![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Information Technology Policy
Dec. 19th, 2005 09:26 amToday at work I was attacked by one of those annual document readings. I must initial that I have read this document on the proper use of employer-provided technology before they'll let me check my work-related e-mail. There were 26 pages to click through, though they were short pages, more like 13 regular pages.
It turned out to be a pleasant experience. I laughed out loud at this: "If you feel you are being harassed, please report the problem to ... . (Rudeness by itself, however, is not harassment, and neither are other boorish behaviors.)"
Boorish! They used the word boorish in an official document!
Also, you can tell that whoever wrote the document actually has to deal with the issues addressed in the document. I enjoyed the elements of ranting it had. Here's another example:
"Identify yourself clearly and accurately in all electronic communications. Concealing or misrepresenting your name or affiliation to dissociate yourself from responsibility for your actions is never excusable."
And it had very clear descriptions of the topic, based on what is actually done wrong. For example, it mentions things that you might think are okay, but aren't:
"Never use any University-provided computing resource to do something illegal, threatening, or deliberately destructive--not even as a joke. All complaints will be investigated."
Not even as a joke. Just so you know. And additional information on what actually happens:
"If your activity breaks the law, you can be prosecuted. Even if you are not charged criminally, you can still be suspended from the University. Such suspensions happen to several people each semester."
Scary!
Usually these kinds of documents are very general and a bit vague and extremely dry. This one was a bit redundant (though I've seen worse), but very clearly written in a nice easy-to-read style. If you ever find yourself having to write a document like this, I recommend you peruse UT's Acceptable Use Policy for ideas.
It turned out to be a pleasant experience. I laughed out loud at this: "If you feel you are being harassed, please report the problem to ... . (Rudeness by itself, however, is not harassment, and neither are other boorish behaviors.)"
Boorish! They used the word boorish in an official document!
Also, you can tell that whoever wrote the document actually has to deal with the issues addressed in the document. I enjoyed the elements of ranting it had. Here's another example:
"Identify yourself clearly and accurately in all electronic communications. Concealing or misrepresenting your name or affiliation to dissociate yourself from responsibility for your actions is never excusable."
And it had very clear descriptions of the topic, based on what is actually done wrong. For example, it mentions things that you might think are okay, but aren't:
"Never use any University-provided computing resource to do something illegal, threatening, or deliberately destructive--not even as a joke. All complaints will be investigated."
Not even as a joke. Just so you know. And additional information on what actually happens:
"If your activity breaks the law, you can be prosecuted. Even if you are not charged criminally, you can still be suspended from the University. Such suspensions happen to several people each semester."
Scary!
Usually these kinds of documents are very general and a bit vague and extremely dry. This one was a bit redundant (though I've seen worse), but very clearly written in a nice easy-to-read style. If you ever find yourself having to write a document like this, I recommend you peruse UT's Acceptable Use Policy for ideas.