This Forum is on the Banned list. (Beware the Chatroom)

Zorro · July 16, 2006, 11:10:16 PM

Sorry to tell you but most all the Internet filtering companies have banned this place.

But the NICE isn't.

Just so you know most that use a Library or a Government computer are not able to go here.

Netami · July 16, 2006, 11:12:18 PM

Websense? That crap happens all the time, with little warrant. Soshi's comic had it happen, so did John Dvorak (Editor for PC Magazine).

Just takes a simple call or e-mail to the people to get you removed, but it does say a lot about net neutrality.

Aridas · July 16, 2006, 11:14:03 PM

If I understand this correctly, couldn't they use proxies or an http tunnel prog or something to slip through the cracks? If anyone needs to get through i'm sure there are lots of people here other than me capable of handing out solutions.

bill · July 16, 2006, 11:15:06 PM

Except that all the proxy sites get blocked by WebSense anyway.

Aridas · July 16, 2006, 11:16:34 PM

So then the only alternative is http tunnel, and I've gotten that to work in some pretty extreme situations...

Netami · July 16, 2006, 11:19:58 PM

Proxies work, I did that when I worked at an elementary school.

HOWEVER... Getting caught at a library or government job with a proxy is bad news for your job situation.

Just have the sites you want to visit taken off their restricted list.

bill · July 16, 2006, 11:21:47 PM

$45 a year. Not too bad, since it always works. I believe you need to be able to install, though, assuming you're using a network.

Damaris · July 16, 2006, 11:42:47 PM

Interesting. I didn't realize this had become a chatroom.

As far as I know, libraries, while obilgated to protect children, are also obligated to provide unrestricted access to adults by the . My day job is at a library, and I've had no problem with Clockwork Mansion's URL. (ICVD, the sister site... that would be a different story.)

Since this isn't a porn site, or a site promoting illegal gambling, your library should be able to enable this URL (and shouldn't have any grounds for refusing your request.), as censorship and restricting access is against the ALA code of ethics.

Forgotten · July 17, 2006, 01:40:56 AM

quick solution: web proxies with base64 encoding = safe surf disabled.

www.hidemyass.com is a good example

Wildy · July 17, 2006, 01:52:19 AM

This may be a site specific thing. I work at a govt. instillation and because of such there are certain things they monitor and keep an eye on. We've had Yahoo banned because of too much spyware. Just an example and they have a reason pop up every time a page is blocked.

At the current time this site is blocked from where I work with the reason being "Games" Of course they don't want you playing games on company time. Reasonable. My guess is that the (meta?)tags in the site somewhere have games in it. (Not sure, didn't actually check this out myself)

Site specific would explain why you may be able to view it at some libraries and not at others. Depends on what their administrators have blocked and allowed.

Ramsey · July 17, 2006, 03:11:51 AM

Quote from: BillBuckner on July 16, 2006, 11:15:06 PM
Except that all the proxy sites get blocked by WebSense anyway.

Odd. I've worked for the State of AK, and used there comps many times. I've only seen a few proxy sites blocked. Usually not too difficult to find one that is allowed.

bill · July 17, 2006, 08:44:33 AM

Unlike most schools, our network admin isn't a complete idiot. He's probaly blocked the proxies himself. However, some of the library staff, who can control the block list as well, are idiots. They added google image search to the blocked list after someone printed out Bad Pictures. So, everyone used google.ca.

Darkmoon · July 17, 2006, 08:58:12 AM

I don't think anyone cares if the NICE is on a blocked list or not, btw. We aren't on the NICE anymore, nor are we going to be.

Aridas · July 17, 2006, 09:11:04 AM

Er, you have it the wrong way around. you should be worried about how this site is blocked, and thus a number of people aren't going to have an easy time getting in often.

Darkmoon · July 17, 2006, 09:46:54 AM

We have R rated sections of the forum. I can't honestly say you should be able to veiw this at work or at school.

Forgotten · July 17, 2006, 12:55:12 PM

Quote from: Wildy on July 17, 2006, 01:52:19 AM
This may be a site specific thing. I work at a govt. instillation and because of such there are certain things they monitor and keep an eye on. We've had Yahoo banned because of too much spyware. Just an example and they have a reason pop up every time a page is blocked.

At the current time this site is blocked from where I work with the reason being "Games" Of course they don't want you playing games on company time. Reasonable. My guess is that the (meta?)tags in the site somewhere have games in it. (Not sure, didn't actually check this out myself)

Site specific would explain why you may be able to view it at some libraries and not at others. Depends on what their administrators have blocked and allowed.

Most web proxies can do the following (rotate13, base64, and meta-strip do it for my school's system)

Include Form: Includes a mini URL-form on every HTML page
Remove Scripts: Remove client-side scripting (i.e. Javascript)
Accept Cookies: Accept HTTP cookies
Show Images: Show images
Show Referer: Show referring website in HTTP headers
Rotate13: Use rotate13 encoding on the URL*
Base64: Use base64 encoding on the URL*
Strip Meta: Strip meta HTML tags
Strip Title: Strip Website title
Session Cookies: Store cookies for this session only

*Encodes the URL to disable address searches (Ie www.GAMES.com can be banned because of the word "games" but base64 and rotate13 encode)

Off topic!

Wildy · July 17, 2006, 01:40:16 PM

.... I'm clueless.. But I'm sure if I tried to do some sort of Hack at work to view things that are blocked I would get the SMACKDOWN from the 24 hour monitoring they do of the network.. And lose my job.. And such and such and such..

Agreed with Darkmoon though. It -shouldn't- be viewed at some places. That is why content is blocked.

Nikki · July 17, 2006, 01:53:29 PM

darn...this means no sneaking on during School with the Laptops

Darkmoon · July 17, 2006, 02:04:14 PM

Only if your school has it blocked.

As was mentioned, being on a blocked list is no big surprise for me. ICVD has been on it for a long time now. I actually contemplated asking one of the companies "why" once, but then I realized that I would end up getting this laundry list of complaints back... and yeah... not worth the effort.

Netami · July 17, 2006, 03:17:58 PM

As I said before, it's nothing personal. They do it was a broad-sweeping search, and your name can easily be taken off their list with an e-mail. Hell, websense even blocked Penny Arcade for a bit (which they probably should have) but then had the thing removed at Tycho's request.

Darkmoon · July 17, 2006, 04:26:13 PM

Yeah, I know. And I think Damamris has requested that it be removed.

I just can't in all honest debate it being on the list.

RynSerenity · July 17, 2006, 04:33:44 PM

It's probably blocked at my school. We have Websense for our blocking program, and it's pretty damn strict. DeviantArt was blocked for a really long time, because of "adult content" and being a "chat room", despite the fact that I go to an art school, and half the kids have accounts on DA that they use as digital portfolios.

Saist · July 17, 2006, 07:54:53 PM

hmm... I thought another banned chatroom was the subject of this thread... meow...

Netami · July 17, 2006, 07:57:50 PM

I thought you guys opened your digital doors to any that wanted to participate?

Damaris · July 17, 2006, 08:30:49 PM

I e-mailed Websense earlier today, and this is what they sent back:

Greetings. Thank you for your inquiry. Your site is correctly
categorized under Games. If your company chooses to restrict access to
the Games category, then that is the reason it is blocked, not
necessarily because it contains objectionable content.
Thank you,
The Websense Web Team

I have e-mailed them back asking why we are catagorized under games, when 90% of our activity is in discussion.

Please note that I have reclassified the "Game" forum as "Entertainment." Rather than for posts about entertianment, it is for posts that are strictly entertaining, and serve no actual discussion purpose.

Netami · July 17, 2006, 08:34:58 PM

How lame! When I worked at the school district, we could just call them up and have them add or detract from the list as we pleased...

Nikki · July 17, 2006, 08:36:23 PM

Quote from: Darkmoon on July 17, 2006, 02:04:14 PM
Only if your school has it blocked.

Aye, it probably will be..

DARNED FILTERS!!

bill · July 17, 2006, 08:59:58 PM

A bunch of people each year lose internet for bypassing filters at school. Almost as much lose it for net sending. (I got caught, but since I know the admin, I got off free)

Supercheese · July 17, 2006, 09:28:48 PM

Quote from: BillBuckner on July 17, 2006, 08:59:58 PM
Almost as much lose it for net sending. (I got caught, but since I know the admin, I got off free)

Heh, same thing happened to me.

... it still kinda bugs me the title says "chatroom". I find it very hard to think of this as a chatroom...

Damaris · July 17, 2006, 10:22:11 PM

Which is good, because it's not.

This Forum is on the Banned list. (Beware the Chatroom)

Netami

Aridas

Aridas

Netami

Forgotten

Darkmoon

Aridas

Darkmoon

Forgotten

Darkmoon

Netami

Darkmoon

RynSerenity

Netami

Netami

Supercheese