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Ask HN: Is it ok to ask interns to brng their own laptops and flash ubuntu on them

3 points by Achshar ↗ HN
I joined a startup/company yesterday as intern and they told us we'd have to bring in our own laptops. I was kind of fine with it but then today they also told me they would need to install ubuntu on it (the work they do is node.js/android so unix type system is not a requirement) and format my system drive as well. I think that's crazy. It's my system and I should be able to control what happens to it. Yes I can of course quit but this should not be a thing.

The reason they gave everyone is that they cannot risk people using pirated windows but I don't have a single bit of pirated code on my system and they still insisted on it. I was hoping to probe good people of HN to see what they think. I realize they can request whatever they want and final control still lies with me but I think this is very personal invasion of my privacy and rights to my own rig.

And my laptop is a lennovo yoga the flex version, it has touch screen and screen folds back. It's semi hybrid version and Ubuntu would look laughably bad and criminally useless on my machine. Not to mention I have all my workstation set up on it. I told them I have genuine windows which will be rendered useless and their response was that I can always take my machine to the service center and tell them to install windows again. My internship is 6 months long so all this trouble would only be for 6 months to begin with.

I tried to negotiate quite a bit but they don't seem to budge. Dual boot, VM, or just working with windows all don't seem to make any dent in their resolve. If I cannot resolve it tomorrow I will have to either escalate it to top management (it's a small 300 person company) or just give up and leave.

I am not looking for any legal recourse, instead I am just trying to find your take on the matter.

PS Ask HN part is malformatted and bring is brng to go around the 80 character limit.

16 comments

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forgetsusername
>I am just trying to find your take on the matter

I think you're right: it's ridiculous.

Bioto
I may be an outlier but why not just dual boot and load into ubuntu before going into work? Hell, change the bootloader so it boots directly to ubuntu unless you press a key.
Achshar
I asked them that, the tech lead wasn't interested. No idea what's wrong with it. I could change the bootloader and make it directly boot ubuntu but they actually take in our laptops and flash them themselves so I can' avoid windows being overwritten.
thefastlane
> "why not just dual boot"

it is the employer's responsibility to provide you with basic things like a computer, a chair, a desk, etc.

spitfire
No. Escalate.

If your employer wants you to use some specific technical tools, they need to provide those tools. Be respectful, but firm.

I would recommend simply leaving your laptop at home.

Achshar
Yeah I have half a mind to tell my HR tomorrow to let me talk to the founder guy about it. I think that's what I'll do.
thefastlane
spitfire's advice is right on.

also, this 'startup' is not in good shape if they can't provide you with the tools you need to do your work. it sounds like a sinking ship, and you should simultaneously be preparing your exit strategy asap.

WorldMaker
Yes, this seems a very personal violation if the company is both requiring you to bring your own device and dictating how and what can/must be on it.

Furthermore, the excuse provided here seems flimsy at best: their IT has a legal defense if the laptop was private property (ie, yours) and using a pirated copy of Windows. From a technical perspective there are very easy ways to check if the copy of Windows on your machine thinks it is genuine. Furthermore, there are tools that Microsoft provides to do that in an automated fashion, because Microsoft has considered and supports Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to the Enterprise scenarios in Windows itself and provides tools to help companies do that and more successfully walk the tight rope between corporate security and overreach into dictating what an employee may or may not do with their own devices.

(At worst, this excuse seems like just a way to assert control over employee's personal lives/property solely for the purpose of having said control.)

Achshar
Yes it left a bad taste in my mouth the moment they asked everyone to submit their laptops. What's even more surprising is that no one objected. Not even one (this was a batch of ~60). People are so very eager to give up rights to their own property for $146/month for 6 months. I was more disappointed in the interns than angry at the company.
drdeca
I'm guessing that swapping out the hard drive would not at all be an easy thing to do, right?
Achshar
Yeah, it's a sealed thing, almost as thin as a macbook, not only would I be voiding my warranty, I don't have the first clue of where to begin. And I'll have to buy a new HDD. Also, it's a hybrid thing, 8gig ssd and 1TB hdd. So not sure if drivers will screw with it.
drdeca
Dang, ok, didn't think it would be feasible but thought it might be a workable solution if it was.

I hope things work out for the best, whatever the best is.

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JSeymourATL
> they told us we'd have to bring in our own laptops.

Ask if there are any exceptions-- perhaps they have an old, un-used loaner laptop lying around. Also, this wasn't a stated pre-condition of your internship. Do they typically change terms with partners after an agreement has been made?

I once had a summer job working for a landscaper. They never asked me to bring my own lawnmower and rake. Normally, it's the employers responsibility to provide basic work tools.

lazylizard
perhaps you can give them a little bit more ground...by all means if they want to wipe your laptop and put ubuntu on it..but only if they can restore it back to its current state at the end of your internship.

but really. what if ppl turned up and said "i can't afford a laptop"?