always covers my day rate as a minimum. In fact, in the past, I've done work for him at weekends and hes paid me VERY WELL.

A few years ago he even paid me a retainer to be on call for him if he never needed to phone me.

All done properly with VAT invoices I might add.

(LOL. Know what you mean, I cleared a mates PC of porn pop-ups etc and saved his ass- next time I wanted a key cut (hes a cobbler) - £8 please).

[Support Monkey]

AND!! you should have known better, the world and his wife know's no client lets anyone plug a personal device in, you might get on the guest wifi but in 15 years contracting I have never been to a client who allows it.

Yes I know some sites have BYO now but its still pretty rare

[psychocandy]

His client does have acceptance criteria and a quarantine process then? If not, you/he are never going to be protected from this sort of thing and IME it is best to stay away from it. Next thing you know is PM screws the whole lan and the blame comes squarely at you. Hard to defend against even if their claims are entirely bulltulip.

As an aside, I thought you told the VAT office that you cannot just take a day off when you felt like it ;)

I'm brought in for a day as a sub-contractor to do a piece or work. My mate I will admit should have checked this. I did mention it to him to be honest.

Well, I had this day off booked anyway - I was going to do something else. So it came free and I told my mate I was available.

And of course, VAT office doesn't cover my daily rate - my mate does.

[Support Monkey]

Occasionally, do the odd days work for a friend of mines company. His clients PM is a right PITA dell boy wheeler dealer (but working for a large public sector place). Worked with him before when me and friend worked for same company.

Anyway, his client wanted a PC supplied with some software on - which is my area of expertise.

So did that - all sorted. I did think it a bit strange at the time that they got a few junior staff to connect this up to their lan, and add it to the windows domain. After all, we'd just dragged this in from the car - but who am I to argue.

Mate has had a call today. Please take your PC away its full of viruses.

For a fact, I know its not - so pretty sure he's blagging it. Sounds very much like to me that his IT department has spotted the new device on the network and told him (hes a PM) to get it off the network PDQ because there might be a virus on it.

But of course, hes not going to tell my mate he didn't bother getting it authorized and wasted our time trekking down to visit him.

Comments?

In the past I've done these sort of things as a favour to my mate. All invoiced. I just take a day off at main client to do this. Can't really do that now since its all been thrown back - not that its my fault I think.

NEVER NEVER NEVER!!!!! do favours or work for free, you devalue your own skill and no one ever appreciates something they get for nothing.

I used to do work for people thinking it's ok one day I might need a favour back, I used to get called regularly by a friends who's a plumber forever at his office sorting his network and computer out then when I wanted some work doing at my house he charged me full whack, I have never done anything for free since