Woe is me

[barfle]

Well, it seems official and undeniable. I am unable to stream any audio or video at work any more, which means I am no longer able to hear the charming voices of our daytime hosts.

I suspected this was coming for a while, but when I got a new computer this week, it locked me out of any and all streams that I've been able to find.

The good news is that I have a high-speed connection at home now, so I can listen after-hours, but the best I'll be able to do with Dan, Scott, and HRH is watch them on the webcam.

I'll still participate in the BBB, at least until the IT department puts a stop to that, too.

[bignaf]

welcome to my world.

[barfle]

It was fun while it lasted. I've been listening for about five years, since the days of Sir Stew and John Nowacki.

[BigJon@Work]

What dreary work day that must be!

BigJon

[Trumpetmaster]

Barfle,
That bites the big one....
I work in a very noisy area and do alot of research, writing, blah blah blah...
I have headphones on while at my desk and if they stopped the streaming....
sorry to hear the evil IT empire has blocked your streaming at work.
TM

[Serenity]

Where there's a will, there is a way! Learn your new computer; you'll eventually find a way through. Post the gruesome details on the Helping Hand thread. Someone may offer a helpful suggestion.

Can you play CDs and pretend you're listening to B.com?

[mmichaelson]

Three years listening here. Very sad!

that sucks for you!

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

barfle: complain that you can't configure your software. Tell them you can't transfer Access lists into Excel, and that the tables in Word don't work right when you save off as .rtf. If you can niggle them for a while they may give you limited admin rights over your own machine and then if you reinstall Media Player and configure it to see past the firewall that might do it!

The water-on-stone technique seems to work. Interminable details, all of which require a tech visit. Be nice to the tech and he may eventually override the policy settings on your machine, just to make his own life easier.

Good luck!

[barfle]

Well, they do have a published policy that says "no streaming media," but this is the first time I've had it enforced against me.

I was usually able to pick up various programs like NASA feeds and the occasional NPR program, as well as beethoven.com. I know there were several people who streamed spinner.

Another interesting feature of my new computer - When I first started here, my PC ran NT. It had a USB port on the front panel, but NT doesn't recognize USB (something I realized two years before I got the job), so I didn't really care much. I eventually got three computers working at home, and they all have functioning USB ports.

If you remember the "gadgets" thread, I linked to a Swiss Army knife with a USB flash memory in it. Well, I have one of those, and it's pretty cool, but it didn't even light up when I plugged it in at work.

They upgraded my computer to XP Pro about three months ago, and my USB port started working. Very cool.

Now, with the new computer, when I plug in the flash memory, it blinkss like the menu is being read, I get a beep and the "safely remove hardware" icon shows up in the tray, but do you think the drive ever shows up in "My Computer?" Not in this life.

However, I have a DVD burner, so transporting data back and forth is still easy. I just wonder what benefit the IT department is going to get from all the restrictions.

[dai bread]

Cheaper operating costs, I would think, Barfle. That was why my employer banned streaming media. They had to pay per mb downloaded, and the charges are horrible here, at least for what you get.

[barfle]

Well, the US Patent Office is on a network with Internet connection, and since we are charged with not revealing an invention until the patent is issued, there are security issues that they have to deal with.

I'm also sure they don't want any sort of viruses introduced into their network, although some of the restrictions seem like a bureaucrat made a rule because he could, not because it made sense.

[NateBrei]

Just last Thurs. I was having trouble with b.com. Found out the bb was blocked & Media Player was always coming up with login/password dialog box. Well, had to work yesterday. Media Player works fine. bb seemed to come up after 5:00. According to internet policy, bb are against policy unless related directly to person's job or professional skills. We'll see. So, if you don't hear from me again, you'll know why...

Nate

[Avivaldi72]

Originally posted by barfle:
Well, they do have a published policy that says "no streaming media," but this is the first time I've had it enforced against me.

I was usually able to pick up various programs like NASA feeds and the occasional NPR program, as well as beethoven.com. I know there were several people who streamed spinner.

Another interesting feature of my new computer - When I first started here, my PC ran NT. It had a USB port on the front panel, but NT doesn't recognize USB (something I realized two years before I got the job), so I didn't really care much. I eventually got three computers working at home, and they all have functioning USB ports.

If you remember the "gadgets" thread, I linked to a Swiss Army knife with a USB flash memory in it. Well, I have one of those, and it's pretty cool, but it didn't even light up when I plugged it in at work.

They upgraded my computer to XP Pro about three months ago, and my USB port started working. Very cool.

Now, with the new computer, when I plug in the flash memory, it blinkss like the menu is being read, I get a beep and the "safely remove hardware" icon shows up in the tray, but do you think the drive ever shows up in "My Computer?" Not in this life.

However, I have a DVD burner, so transporting data back and forth is still easy. I just wonder what benefit the IT department is going to get from all the restrictions.

I may have an answer regarding your USB issue, Barfle. I had the same thing, and it was because of our network drive mapping. My next available drive locally was F, but that happened to be one of the network drives as well. I found a way to get the USB key to be recognized as a consistent letter so that it actually works plug & play.

You said you were using XP Pro. I am as well. I plugged my USB key in before I booted up, and then the computer gave me an error about connecting to the network drive, which was fine. I bypassed that and logged onto Windows. I don't know if that is going to work for you, but if you can get past that, go into the Control Panel, and then choose Computer Management. Expand the Storage group, and then click on Disk Management. The right-hand side will display the drives and you can right-click on the USB drive and choose Change Drive Letter and Paths - and then assign it a letter that is not being used.

Hope that helps!

If I lost my beethoven.com, I'd be finding a hacker to get me around the situation. I need my Beethoven.com!

[FlyingSorcery]

I have the opposite situation -- I can get b.com no problem at work (school library), but I have problems at home. Biggest problem is four people and one computer, but there is something about windows media and other programs on the home system. WM keeps pulling up error messages. But Hubby was listening yesterday, so maybe.....

Being off all summer, I am just now getting back into the b.com stream of things, as it were. Missed the music and the boards.

[Serenity]

Well, at least you're not being blamed for "screwing up the computer". I agree that multiple users bog down the system faster.