[ale] Awful story...

[questy at gmail.com (Jerald Sheets)]

Maybe I'm just a purist that way, but on my work machines it's a Linux desktop or it's nothing.  (I've used Macs in the past, but they were essentially iTerm sessions into my 2 Linux boxen.)

I make a point of asking that in the interview.  If it's a deal-breaker, then there's something inherently wrong with the way business is done (in my opinion, of course) and I should make the decision right then and there if I want to work there.

At my current position, the answer was:  "You have to have what we give you, but you get an extra machine, so as long as you can do your job, I don't care."

This is the sensible, well thought-out answer.  It's predicated on me getting my job done.

The company provided system is chained to the desk and never goes anywhere.  My primary and secondary machines are Linux Boxen, I manage mostly Linux Boxen with a few XServes and about 9 Solaris boxen. I use Macs at home.