AutoHotkey Community

[wakeboarder3780]

I was at work today and received a notice that makes me think our all knowing tech heads are going to put the kabosh on using AHK at work due to "security threats". I'm already frustrated because no matter how he says it could be misused that's true of any language.

I could write a program in C that could absolutely screw anything over, does that mean I shouldn't be able to write any C?

Has anyone else fought this battle at their workplace and if so, did you win / lose what were the arguments presented?
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“In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates”

[Murx]

I've scripted several tools on request of the business "could you do this? Yes - deadline was yesterday!". Once the security group wipped out my AHK environment as part of an inventory scan I informed the business that I've to stop any support for their "temporary" processing (which at that time ran for ~> 2yrs ).

So the business had to start fighting against "why it makes sense to have security if you don't have any more customers"
TBH, beside that I agreed to the security group that AHK will be used for the current (billing) processing only, and if users want to get it as well they've to officially request/license it internaly --> and download it from an internal destination!! We're still in business

Btw, please move that thread into GeneralChat (where it belongs to). Thx

[sinkfaze]

Been there, done that; tank's been there, too. Two things you have to know: 1) Companies mostly care only about the bottom line, whatever makes them or saves them money is the way to go, 2) IT people rarely understand the concept of the bottom line as it pertains to their job. So you need to look at what you use for your work in terms of bottom line. How does using AHK make or save money? Does it save you time doing your work? How? How much time do you think it saves you per day? Have there been performance reviews where your bosses have noticed a higher level of productivity from you as opposed to others who do not use it? Is it something others might be able to benefit from? Come up with some answers to those questions and speak to your boss about it.
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Try Quick Search for Autohotkey or see the tutorial for newbies.

[wakeboarder3780]

Solid advice so far guys thanks. I definitely have arguments towards performance and seeing as how I actually am ahead of the curve in terms of productivity and decoration, that should bode well for me.

I liked the comment about that temporary process, gotta love the word "temporary" in a business setting - you know that thing is going to be around for a long time . Good to hear the business went to bat for you, unfortunately the business is not directly utilizing any of the things I've used AHK for yet However, I am gaining a small following of developers with the last utility I wrote, so perhaps that can give me some benefit as well.
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“In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates”

[Guest]

Maybe this isn't the best advice, but (hopefully its funny)...

Explain to them how it will take you 3000 hours to write something in C or C++ (& how much they will be paying you for those hours). Then tell them how long it would take to write it in AutoHotkey.

Maybe even give them a real-time demo of creating a "Hello World" msgbox...AutoHotkey: 1-line of code / 3 secs...C/C++: maybe 15 lines of code, time to write it, compile it, link it, make sure you didn't miss a semi-colon, re-compile it / 3-5 min (unless I'm under-estimating)...

If you "lose", you get paid more (more hours). If you "win", you get AutoHotkey at work! If you get fired, well, then, find a company where you CAN use AutoHotkey...& laugh at the guy who got your job at the old company.

[wakeboarder3780]

LOL now there's a way to look at it
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“In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates”

[tank]

as sinkfaze suggested its all about the bottom line

as far as seciroty concerns you can store approved scripts on a server and make it so it requires password or some other approved authentication to dl then make the first line delete the newly downloaded script remove the tray icon. this in essence prevents to those who arent especially trying to from viewing the code.

rename autohotkey and remove the helpfile to obbscure the tool your using from the unwitting user

finally, IT depts are coslty most work by setting billable hours against the company for each project. My brothers with real skills are hampered from being efficient programers by red tape. a lone ahker is not.

My justification for autohotkey was proven in the first year with over 2 million in efficiencies saved cost of inaccuracy enteirng the same data in different systems only to have to have someone go back and correct it due to the customer finding out. and actual man hour reductions.
last year initiatives i wrote produced over 6 million in loss reductions. I might add i work in banking. I am but one of a team of 8 and the above was just my solo contributions. if those kinds of savings arent realistic thats fine but at the very least you should really drive home the poiint you can write this app that will save x dollars a month/year etc
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We are troubled on every side‚ yet not distressed; we are perplexed‚
but not in despair; Persecuted‚ but not forsaken; cast down‚ but not destroyed;

[sinkfaze]

tank makes a good point, math sells. I went on a smaller, more abstract scale: I took the average cost per hour of an employee in a certain area of my company, showed where the potential to save a half hour of time per day was at using shortcuts and hotkeys provided by AHK, took it times the average number of work days in the year and the number of employees in that area and voila! A potential savings of $60,000 was enough to persuade them.
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Try Quick Search for Autohotkey or see the tutorial for newbies.

[Murx]

[sinkfaze]

Never send a human to do a machine's job...that is the sound of inevitability.


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Try Quick Search for Autohotkey or see the tutorial for newbies.

[tank]

ha ha maint is an ever present part of my job the vendors whose apps i automate are always pushing updates which subsiquently break my apps
_________________

We are troubled on every side‚ yet not distressed; we are perplexed‚
but not in despair; Persecuted‚ but not forsaken; cast down‚ but not destroyed;