Unauthorized microwave use

[rbV5]

WHATEVER YOU DO DONT BUY A SECOND MICROWAVE OFF CRAIGSLIST TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE LIKE YOU DID LAST TIME THINK OF SOMETHING OTHER THAN THAT SUCCESSFUL APROACH.

 

[shortylickens]

You can get cheap ass microwave ovens from Walmart and Costco.
If its an issue, put a travel lock on it, like one these:
http://www.cannonsgreatescapes...mages/175ComboLock.gif

Their good because you dont need to remember a bunch of digits and you dont have to spin it over and over if you screw up or forget.
Wish I'd had one of them in high school but intead I had a traditional combo. Too damn slow when you're running back and forth between classes.

Do NOT use a key lock. People will lose their keys and assholes will put junk up in the hole.

 

[nerp]

Here's an idea. Put a paper towel on the bottom.

 

[nageov3t]

OP sounds like the Dwight of his work place.

 

[vhx]

Put up a sign that says, "Due to unauthorized access of the microwave, all persons using it will be recorded. If not part of this department, persons will be reported to their higher up." or something. Then hookup a webcam.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
You can get cheap ass microwave ovens from Walmart and Costco.
If its an issue, put a travel lock on it, like one these:
http://www.cannonsgreatescapes...mages/175ComboLock.gif

Their good because you dont need to remember a bunch of digits and you dont have to spin it over and over if you screw up or forget.
Wish I'd had one of them in high school but intead I had a traditional combo. Too damn slow when you're running back and forth between classes.

Do NOT use a key lock. People will lose their keys and assholes will put junk up in the hole.

Won't matter. Someone has already given out the password. This is no different.

 

[nerp]

Originally posted by: vhx
Put up a sign that says, "Due to unauthorized access of the microwave, all persons using it will be recorded. If not part of this department, persons will be reported to their higher up." or something. Then hookup a webcam.

If I worked in an office and saw this on a microwave, I'd use it just to find out who the wannabe office cop is and laugh in his face for being such a wimpy dorkface.

 

[nanette1985]

Any way to put a coin-operated microwave there? Sounds like a great opportunity to cash in.

 

[DrPizza]

Let's follow the OP's problem and hoped for solution to its logical conclusion:

Bans the use of his department's microwave to anyone else.
Another department finally gets their own microwave, but likewise, restricts its use.
1 year from now, every department has its own microwave.

Management starts looking for ways to trim the budget. Someone realizes that microwaves use a lot of energy. 1 microwave being used to microwave 20 meals wouldn't draw any attention, but 10 microwaves, each used to cook 2 meals will appear to management to be a huge waste of energy. Personal microwaves banned, followed by personal coffee makers, fans, space heaters...

 

[lstratos]

Originally posted by: dud


And for those who ask what the problem is ... would you want almost perfect strangers using your appliances, without permission? These people make messes and DO NOT clean them up. You have to wonder what their houses look like.

Thats the biggest problem in offices, people are slobs and they dont clean up.. we have 150 people in the company, the microwave always have some kinda sauce that spill over and smells like poop

 

[lupi]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that these people probably don't care nearly as much about someone from their group using the micro as they do that those others have a tendency to leave it looking like a couple of swine coated in mud used it as a copulation chamber.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: Red Irish

Originally posted by: So
Buy a metal box. Put a plug *inside* the box, run the cord for the microwave into the screwed shut box. Put one of these on the face of the box. Have an extension cord running out of the box to the outlet.

I would let them use it, but I have to say that you are one devious bastard (in the nicest possible terms).

I'm deeply honored. :evil:

 

[0roo0roo]

sounds like an epically sh*tty workplace if the company won't shell out for a microwave for all workers.

seriously man... even retail lunchrooms have that.

 

[SilentZero]

We confront any and all who use our microwaves/refrigerator's that shouldn't be. Period!

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: Ramma2
Cut the microwave cord in half, and wire up a new set plugs but in reverse on the ends (so the microwave will have a female plug, and you are left with a male to male cable).

New cord ends will cost you at most a few bucks at the hardware store, and are very easy to wire up.

Keep the male to male cord in your posession and everyone else will be stuck with no way to plug in the microwave.

That's what I was thinking. Simple and inexpensive.

Where he keeps the cord is up to him.

Fern

 

[alkemyst]

The biggest problem in this is creating a war at work...I'd expect management to write up those defending "their" microwave on company property.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Your company should supply the microwaves and the cleaning crew should be cleaning the microwave. Even small start-ups I worked at, offered that.

 

[ultimatebob]

dp

 

[ultimatebob]

Geez... I have a spare microwave sitting around the house that I'd give you just to stop whining!

I'm not paying for shipping, though... it would cost more to ship than it's worth!

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
Your company should supply the microwaves and the cleaning crew should be cleaning the microwave. Even small start-ups I worked at, offered that.

Yeah... I work for a fairly small company with about 120 people, and each floor in the building has a full size fridge and a microwave. Most companies have something like this... no?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Find a shop or someone that builds arcade boxes and get one of those quarter taker thingies, get someone's who's good at electronics to rig up a system where inserting a quarter increases the minutes by 1. Ensure the key pad does not work, except for being able to start/stop it. If they STILL use it, switch it to pennies.

Have a card swipe so your department can just bypass the change taker.

Or, "how to turn your $100 microwave into a $500 arcade machine"

 

[lxskllr]

Hang an "out of order" sign on it, and tell them it's broken. After awhile they'll get their own microwave, and you can fix yours.

 

[iGas]

Wow!

Office politics, don't sweat the little stuffs because you will blow a blood vessel before retirement.

 

[Regs]

My Microwave has 3 settings at work: warm, defrost, and hepaticas.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Hang an "out of order" sign on it, and tell them it's broken. After awhile they'll get their own microwave, and you can fix yours.

lol I like this, actually. So simple yet probably affective. When people catch on just change the sign to "stay back 30 feet, when in use" and put a fake crack in the door.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: magomago
You need some type of biometrics measurement that isn't easily bypassed. If you get a key or have a pad, anyone can easily break through so as long as someone gives them the password or loans them the key to copy . This already happened as you said someone in the area gave out the password.

The other method would be to create unique passwords for each person (if possible) and have a data logger installed. This way, you can monitor who is the mole in the team (I can assume that a super majority of the team shares the same sentiments).
I would think its normal to see someone's password input 3 times a day. But once you get a password being used 10+ times a day, for a consistent basis each day, you know who is leaking their password to others. Even though I think this is a more interesting option, and its no doubt cheaper than stuff like thumb or retinal scans, it'll require hacking the microwave a little more to read the voltages from the button presses on the microwave.

IMO I'd go that route because it sounds more fun. Probably test it on a junk microwave...and once you can get it to work, take the work microwave with you over the weekend and try to repeat it (hopefully its not too different on the keypad).

only on AT :laugh: