Flash Drive Contents -- Remote View of PDFs, Quciktime, etc?

[M Bruner]

Hello gurus. I work for a company that has computers we can use in our breakroom for non-company use. I have a 500 MB flash drive I was wondering if I took it to work, what programs could I put on it that would run on the work computers. The computers don't have QT, or Adobe Acrobat Reader on them. Is there a way I con put those applications on the flash drive, along with my own documents to read or watch the during my breaks?

[Cornucopia]

Having worked at a similar company this last year, I can tell you that they restrict those computers for a reason--the work computers have very sensitive info and the company can't risk slowdown of the network, let alone viruses & malware, or God forbid, loss/spread of sensitive client info.

So what you should do is: Ask your supervisor or IT or security rep WHAT IS allowed. If I were the IT guy, I would have locked those PCs down so that login on those machines runs scripts/policies that remove access to all removeables, have only certain apps pre-installed and able to run, internet with a tightly controlled subset of available sites, and a boot image or virtual machine sandbox type of OS so that anything even cached during a session is wiped clean upon logoff or reboot.

Sure that sounds a little big brother-y, but it's the company's time and the company's dime (and the company's ass if things were to screw up). If you want internet access or portable apps, get a really good iPhone or netbook or something with cellular/G3 internet access and use that in the cafeteria instead (you ARE allowed to use those in there, as I coud and did).

Just being frank,

Scott

[AlanHK]

Since he said: "computers we can use in our breakroom for non-company use
I think these must be insulated from any sensitive systems, and what he's doing is entirely expected.


So as regards:

I have a 500 MB flash drive I was wondering if I took it to work, what programs could I put on it that would run on the work computers. The computers don't have QT, or Adobe Acrobat Reader on them. Is there a way I con put those applications on the flash drive, along with my own documents to read or watch the during my breaks?

See http://www.portablefreeware.com/ and similar sites which catalogue applications for exactly this purpose.
For example, I don't know if Acrobat can be made portable, but certainly Foxit and several other PDF readers can.

But I would ask if they could install Acrobat Reader anyway, or if they're paranoid about its theoretical vulnerabilities, again Foxit would be a good choice.

[Supreme2k]

On the other hand, why?

I've never understood the need to use company computers for personal use (or in the case, why does the company offer it?). Just do your personal computing at home.

Basically, if they don't have it installed on the PC, they don't want it on there. They most likely don't even want you to run it on there. The computers are probably for checking your personal email and maybe a little surfing during your (probably very short) breaks, not for doing you taxes or creating a resume for your next employer.

Ask your Higher Ups what they think of your idea. I'm sure they'd love it.


EDIT: I guess I could have just copied and pasted Cornucopia's post.

[M Bruner]

Thanks, gurus, I really appreciate the input.
@ Cornucopia & Supreme2k, we do have access to the Internet on those computers, although a lot of sites are blocked, but att.net (e.g.) games aren't. Looks like AlanHK has my solution, as if the computers don't have Adobe Reader, I think FoxIt will work just fine.

[G)-(OST]

Hey, I have a thumb drive with a couple of portable apps that I use for TAFE (school).

PDF XChange Viewer Portable is a good PDF file viewer & you can even modify & use the type writer tool, you can even select text, copy & paste, one of my favourite PDF tools.

VLC Player (non installer version), for playing most video files.

IMGBurn Portable, yes that's correct, you can run IMGBurn portably like I do on the school computers, here is how,
http://www.pendriveapps.com/portable-imgburn/#more-162

Check out http://www.pendriveapps.com/ for heaps of good stuff