Public information review
From:
James Gilmour
Date:
2007 Apr 11 13:29 UTC
Short link
Sophia Collins > Sent: 11 April 2007 13:08
> I'd add http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/ - I'd never go anywhere
> without checking it. Foreign office staff should definitely be
empowered
> to post there when necessary. My blog post mentioning this was at
> http://www.gallomanor.com/2007/03/mumpower.html but it adds little to
> what I've already told you. I get the impression posting on forums is
> regarded with deep suspicion by older/more senior civil servants and
the
> younger ones who get it aren't in a position to challenge that idea.
> And finally, don't forget to consider email lists. I belong to several
> and find them a significant way to keep track of what's happening in
> various fields. Although it is a slightly different ethos and many
(like
> this one) do have public employees posting to them.
You need to be aware that the computer networks of some government
departments, local government departments and commercial organisations
have firewalls, spam filters, ad filters and mal-ware filters that
either block access to some or all external sites completely or block
some of the fancier features of some websites that the web designers
have made essential for the site to function properly. For example, a
password protected PDF file sent as an attachment on an e-mail message
will not be accepted by the Scottish Parliament computer network because
the virus-checker they use cannot read a password-protected file even if
'accessability extraction' is allowed.
When you have a mission-critical computer network to maintain, I have
some sympathy with these approaches in view of the known activities of
those who, for a variety of different reasons, seek to cause disruption
to such networks and the known stupidity of a very large number of
computer users who take no effective steps to protect their own systems
which are then used to spread viruses or spam or both. That said,
protection against such threats should not be used as an excuse for
imposing a blanket policy of non-participation, but a practical solution
must be devised and put in place and supported by an appropriate access
policy.
James Gilmour