OT rant about web building

As part of my job and part of a contract, we had to publish certain
information on the internet about an upcoming show, with links to our
sponsors.

So I build the web page, as instructed, and it looks great. Did it in
Microsoft Publisher. Sent it to our IT folks who refuse to let us control
our own web page. Response I get is that I can't publish the site because
it contains information regarding duty stations of soldiers (which is also
published elsewhere on the internet, and is also part of the contract).
They published it on the inTRAnet, in .pdf form, completely destroying all
my hyperlinks in the process, and cutting off words in the middle of
paragraphs. Basically they made a total mess of the pages I built. Told me
it had to go through the public affairs office and security and then they
would publish it.

I told them our contract required we have the information up this week. They
tell me they weren't part of the contract. They also said it was scheduled
to be posted on the 16th. Not good enough for us to receive our sponsorship
money, which helps pay for the !#$@!#( event!!!

I posted links that showed where the information was freely posted on the
internet, on the site that is allowing us to host this event. I asked why
if this is acceptable, we couldn't post the same information. If it's
already on the internet, how do we violate protocol by publishing it again,
verbatim?

The response I get is that it's not up to me to question their reasoning.
ARRRGGHHH!!!!! On top of that, I have now ticked off the person who has
control over the new computer I need to purchase for my program, along with
the power to approve or disapprove the purchase.

So close to the end of the day, we decide we're going to buy a web site and
post whatever we darn well feel like posting, when we want to post it,
without asking their permission. This isn't the first time we've had to
fight to get menus, events, flyers, and other information published, and
this allows us to control the information, the way we want.

I go to the web hosting site, pay for the account, and now I find out I
can't just publish the pages I built in Publisher and will have to start
over with their page builder! I'm losing my !$#^(AF MIND!!!!!

Wow, is that ever a rant! Any suggestions?

First, I'll warn you that I am one of "them". My real world job is
Network Security.

I understand your frustration. I've worked with many people in your
situation.

There could be a a variety of reasons why they don't want to publish
the information. The argument that "it is available elsewhere on the
internet" is not a valid argument. You are assuming the publishers of
the data did so responsibly. Unfortunately, this is not always the
case.

You did not indicate the type of organization (government,
educational, commercial, etc). There are liabilities and laws that
regulate the type of data each organization can share and the methods
in which the data may be shared. This is why it is important to bring
the network security group in during the early phase of a project,
even if you think they don't have an interest in it. If they have no
interest, they'll sign off and you won't have any unexpected blocks.
If there are security concerns, don't tell them what you "want" to do,
explain to them the problem you are trying to solve and let them offer
a solution. They understand the risks and exposures better than you,
and will be able to determine the safest methods. Be willing to
compromise.

In this particular case, you really should have consulted them before
you signed the contract. (file that under Lessons Learned)
I certainly would not get a publicly hosted web site to intentionally
bypass your companies security policies. However, you could discuss
the option with your security people. Employees in my company have
done this and in some cases, it proved to be the safest solution to
achieve their goals. This would be one step toward restoring your
work relationship with the computer purchaser. Just remember.. tell
them you problem and let them solve it. You can make suggestions, but
don't make demands and don't get emotional (no Chicken Little). All
geeks like being heroes. Don't be afraid to let them feel like they
are. (as corny as that sounds). :-)

One last word, you should understand that your security people are not
trying to prevent you from doing your work, their goal is to protect
you, your network and your data. This is not always an easy roll.

-m.

(I apologize if this is a duplicate post. I had problems during the
posting and had to make a second attempt)

First, I'll warn you that I am one of "them". My real world job is
Network Security.

I understand your frustration. I've worked with many people in your
situation.

There could be a a variety of reasons why they don't want to publish
the information. The argument that "it is available elsewhere on the
internet" is not a valid argument. You are assuming the publishers of
the data did so responsibly. Unfortunately, this is not always the
case.

You did not indicate the type of organization (government,
educational, commercial, etc). There are liabilities and laws that
regulate the type of data each organization can share and the methods
in which the data may be shared. This is why it is important to bring
the network security group in during the early phase of a project,
even if you think they don't have an interest in it. If they have no
interest, they'll sign off and you won't have any unexpected blocks.
If there are security concerns, don't tell them what you "want" to do,
explain to them the problem you are trying to solve and let them offer
a solution. They understand the risks and exposures better than you,
and will be able to determine the safest methods. Be willing to
compromise.

In this particular case, you really should have consulted them before
you signed the contract. (file that under Lessons Learned)
I certainly would not get a publicly hosted web site to intentionally
bypass your companies security policies. However, you could discuss
the option with your security people. Employees in my company have
done this and in some cases, it proved to be the safest solution to
achieve their goals. This would be one step toward restoring your
work relationship with the computer purchaser. Just remember.. tell
them you problem and let them solve it. You can make suggestions, but
don't make demands and don't get emotional (no Chicken Little). All
geeks like being heroes. Don't be afraid to let them feel like they
are. (as corny as that sounds). :-)

One last word, you should understand that your security people are not
trying to prevent you from doing your work, their goal is to protect
you, your network and your data. This is not always an easy roll.

-m.

Army Soldier Show, I work for MWR. It's a common contract, and if you look
at the Soldier Show website on MWR, you will find everything I posted on the
web. It's under Media Kit.

http://www.armymwr.com/portal/recrea.../itinerary.asp

If you follow the schedule and search for MWR at each show date, you will
find that each one has posted the links, as required in the contract. The
sponsors have to be linked 30 days prior and for a total of 90 days on the
internet in order for us to receive our sponsorship money, which helps pay
for the venue. We aren't big enough to have our own theater like some
posts.

Here are some of their sites:

http://www.ftmeademwr.com/
http://www.apgmwr.com/
http://www.eustismwr.com/eustismwr.phtml?pageid=173
http://www.fthamiltonmwr.com/
http://www.armygermany.com/
http://www.redstonemwr.com/promo-eve...ldiershow.html
http://fortpolkmwr.com/

This is only a partial list, but you get the point. Still, there isn't any
information being posted that isn't already posted by our FMWR Command.

I did finally get it uploaded about 3:00 this afternoon, after much
frustration and many interruptions.

www.redrivermwr.com

Soon enough I'll create a permanent website and it will present our full
organization, but this information had to be up today, not on the 16th, or
whenever they felt like getting around to it.


"chaddock" wrote in message
...
First, I'll warn you that I am one of "them". My real world job is
Network Security.

I understand your frustration. I've worked with many people in your
situation.

There could be a a variety of reasons why they don't want to publish
the information. The argument that "it is available elsewhere on the
internet" is not a valid argument. You are assuming the publishers of
the data did so responsibly. Unfortunately, this is not always the
case.

You did not indicate the type of organization (government,
educational, commercial, etc). There are liabilities and laws that
regulate the type of data each organization can share and the methods
in which the data may be shared. This is why it is important to bring
the network security group in during the early phase of a project,
even if you think they don't have an interest in it. If they have no
interest, they'll sign off and you won't have any unexpected blocks.
If there are security concerns, don't tell them what you "want" to do,
explain to them the problem you are trying to solve and let them offer
a solution. They understand the risks and exposures better than you,
and will be able to determine the safest methods. Be willing to
compromise.

In this particular case, you really should have consulted them before
you signed the contract. (file that under Lessons Learned)
I certainly would not get a publicly hosted web site to intentionally
bypass your companies security policies. However, you could discuss
the option with your security people. Employees in my company have
done this and in some cases, it proved to be the safest solution to
achieve their goals. This would be one step toward restoring your
work relationship with the computer purchaser. Just remember.. tell
them you problem and let them solve it. You can make suggestions, but
don't make demands and don't get emotional (no Chicken Little). All
geeks like being heroes. Don't be afraid to let them feel like they
are. (as corny as that sounds). :-)

One last word, you should understand that your security people are not
trying to prevent you from doing your work, their goal is to protect
you, your network and your data. This is not always an easy roll.

-m.

What errors did you encounter when trying to publish the pages? Were
they .pub or .htm files?

Publisher is really meant for print publications, not web pages. If
possible, transfer it to Frontpage and try it again. Alternately, see if
you new webhost supports PHP and mySQL and use a program like Wordpress
to create a blog about the event, with static pages for the static content.

Barbara

Bead & Polymer Clay Habitué

There is a very fine line between a hobby and mental illness. (Dave Barry)

http://www.penguintrax.com
http://www.polymerclayworkshops.com



Mystified One wrote:
As part of my job and part of a contract, we had to publish certain
information on the internet about an upcoming show, with links to our
sponsors.

So I build the web page, as instructed, and it looks great. Did it in
Microsoft Publisher. Sent it to our IT folks who refuse to let us
control our own web page. Response I get is that I can't publish the
site because it contains information regarding duty stations of soldiers
(which is also published elsewhere on the internet, and is also part of
the contract). They published it on the inTRAnet, in .pdf form,
completely destroying all my hyperlinks in the process, and cutting off
words in the middle of paragraphs. Basically they made a total mess of
the pages I built. Told me it had to go through the public affairs
office and security and then they would publish it.

I told them our contract required we have the information up this week.
They tell me they weren't part of the contract. They also said it was
scheduled to be posted on the 16th. Not good enough for us to receive
our sponsorship money, which helps pay for the !#$@!#( event!!!

I posted links that showed where the information was freely posted on
the internet, on the site that is allowing us to host this event. I
asked why if this is acceptable, we couldn't post the same information.
If it's already on the internet, how do we violate protocol by
publishing it again, verbatim?

The response I get is that it's not up to me to question their
reasoning. ARRRGGHHH!!!!! On top of that, I have now ticked off the
person who has control over the new computer I need to purchase for my
program, along with the power to approve or disapprove the purchase.

So close to the end of the day, we decide we're going to buy a web site
and post whatever we darn well feel like posting, when we want to post
it, without asking their permission. This isn't the first time we've
had to fight to get menus, events, flyers, and other information
published, and this allows us to control the information, the way we want.

I go to the web hosting site, pay for the account, and now I find out I
can't just publish the pages I built in Publisher and will have to start
over with their page builder! I'm losing my !$#^(AF MIND!!!!!

Wow, is that ever a rant! Any suggestions?

It's up.

www.redrivermwr.com

I'll change it to a permanent site soon, but for now we just needed the
soldier information up this week.

"Barbara Forbes-Lyons" wrote in message
...
What errors did you encounter when trying to publish the pages? Were they
.pub or .htm files?

Publisher is really meant for print publications, not web pages. If
possible, transfer it to Frontpage and try it again. Alternately, see if
you new webhost supports PHP and mySQL and use a program like Wordpress to
create a blog about the event, with static pages for the static content.

Barbara

Bead & Polymer Clay Habitué

There is a very fine line between a hobby and mental illness. (Dave Barry)

http://www.penguintrax.com
http://www.polymerclayworkshops.com



Mystified One wrote:
As part of my job and part of a contract, we had to publish certain
information on the internet about an upcoming show, with links to our
sponsors.

So I build the web page, as instructed, and it looks great. Did it in
Microsoft Publisher. Sent it to our IT folks who refuse to let us
control our own web page. Response I get is that I can't publish the
site because it contains information regarding duty stations of soldiers
(which is also published elsewhere on the internet, and is also part of
the contract). They published it on the inTRAnet, in .pdf form,
completely destroying all my hyperlinks in the process, and cutting off
words in the middle of paragraphs. Basically they made a total mess of
the pages I built. Told me it had to go through the public affairs
office and security and then they would publish it.

I told them our contract required we have the information up this week.
They tell me they weren't part of the contract. They also said it was
scheduled to be posted on the 16th. Not good enough for us to receive
our sponsorship money, which helps pay for the !#$@!#( event!!!

I posted links that showed where the information was freely posted on the
internet, on the site that is allowing us to host this event. I asked
why if this is acceptable, we couldn't post the same information. If
it's already on the internet, how do we violate protocol by publishing it
again, verbatim?

The response I get is that it's not up to me to question their reasoning.
ARRRGGHHH!!!!! On top of that, I have now ticked off the person who has
control over the new computer I need to purchase for my program, along
with the power to approve or disapprove the purchase.

So close to the end of the day, we decide we're going to buy a web site
and post whatever we darn well feel like posting, when we want to post
it, without asking their permission. This isn't the first time we've had
to fight to get menus, events, flyers, and other information published,
and this allows us to control the information, the way we want.

I go to the web hosting site, pay for the account, and now I find out I
can't just publish the pages I built in Publisher and will have to start
over with their page builder! I'm losing my !$#^(AF MIND!!!!!

Wow, is that ever a rant! Any suggestions?