EBAY - not for the RAF!
 

I,ve just logged back onto my IGS to discover that Ebay is now barred. Obviously the boffins that be have decided that too much time is spent shopping and not enough working (apart from all the dets and ops). Wouldn't mind but I can still do my Tesco's and Amazon, so what's the logic?:{

Hurrah, another morale boost. :ugh:

How long before PPRUNE etc are removed?

It's because you can't sell Government stores on the Tesco site. There was a civil servant a little while ago who had a thriving business listing pages of the Banner catalogue on the site, then placing stationery orders as the Ebay orders came in.....

I queried it with the boffins this morning; they replied:

'MOD as a whole has a particular concern about the use of eBay. These concerns are that MOD employees are not allowed to trade and more significantly the, sometimes, inordinate amount of time spent by users on this site. Whilst the Acceptable Use Policy (JSP740) prohibits the offering for sale of items and services on commercial auction sites and warns that personal use must not interfere with official duties; DGInfo and the 1* DIRGE have directed that all eBay sites be blocked between the hours of 0630Z - 1800Z.

Anyone with a legitimate reason to access eBay during this time, is required to forward a Business Case to the DFN Gateways Team'

So, it seems it is more to do with excessive time spent perusing the site than actually flogging HM's kit on there. The night shift should be ok though........

Just enquired to IGS regarding Ebay and the reply says that MOD have concerns about personnel spending too much work time on Ebay so the site will be barred from 0630 until 1830 daily. So that pretty much rules out any of you Air Force chaps then!

Would have been nice to at least have it between 1200 and 1300 so lunchtimes could be spent on it.

I noticed a lot of other sites I visit have been blocked as well and they weren't even contentious.

Another morale boostin kick in the Ass. :*

Looking at the speed of the responses this would surely allow more time for work as well as achieving the aim of removing a line of dissent/information dissemination.:mad:

I suggest that it is possible that the biggest users of e bay are probably soldiers trying to buy decent kit on line, to supplement the stuff they are, or aren't, issued with!

Demand Indications
 

Ahh, yes, but if the MOD no longer allow you to buy your kit on Ebay, how can they follow their current policy of waiting until 95% of the armed forces have bought a certain piece of kit and then miraculously stocking it knowing full well we won't demand it because we've already gone out and bought it? e.g. camelbacks, decent sand goggles, decent bergen, decent boots (wait -scratch that they only had those for about a year before they wnet back to the cheap look-a-likes).

Has this got anything to do with E-goat being bumped offline ?

Arf! What a wit.

On a serious note, by the rationale that ebay is banned due to the time spent online by forces people, I forsee PPRuNe, ARRSe, e-goat, Rum Ration etc falling by the wayside very soon indeed.

QFI Hawkman

I originally found Pprune by following the link from a Military website, however theres nothing to say it won't be cut now. Surprised it didn't happen when the thread about military coups was running!

Let me get this straight. Some people are whinging that they cannot access a commercial online auction house on a service computer utilising a service internet connection during working hours?

What military purpose would you want to be browsing EBay for?

You may wish to try working in between coffee breaks.

Just a thought.

Err...how about buying Flying Clothing? I bought my latest set of flying gloves from Ebay....cos Mr Pusser had none !!!



Oh, and a set of Thermals...same reason

In that case, get in touch with the DFN Gateways team and give them your Business Case. :ok:





It's hard to understand why the RAF are getting such a bad name isn't it? :hmm: :hmm:

Unlikel;y fella.....I dont have an IGS account at work...I'm not one of the wheels.

Actually the MOD Internet policy accepts that the provision of DII meant that many MOD staff - both service and civilian may want to use the Internet. It further accepts that 'surfing the net' provides the ability to increase IT awareness and skills.

A DIN was issued sometime ago which basically said that MOD personnel could use their IGS account for 'personal surfing' for up to 15/20 minutes during the working day. Staff that chose to do this would be expected to work the equivalent extra time prior to leaving though. Banning access to Ebay seems to go against the spirit of this DIN.

I doubt the service websites will be banned - the ensuing media frenzy would be enough to lift it if it happened. After all bearing in mind how many stories journos get here, they may have to do some work and write their own story if we couldnt post.

I've heard, from a very reliable source, that PPRune is next to have access denied.:confused:

So how will our lords and masters know what is going on:confused:

VecVecHookAttack

I am assuming from your preceding post relating to the purchase of flying clothing that you fly? Presumably, then, access to a number of sites available only through the IGS would be an enhancement to FS? For example, access to the AIS Website for NOTAM and Airspace Information? It must be possible for you to make a case for access?

I think I am correct in thinking that you need to have an IGS account to communicate with civvy email addresses? If your version of the DII or whatever you currently have is as cr@p as mine at getting emails even to Service addresses (I frequently have to use the civilian version of a mil address just to get stuff to people!), then it must be possible to use this as part of your case.

Briefing GCI, looking at ATOs and ACOs, checking out the Ex/Ops plans etc, there are loads of good reasons why we should all have access to IGS accounts - most people on my Unit have it, and not just the wheels!

Make your case and see what happens!

STH