7
Use the work computer for work stuff and get your own for everything else. The company has reasons for locking down the machines and mucking about with that can get you into deep doodoo very quickly.
I just found stuff that isn't blocked that I found entertaining, like reading random Wikipedia articles or playing on MS paint or poking around with the command prompt.
Also speaking of CMD, sometimes it will be blocked but Powershell won't be, and you can run any traditional DOS commands as well as powershell cmdlets.
You can watch YouTube in DuckDuckGo to the same effect as you mentioned in the description. A boring answer is that you can install basically anything if you can get access to cmd, power shell, or terminal. You can also install almost anything to user space instead of for all users. On Mac, this is kind of a hidden feature now, but you can make a ~/Applications folder and put apps in there. Generally, if you ask IT, they can be helpful. "Hey, I need uBlock Origin so I waste less of my time at work." isn't going to make anyone blink twice.
portableapps.com
Many companies will allow ad blocking extensions if you just ask.
If you’re at home, set up pihole or use an content-blocking DNS on your router. But then if you’re home, you should be using a personal device for non-work stuff. There are also a bunch of alternative (and some sketchy) front-ends for various websites.
I’ve honestly given up on getting around corporate controls and just completely separate personal stuff from work devices, especially nowadays when companies are going full big brother because of people using AI tools/agents and the chances of someone accidentally uploading stuff that shouldn’t be out there is getting increasingly common. So they are locking down stuff more and more, and increasing monitoring/surveillance.
portable apps might work and also if the screen saver comes on outside your control you can fullsize a video or a presentation and then put something over it.
can't install anything, or add extensions, etc.
Can you install user apps (which don't require admin elevation) or is it truly nothing?
Firefox, for example can be installed as a user by just declining the admin prompt.
Otherwise you can snag a portable version.
May also be worth checking if the company maintains a list of approved software anywhere. Firefox probably won't even raise an eyebrow, but other software might, depending on your use.
Can you install user apps (which don’t require admin elevation) or is it truly nothing?
It's truly nothing - healthcare setting, so it's pretty strict. Absolutely no installing anything, or plugging in an external drive to run shit from that. We're allowed to use the work comps for personal stuff so long as it's not getting in the way of our actual duties. For me this usually means putting some music on while I'm charting, but nowadays it's more ad than music without an ad blocker.
The bing trick was great - pull up a 2+ hour long full-playlist-in-one-video, and just let it run in the background... but that loophole got closed. But from the hospital's perspective, they didn't care if we did shit like that - they couldn't give a rat's ass if we slurped up all of Googles ads or not; they just don't want any liability from a security or privacy standpoint.
I hate to break it to you but it may be time to pony up for a subscription to YouTube, Spotify, or whatever music service scratches that itch for you... Probably better than trying to fuck with HIPAA.
Probably better than trying to fuck with HIPAA.
Not sure you understand the goal - I'm not trying to pull anything shady with patient data; but to find better ways to use those comps. There are functions protected by HIPAA, and functions that Microsoft/Google/etc have enshittified that I'm trying to make a bit more user friendly - the only overlap in the venn diagram here is that they happen on the same computer.
Fortunately our charting software isn't loaded with unskippable ads (...give it a few years...), so even if there are ways to fuck with that software, there's no need to.
Wasn't saying that was your intent just that most suggestions on here involve running unauthorized software or visiting sketchy websites. There is an alternative though.
When it comes to decisions that could impact your livelihood, $10-ish/mo is a small price to pay.
most suggestions on here involve running unauthorized software or visiting sketchy websites
Agreed, which I won't be touching. That's why I opened with the example of the Bing trick to scrub ads off of YouTube: fully compliant with company policy. HR, IT, and Legal could be watching over my shoulder, and I'd be inclined to show off that trick just so they could go back to their own workstations and use it. Zero risk to my career, zero risk to my patients, and zero risk to the company. Win win win. Looking for more tricks like that.
True, @Murse@slrpnk.net could pay for it using the mental health fund their company provides! Wait...
I mean, I could afford a YouTube subscription just fine; nursing isn't exactly a path to some Scrooge McDuck mountain of gold or anything, but we're not living paycheck to paycheck either. My refusal to pay YouTube isn't because I can't, it's because they're Google, and fuck Google. If there was a playlist generator/streamer made by an ethical company who's product is actually worth using, then fuck yeah point me to their subscription page! Unfortunately, the only options I'm aware of are either shit products or shit companies, so I'll continue to be a stingy asshole until I find something worth supporting.
...and although it's not really on topic for this thread, feel free to drop some recommendations - I'm most familiar with music.youtube, spotify, and pandora, but youtube is youtube, and the other two leave a lot to be wanted for the playlists they provide. Or they did at least, it's been probably over 5 years since trying pandora or spotify... maybe they're better now? /shrug
A second computer? Maybe a tablet or so. A holder for your phone.
If all you want to do is watch or listen to stuff while you work that might be easier.
In my case, not an option. Healthcare setting, patient info is all over by our work stations, so having personal devices out will get you accused of a HIPAA violation in a hurry - even if it doesn't have a camera, people get paranoid.
People do still use personal devices at work, but I see em get burned for that semi-regularly.
Heh, humorous. The last time I was in the ER the doc was watching something about world of warcraft on youtube. I seriously debated slipping him a note about the various other ways to access it.
I've actually played on a private server alongside an anesthesiologist! We both grew up on Vanilla WoW and the earlier expansions, and both developed the same animosity to Blizzard for the finger they gave to that original target audience. The WoW itch is still real; but Blizzard won't get another cent from me.
I've been desperately trying to get a friend who has played since vanilla to try a private server, but he just refuses on the basis that the progress made "isn't real." It's incredibly frustrating.
You've probably tried this approach already, but just in case: "You don't play videogames to make progress, and you don't make progress by playing videogames. You play videogames to have fun and pass time, and those are driven by the experience brought on by the game's content, not by the name of the game's host. Also, fuck Blizzard."
this post was submitted on 26 Apr 2026
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