Attack of the network gods

I've been a longtime user and believer in voice recognition software, particularly the NaturallySpeaking product. It's great for getting things done while taking some of the pressure off computer-fatigued limbs. However, it's quirky, and occasionally just stops working; then it needs the software equivalent of a good kick: the Windows "repair" facility, which does a mass refresh of the software.

Yesterday, sure enough, it stopped cooperating so I started to do a repair. Started to, because I immediately received an error message that I did not have the appropriate permissions to modify the registry. Just to be sure, I double-clicked on the time - alas, I didn't even have permission to change the time. The network gods had stripped me of Administrator rights to my workstation.

I've always had Administrator rights, which lets you install software and make configuration changes to your computer. Because technical support envisions all manner of evil things that users could put on their computer, Administrator rights are reserved for developers. Although I've been a developer for 29 years, the network gods, seeing that my job title no longer looks like a developer, summarily removed my rights.

To get back to where I was, I need a waiver approved by not necessarily God, but pretty close. Even then it's not permanent and has to be renewed every year. Since our almost-God executive has better things to do almost every day of the year than sign waivers (as the network gods well know) it may be a while before I get my access back.

Fortunately, probably again via bureaucratic mistake, I have a second computer, a laptop. For now, I remain an Administrator on this machine. So I've pressed it into duty for now, and the voice recognition still works OK there. However, at any time they could automatically take Administrator rights away from this one as well.

Apparently the rights get taken away when you log on. Hmmmm. The challenge: how long can I go without logging out? The plan: when I'm done for the day, I only lock the laptop (not log out), remove it, and bring it home - all on battery power. Then I plug it in at home to make sure the battery doesn't die. (And it's a Dell laptop, so I need to find a place where an overnight battery fire won't consume the house...sheesh!) In the morning I bring the laptop back, plop it into the docking station, and unlock it. Wahlah - no log ins!

Not sure how long I can keep this up - NaturallySpeaking also enjoys forcing reboots. I'm like a fugitive, furtively keeping to the shadows. Unfortunately, like most fugitives, it's only a matter of time. I can run but I can't hide.

The network gods always get their man in the end.