The delicate art of internet surfing at work

OK, so it's 4pm at work, the air conditioning has packed it in and there's not much work to do. Surely a bit of internet surfing will relieve the boredom? Only, one eye always has to stay alert for that roving figure that is THE BOSS. I have one advantage in that I sit right in the corner of the office floor with a huge window behind me, so I can usually spot any approaching dangers. When it's a cloudy day, the reflection of my screen in the window presents a problem, so then it's time for the blinds to come down without making it look too obvious. It's also important to have that spreadsheet or database open in the background for a quick switch when someone stealthily appears behind my chair. I have to get my daily NO forum fix, even though I can't post as often as I want, as it's less obvious to sit and read all the postings than typing up a storm and having to field questions on what I'm working on. By the way, thanks to the webmasters for making the forum not too flashy looking, as it can pass for something work related when someone gives it a quick glance. The only thing that spoils it are the more elaborate avatars. Bastards. ;) So, how do all you other work bludgers manage to surf in the office?

you do know that you can check a box to turn off the avatars??? I had to do it so the pages would load faster on my slow ass dial up connection...I can't be arsed with the broadband thing yet!!!

Unlike yourself, I make it a point of starting the day with the net. I read the news and go to the forums before any work gets done. When the work runs out, I'll sign on again. My advantage is that I'm in an office on my own and although the boss is in the room next door, he rarely pays me a visit. I do always have something open in the background of course, but there are occasions where I make no effort to hide it. When the world cup was on and us suckers had to work, I had radio 5 live on and no work was done at all during matches. When England scored against Brazil, the boss actually came to see if I had damaged any furniture! Unfortunately no Scotland to cheer for... Anyway, I suppose everyone has a go when boredom sets in, definitely beats picking your nose watching the clock tick slowly.

Conveniently, I sit in a corner of the office where no one but myself can see the screen. Unfortunately, there is a desk rearrangement forthcoming, which looks set to move me into a position where my screen will be visible to any passers by. This is certain to curtail my surfing. (However, since the work gets done anyway, it just means I'll have to come up with other ways to while away the quiet hours...)

Having work stuff in the background, ready to flick to the front, is an essential tactic for any serious, self-respecting dosser. Another tactic I use, for posting on forums, is to write my post as an email - thus anyone glancing at my screen thinks I'm writing a work-related email to somebody - then cutting and pasting my "email" into the forum. This cuts down on the time the browser spends on top.

I too sit in the corner of the office and on my very first day in I rearranged my computer so that it faces the wall. The boss always summons us, he very rarely stoops down to come to our desks so there is scarcely any risks involved in surfing. I actually rejected a job offer a couple of months ago when I was told that due to previous internet abuse only one computer in the company had an internet conexion. :violent2: I WANT MY NOOL!

I'm allowed to surf. It's part of my job !

Originally posted by Budvar Huber I too sit in the corner of the office and on my very first day in I rearranged my computer so that it faces the wall. The boss always summons us, he very rarely stoops down to come to our desks so there is scarcely any risks involved in surfing. I actually rejected a job offer a couple of months ago when I was told that due to previous internet abuse only one computer in the company had an internet conexion. :violent2: I WANT MY NOOL!

Wow you rejected a job offer because of your attachment to NOOL? I think you may go for the greatest NO fan trophee?! Something springs to mind: set up a company where employees are forced to access the NOOL site daily as part of their education or something. :)

Originally posted by Positone > Originally posted by Budvar Huber> I too sit in the corner of the office and on my very first day in I rearranged my computer so that it faces the wall. The boss always summons us, he very rarely stoops down to come to our desks so there is scarcely any risks involved in surfing. I actually rejected a job offer a couple of months ago when I was told that due to previous internet abuse only one computer in the company had an internet conexion. :violent2: I WANT MY NOOL!

Wow you rejected a job offer because of your attachment to NOOL? I think you may go for the greatest NO fan trophee?! Something springs to mind: set up a company where employees are forced to access the NOOL site daily as part of their education or something. :)

Uuff, no, is not exactly like that, much as I love NO and NOOL I am not that anorakish, my tongue was right in my cheek while I was posting but the reason why I did not take the job was that I considered that a company so mean in that respect would be even meaner with time-off, pay and so on, also, I do need access to the internet to buy tickets, do my shopping and...looking for other jobs so it was not only NOOL I would miss.

And I am certainly not New Order's best fan. Bit creepy that title.

I work at a grocery store. Thus, no surfing on the clock

I usually try and pop in during the hour break between my 9:00 class (which gets out at 10) and my 11:00 class on monday/weds/Friday. couldn't do it today because I had two tests in each class (the first one I was late for, as I had apparently grown too fond of the snooze button)

Originally posted by ShugZV©
I have been surfing from the office for the last few months on one of the bosses passwords, the bastard left last week, thus, I now have no access cos they've cancelled the passwordsI move into my new office next week, so hopefully I can talk the computer expert into giving me access....if not, this place will be a lot quieter and user friendly for the rest of ye's

But you are never in your office though SHUGZV.Always having a brew and a fag when ANYONE rings!So how the hell do you have time for surfing and does the sand and sea not make a mess of the office?:D

We can read and surf at work, but not able to post anything, so I'll definitely put up with that. Speaking of surfing whilst at work, did anybody else see these plans from the other day, about building an internet cafe in an unlikely location?

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20030307/D7PKDLBO1.html

I AM the boss. Tee Hee. Trouble is, the amount of time spent online is in inverse proportion to the amount of money I make, so there has to be a line drawn somewhere. If I found any of my staff surfing on non NO topics they would have to undergo a compulsory re-education programme.

Originally posted by a very small boy I AM the boss. Tee Hee. Trouble is, the amount of time spent online is in inverse proportion to the amount of money I make, so there has to be a line drawn somewhere. If I found any of my staff surfing on non NO topics they would have to undergo a compulsory re-education programme.

Do you own a company in Irlam? (I was working for a while as Export Advisor for the Manchester Chamber covering the Salford area, hence I am curious to know whether I have come across your company)

Sorry but I work in Bury and export nothing except myself which I wouldn't mind doing to Barcelona to celebrate your 1000th post!

Originally posted by a very small boy Sorry but I work in Bury and export nothing except myself which I wouldn't mind doing to Barcelona to celebrate your 1000th post!

Goshh, and I haven't got my speech yet! Well actually I am trying to get something ready along that lines and you will all be very welcome, only I am a bit short of spare time these days. But I'll eventually get something sorted. You can bring the black pudding then.

Originally posted by Spotnick Well, I work with the net, so I have access to it all the time, I've always been lucky with where my monitor was, except for a while when it was facing the door (which I hate, I always jump when someone enters the place because of that), but we are now in a temporary and I have my own room! about time, unfortunatly we're moving again next month, but still :DI've actually worked on NOOL on my former job when it was quiet, since I'm a software engineer, this actually looks like I'm really working, so there is no problem doing this, don't tell anyone But now, I tend to work on NOOL only on week-ends and days off.. I don't really like having to work on the computer after doing it all day long!

Sounds almost exactly like me and my football sites - more gets done when I am in the office than it does when I get home !

Originally posted by Budvar Huber

Originally posted by a very small boy Sorry but I work in Bury and export nothing except myself which I wouldn't mind doing to Barcelona to celebrate your 1000th post!

Goshh, and I haven't got my speech yet! Well actually I am trying to get something ready along that lines and you will all be very welcome, only I am a bit short of spare time these days. But I'll eventually get something sorted. You can bring the black pudding then.

Cheers! Fatty or lean? How many dozen of each?

Don't visit this site whilst surfing at work or if you are offended by strong language in either printed or spoken form:

http://b3ta.com/top-10-cutest-kittens/

Originally posted by ShugZV©
ShugZV's only gone and found (rifled through a few drawers) a new password....hence me being on here tonight

What a pity...this site is BETTER without you!

I've encountered the work of ultimate evil while surfing at work. It's called Websense. You try to open a page and it says:

Trenutno je pristup trazenoj web stranici ogranicen.

Reason: The Websense category "Entertainment" is filtered.

Our organization would prefer that you view sites of personal interest after work hours. Click Postpone to add this site to your private bookmark list for later viewing at

etc. Fortunately, it doesn't filter NOOL. (so it's better than when I got banned from using the laboratory's internet for allegedly surfing too much). It's evil and totalitarian, the company's logo pops out together with my company's logo, sort of Big Brother's watching you thing.

Our company has this kind of filter as well, and I once found a NO site which I wasn't allowed into for some strange reason. Of course, I couldn't wait to get home to open it; turned out it had some pornographic story about one of the guys....

just moved to desk where nobody can see screen!

we have filter in work that stops sites that contain chat rooms but not this one fortunately.
it also stops you going into web translator pages & it flashes up the reason for this as "sex"!

Originally posted by hibster just moved to desk where nobody can see screen!we have filter in work that stops sites that contain chat rooms but not this one fortunately. it also stops you going into web translator pages & it flashes up the reason for this as "sex"!

So i bet you get a lot of FLASHES!:D

OK, so can anybody tell me where I can switch off the avatars? Is it somewhere on this site or in Windows Internet options? Cheers.

Look stop cursing and get some bloody WORK done!