windsor wrote:ArkieDukie wrote:That's pretty much what I did and got an immediate reply that I could VPN to do data analysis from my office computer. Well, no, I can't. My software license doesn't allow me to do that.
...sounds like they love you for your software

Yeah, this one is coming back up again. Road Runner put in for a small grant ($20K) to improve her data analysis setup. One of the ideas was to upgrade the copy of my $35K software to the server version (for roughly $8K) so that she can add a login for her lab (around $17K). There's not enough money to do both. At a meeting on Friday, she told me that she had an account number for the grant and then announced to Bar Minion and another lab member that she was going to get a copy of my software for her lab so that anyone who was interested could learn to use it. Bar Minion was quite excited. Now, here's the thing: I fear that this particular setup could end up being very bad for me. I suspect that, if we do upgrade my computer at the same time (not enough $$), the new box and the upgrade will end up in her lab and I'll have to compete with her people for software usage. That's not acceptable. How the heck am I supposed to do my job if I can't have access to a required resource?
My options are to let Road Runner pay for the upgrades, with the risk that the software control will get moved to her lab, or approach The Boss for the money. I can come up with justification for this quite easily, and Road Runner could then get the $17K copy for her lab. The risk here is that I'm forced to allow that idiot Wile E. Coyote to use my software, since he is learning to use it himself. Of course, one of the advantages to the server upgrade is that anyone in my dept. can buy a $17K login. Therefore, if WEC tries to horn in, I will cordially invite him to use some of his money to buy a license.

I should mention that he doesn't have any money left and is always hitting up The Boss for more $$.
I was talking to a colleague and expressed a deep concern that WEC would pitch a fit and request to use my software whenever he wants. His response was that WEC is well within his rights to do so because my software is a departmental resource (The Boss purchased it). I asked again, "You mean, it's acceptable for him to take over something that I need to use in order to do my work, making me unable to do my work, even if he doesn't know what he's doing?" The answer was "Yes." This really, really worries me, and this would be the #1 reason why I would not want to approach The Boss for the money.
So, tough call for the crowd. Do I ask The Boss for the money (which Road Runner adamantly does NOT want me to do), or do I let Road Runner do all of the upgrades? Damned if I do, damned if I don't?
As an aside, my gut is telling me to be very, very careful of Road Runner. We get along very well, and she has given me many wonderful opportunities, but this makes me very, very nervous. Recall that I have tabbed her as a matcher (from the book Givers and Takers), which means that she expects favors in return. I've worked with several people like this in the past, and they are the type who will crucify you professionally if you dare to cross them. I'm trying to tiptoe a very fine line between being helpful and keeping my distance - if that makes sense. Hence, the current dilemma...
Most people say that is it is the intellect which makes a great scientist. They are wrong: it is character.
-- Albert Einstein