MSN Messenger at work

[LostNotFound]

Gosh, lots of replies already!

I really do think chat is worse at it can be on-going for ages. With private emails you read something and then respond once before moving onto something else (imo, i don't get into long email chats).

agreed. imvho, msn chat has the worst potential for time wastage. yes, you can spend 2 hours penning an email, or 3 hours cranking one out in the bogs, or 4 hours reading the entire sunday papers + supplements at your desk .. but all in all, i'd say having messenger open on your desktop whilst you work, statistically, constitutes one of the best oppurtunities for computer based time wasting there is.

thank fuck for web messenger i say ..

cl

 

[lyra_k]

It's also company policy to NOT have it installed, which I have mentioned to them. I was told it would be removed but it hasn't...

Well why didn't ya tell us that in the first place, innit?

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

All forms of messenger were blocked at my old workplace.

We had a good compromise with internet etc. We could use it outside of 'core hours' (i.e. before 9.30 am, after 4.30pm, and in our lunch hours)....

 

[Shanksy]

Gosh, lots of replies already!

I really do think chat is worse at it can be on-going for ages. With private emails you read something and then respond once before moving onto something else (imo, i don't get into long email chats).

Id disagree, yeah chat can go on for ages but it doesnt mean that they will be constantly typing. Personally I'll use the chat programs i'm on around other things, say if im waiting for something to load up, then i will reply in short sentences to the message which has been left etc. If both people are both at work then it's very unlikely that they will be both chatting continously.

 

[Shanksy]

All forms of messenger were blocked at my old workplace.

If people want to waste time they will waste time through one form or another, what you gonna do, ban day-dreaming as well.

 

[kyser_soze]

If they're violating their IT usage clause in their contract, and more to the point their msgr usage is impacting on their productivity at work just ask tell them that as their mgr you'd like to see them using msgr less, and if the situation doesn't improve you give them the choice of having msgr blocked or a verbal/written warning (whatever is most appropriate under your company IT rules)

AFIAC unless personal comms affects someone's ability to get their job done it shouldn't be an issue. As soon as they start droppping off it's a business issue and needs to be dealt with in the fairest way possible.

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

We block it.

There are reasons for blocking it, most notable is that it's a security issue.
The ability to send files through it means that there is a potential for data loss. This type of threat is demeed unaceptable to my firm. Also the potential for malware to arrive via this medium is also an unacceptable risk.
There are a number of instant messenging worms.

IT departments do have good reason to block IM traffic, it is not usually about stamping on the poor downtrodden masses, but instead protecting the assets of the business, which is what they are paid to do. Whilst you are paid to get on with your fucking work.



http://www.technicalinfo.net/papers/IMSecurity.html


Incidentally we do have an IM system setup here that allows employees to talk to each other, although it is not external.

 

[kyser_soze]

IT departments do have good reason to block IM traffic, it is not usually about stamping on the poor downtrodden masses, but instead protecting the assets of the business, which is what they are paid to do. Whilst you are paid to get on with your fucking work.

It also chews up massive amounts of bandwidth, esp when people start file sharing.

 

[subversplat]

I've always firmly believed that if people want to slack, they'll slack, but if they want to get some work done, they'll get it done - whether they're on messenger at the time or not.

Posts like Boris's make me laugh - if it were me in that position and some cunt had blocked msn/icq/whatever ports, I bet it would take me a maximum of 20 minutes to have somehow circumvented their precious firewall and I'd be back chatting right away - all completly under the noses of any network monitoring software, too. I'd still manage to get my work done, though. Well, at least enough of it not to get a bollocking...

As for the original poster, what should you do? Don't do anything, but be proud that your staff have healthy social lives or something.

 

[LostNotFound]

if it were me in that position and some cunt had blocked msn/icq/whatever ports, I bet it would take me a maximum of 20 minutes to have somehow circumvented their precious firewall and I'd be back chatting right away - all completly under the noses of any network monitoring software, too.

.. by using web messenger?

you l33t hax0r, you

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Does anyone remember the Urban thread from last year where people discussed what used to take place in offices before anyone had computers/the internet?

I'm sure there were various amusing tales of the sort of time-wasting that takes place.

 

[Orang Utan]

The same thing still happens in my office - eg putting sellotape on your phone, turning everything on your desk upside down, putting brown sauce in your tea etc etc.

 

[kyser_soze]

The same thing still happens in my office - eg putting sellotape on your phone, turning everything on your desk upside down, putting brown sauce in your tea etc etc.

Don't go there. One of the managers is a real practical joker and encourages the rest of us to join in too...good laff but it's a real pain in the ass sometimes when you want to get some work done and your laptop's been hidden in the fridge in a big square pie box...

 

[Orang Utan]

I know what you mean - it grates sometimes when you can't operate your mouse cos someone's taken the ball out, but I'd rather work here than some sterile humourless office

 

[lyra_k]

 

[LostNotFound]

Lord spare us from office jokers

I know what you mean - it grates sometimes when you can't operate your mouse cos someone's taken the ball out, but I'd rather work here than some sterile humourless office

 

[Orang Utan]

 

[kea]

I've always firmly believed that if people want to slack, they'll slack, but if they want to get some work done, they'll get it done - whether they're on messenger at the time or not.

i agree with this. have you tried asking your employee if they're feeling unfulfilled at work? if there are any areas of their job they'd like to develop further, or other responsibilities or areas they'd like to take on? or perhaps it's as simple as a change of office procedure in some way which would remove what the employee feels to be a frustrating situation?
yes obviously some people do still slack even when given these chances, but it's worth a try surely?

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

I've always firmly believed that if people want to slack, they'll slack, but if they want to get some work done, they'll get it done - whether they're on messenger at the time or not.

Posts like Boris's make me laugh - if it were me in that position and some cunt had blocked msn/icq/whatever ports, I bet it would take me a maximum of 20 minutes to have somehow circumvented their precious firewall and I'd be back chatting right away - all completly under the noses of any network monitoring software, too. I'd still manage to get my work done, though. Well, at least enough of it not to get a bollocking...

As for the original poster, what should you do? Don't do anything, but be proud that your staff have healthy social lives or something.

I'd sack you.


No, seriously, we do have valid reasons for doing it, ones I'm not about to go into here. I am employed to enforce security solutions. I know nothing about accounts or whatever shit the other office monkeys do.

I'd also be interested to know how you would bypass it too. You obviously know alot.

 

[subversplat]

.. by using web messenger?

you l33t hax0r, you

I was thinking more like using an ssh shell Completly forgot about webmessenger, but that wouldn't be under the monitoring software

Ubergeek

 

[subversplat]

I'd sack you.


No, seriously, we do have valid reasons for doing it, ones I'm not about to go into here. I am employed to enforce security solutions. I know nothing about accounts or whatever shit the other office monkeys do.

I'd also be interested to know how you would bypass it too. You obviously know alot.

You wouldn't know about it to sack me All you'd see is some bog standard ssh connection going out to wherever - unless you're planning on denying telnet connections!

 

[liberty]

We are encouraged to use messenger at work.. Cuts down on the phone calls

 

[girasol]

I use messenger A LOT for work, it saves me having to actually speak to people!

We're also encouraged to use it here, in fact we're discouraged to use another messenger other than the one they tell us to use, so they can monitor us! (they say is to avoid viruses, etc, but they don't fool me!)

Every now and then I wave at the IT Dpt. from MSN just for a laugh...

 

[Boris Sprinkler]

You wouldn't know about it to sack me All you'd see is some bog standard ssh connection going out to wherever - unless you're planning on denying telnet connections!

I can think of one way that is possible on my network. That's it. We use ACL's for everything and these are constantly monitored/audited. Two ports are available for anyone with access out of the network. 80 and 443. You would have to use putty or similar to get that ssh connection out. And then you haven't got rights to run the exe........oh!
You'd have to spend slightly longer than 20 minutes me thinks....

The only problem is now keeping those with elevated rights under control. I find a tazer works best.


and kittens.

 

[scott_forester]

I use to work for BT who after getting hit with a partially nasty worm barred all messenger clients and effectively prevented access to 99% of web mail sites. If a network administration team wants to prevent access to anything there is bound to be a product that does it.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I can understand that, but email is a big vector as well. I think that one should be able to get an "internet competence certificate" that proves that you're not the sort of numpty who will flood the network with viruses and your own machine with spyware. Then you get admin access on your own box.

(One of the things I like about working for a smaller company now is that you're not treated according to the lowest common denominator, and people think "oh, we hired this guy as a programmer, maybe he knows something about computers". It's rather squalid having to work out ways round security to do things that you know are perfectly safe.)

 

[Fledgling]

Well as a rule I don't open attachments and so far we seem to avoid spam so there must be some powerful filters, although I'm only one of the minions so my email won't be available to many people.

No chance with MSN, never get everything I have to do done in a day, and that's working extra hours included. Far too busy using MSN and if you've time to waste get another job, some of us are working out there!