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Mouse Jigglers, Fake PowerPoints: Workers Foil Bosses’ Surveillance Attempts
WSJ ^ | 11 Jan 2023 | Douglas Belkin

Posted on 01/12/2023 7:41:21 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT

In a time of hybrid work, employers are extra-focused on making sure their staffers are being productive.

Now come employees with work hacks to keep the bosses off their tails.

Mr. Abbas wrapped the cord of his computer mouse around a rotating desk fan. Its motion kept the mouse moving and prevented his computer from shutting down. “I logged on, went to the gym,” he says.

For workers who aren’t as handy, mouse jigglers are for sale on Amazon. “Push the button when you’re getting up from your desk and the cursor travels randomly around the screen—for hours, if needed!” says one review.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Humor
KEYWORDS: labor; metrics; sloth; work
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To: dfwgator

33F8461 is the part number of the Mouse Ball retainer.............


41 posted on 01/12/2023 8:55:34 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

For later.

L


42 posted on 01/12/2023 8:56:32 AM PST by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

During the coof telework days I called a co-worker (THE laziest EVER) and encouraged her to buy a helfer grandfather clock on eBay. When asked why,I replied that she could wind it once each day, tape her mouse to the pendulum and at least the boss might THINK you’re working, because your station is asleep all day and if I can see it, the bosses can too.

...then the fight started


43 posted on 01/12/2023 8:57:39 AM PST by SheepWhisperer ("Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.")
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To: SheepWhisperer

Buy “herself”


44 posted on 01/12/2023 8:58:09 AM PST by SheepWhisperer ("Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.")
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To: DUMBGRUNT

If a company has to surveil mouse clicks to tell if their employees are productive there isn’t really any hope for them.


45 posted on 01/12/2023 8:59:57 AM PST by hopespringseternal
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To: DUMBGRUNT

If idiot managers measure their emplyees computer activity as a performance metric then they need to reconsider their metrics.

If moving a mouse, clicking buttons, and filling out forms are what you measure then that’s what your organization does.

Maybe they need to focus on the actual reason their organization exists.


46 posted on 01/12/2023 9:03:05 AM PST by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism. )
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To: EEGator

My job is remote. I tell them when I’m going to be out. They don’t care since I’m still available to clients.


47 posted on 01/12/2023 9:04:06 AM PST by sheana
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To: EEGator
It sounds like their positions are useless. I’m remote, but I don’t need checking up on.

Same here. If I’m “mouse-jiggling,” things will get held up or not done. It would be quite noticeable.

Sounds like some companies could save money by removing the “mouse jigglers” and replacing them with people who work.

48 posted on 01/12/2023 9:06:16 AM PST by Allegra
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To: martin_fierro

A glance at the reviews and apparently the device repeats the time cycle, no random, no pseudo-random, no nothing.

Six bucks, true random is complicated.

The output would be similar to the oscillating fan.


49 posted on 01/12/2023 9:09:45 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT ( "The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last messa)
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To: FamiliarFace

—”Mayor Pete has been using these methods for appearing to be busy for years.”

A government job, 20% of workers do 80% of the work, 20% do NOTHING, and the rest mostly just show up.


50 posted on 01/12/2023 9:18:36 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT ( "The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last messa)
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To: ptsal

—”paywall”

Better see your eye doctor and NO DRIVING!!!

Or try a large magnifying glass and see if you can make out the BRIGHT RED link in #2... No driving with the magnifying glass!!!

HAVE YOU TRIED A SEEING-EYE DOG?

A text reader with GIANT TYPE!

Then again, SADLY YOU CANNOT READ THIS REPLY.


51 posted on 01/12/2023 9:26:59 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT ( "The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last messa)
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To: EEGator
I think many corporate jobs are nonsense, just so they can hire minorities and skirts.

I suspect you might be correct.

52 posted on 01/12/2023 9:27:33 AM PST by DiogenesLamp ("of parents owing allegiance to no other sovereignty.")
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Thank you!


53 posted on 01/12/2023 9:36:16 AM PST by TianaHighrider (God moved David to STAND UP to Goliath ❣)
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To: DiogenesLamp

Those aren’t going anywhere.


54 posted on 01/12/2023 9:39:13 AM PST by EEGator
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To: DUMBGRUNT

I agree.


55 posted on 01/12/2023 9:44:02 AM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TP)
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To: hopespringseternal


‘If a company has to surveil mouse clicks to tell if their employees are productive there isn’t really any hope for them.”

I had a new director that came out of corporate nowhere and was dumber than I am!
He would kick me under the table at meetings because BSing the heavys is a bad idea, so I stick with my best REAL numbers.

Every time I was in his office he was logged into buying tickets, eBay, games... Never ever did anything work-related; THE WINDOW AT HIS BACK REFLECTED EVERYTHING!

He spent hours at the onsite gym? and was still flabby.

Because it was a large R&D center with fun things like high-pressure hydrogen and worse everywhere; EVERYONE is tracked at each door/ gate for safety reasons.

After some months he vanished without so much as a goodbye email.


56 posted on 01/12/2023 9:48:03 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT ( "The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!"Dien Bien Phu last messa)
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To: Scarlett156

Just don’t jiggle your mouse on a ZOOM call!


57 posted on 01/12/2023 9:49:24 AM PST by SamAdams76 (4,777,271 | Truth Social | 87,821,414 | Twitter | Trump Followers)
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To: DUMBGRUNT

Lol what a bunch of lazy butts ripping of their employers who were dumb enough to keep letting them work from home


58 posted on 01/12/2023 10:21:46 AM PST by NWFree (Somebody has to say it 🤪)
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To: Red Badger

That cartoon about the mentor is so true. My wife had an EVP who claimed he “mentored” hundreds of people at the same time — it was nothing more than ass-licking and self-promoting, and it made the guy feel so good about himself.

The Peter Principle says it all: “In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence” — which would be fine but for the corollary: “In time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out its duties.”


59 posted on 01/12/2023 1:27:46 PM PST by nicollo ("I said no!")
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To: nascarnation

Anyone “working” in an office for 8 hours a day is hardly ever productive for 4 hours.


60 posted on 01/12/2023 2:08:31 PM PST by WASCWatch ( WASC)
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