Company provides stipend for staff to buy computers

By RASHA MADKOUR • Associated Press • October 9, 2008 MIAMI — In a nod to how finicky people have become about the gadgets they use, software company Citrix Systems Inc. is rolling out a new program for its workers: BYOC -- Bring Your Own Computer. Employees get a $2,100 stipend to buy a laptop and three-year service plan. In exchange for getting a computer with the specs they want -- whether it's a wide screen, a light weight or ultra-fast processing -- the workers essentially take on the company's technology purchasing and maintenance responsibilities. The 200 staffers who have signed up since the pilot program began this month say it's a deal they're happy to take. Carolyn VanVurst, a Citrix information technology specialist, said she loved the idea of having a single laptop for both personal and business use, since she's... [read full story]