Completely OT - bedtime for children

[Steve Walker]

Probably in excess of 75% of the ones I receive. That's why I receive them!

SteveW

[Andy Burns]

Even then, half of the time people launch the .doc attachment from their email client, edit it, save it back to

C:\Documents and Settings\Fred\Local Settings\Temp\meaninglessname.doc

then promptly wonder where it's gone!

[Frank Erskine]

You aren't a greengrocer by any chance, are you, Tim?

:-)

[Mark]

I'm sure you can install one at home.

[Huge]

And is there not a process for requesting that software be tested and subsequently installed?

[Simon Finnigan]

Why add any extra risk to a computer system as described above. The less software installed, the less risk of data being lost/stolen. Some personal data can be, quite literally, a matter of life and death, so the systems holding such data need to be very secure.

[Simon Finnigan]

Yes, I know that feeling. Although I'm still on IE6. Very strict web filtering and firewalls, and potential disciplinary action for plugging a USB drive in.

[Simon Finnigan]

Yeah, because large organisations using very locked down machines like the users installing software on them. You may be able to do this on your work machine, but not everyone works in a pink and fluffy world that doesn't require a very secure system.

[Simon Finnigan]

Not everyone can use PDF. My employer for example doesn't install a PDF reader on every machine. Some on some networks get it, but it seems random. I can guarantee getting a machine with office on, not one that has a PDF viewer on.

[Simon Finnigan]

Why would the teacher need to include the equation editor, it's built into office.

[Simon Finnigan]

No idea, all I know is that one isn't installed.

[Simon Finnigan]

That's up to you. I found the equations it did perfectly capable and usable at masters degree level in Physics. At phd level some people used tex, but some used word, as it was able to display all the equations perfectly.

[Steve Walker]

Oh indeed. But it could easily take four months to get a case signed off for allocating funding to even try a "non-standard" piece of software. This is the nuclear industry, they don't do anything without much debate and changing of minds! Unless it's something that there is no alternative to, even if that alternative doesn't really fit the requirements, it ain't happening.

SteveW

[Steve Walker]

No work documents are permitted to be placed on any home computer. That would be a serious breach of the security rules and could well be career terminal!

SteveW

[Huge]

[Steve Firth]

Hah, I can see you don't work in my world. All such requests go to a committee that decides if they have the balls to forward the request to the national authority which appoints someone to investigate the impact and risks of the change. Then there is testing, official reports, change control board, security reviews, security reports, approval by two external independent assessors, budgetary reviews...

I simplify, a lot, but you get the general picture?

[Paul - xxx]

So there _is_ a process ...

;)

[Huge]

Oh, I do, but all this does is encourage people to do their own thing. If it's easier to ignore the process & procedures than abide by them, that's exactly what people do.

[Tim Streater]

NHS is that, then?

[Tim Watts]

I can understand this. Acrobat Reader is not unknown for having security holes plus your work context.

But I'm surprised you can survive in a work context without PDF viewing abilities (from a cut down reader).