[WEB4LIB] Problematic Sites

[stephanie spearman]

Paul,
I find off and on, not always, that sites such as
Yahoo just can't be reached the first attempt. Almost
always hitting the refresh button solves the problem.
(from IE 5.5/NT) I get the most complaints about
Hotmail altho those complaints have dropped off
recently so maybe things have changed there. Patrons
do think that 'server can't be found' is our fault so
I say the same things you do: it's not us, it's THEM. 

Part of our use policy says:
"The library cannot guarantee that the Internet will
always be available for public use. Due to the complex
nature of computer networks, it may be impossible to
access certain Internet addresses for a variety of
reasons."

Of course, I'm not so clueless as to believe that
people actually read the use policy but it's there if
I need it, first thing on all workstations as they
boot up. 
Your fellow weblib traveller,
Stephanie Spearman



--- "GRAY, PAUL" <PAUL.GRAY at TCCD.NET> wrote:
> Dear Fellow Travellers and Noble Wizards --
> We are running Windows 2000 and IE 5.5
> Our user accounts are USERS (NOT Power Users or
> Admins)
> We are getting recurring complaints about sites such
> as Yahoo Mail, FAFSA,
> Monster.com that error out at various points.
> My standard reply is that all we can do is get you
> ONTO the Internet -- what
> happens or doesn't happen at a given site is beyond
> our control.
> 
> I pretty much stand behind this because we also got
> complaints - albeit
> regarding different sites - when we had NT and
> Netscape 4.
> 
> Am I alone here?
> Any ideas?  --- OTHER than giving walkup users of
> these unmonitored stations
> ADMIN rights -
> 
> Any solutions -- or comiserations would be welcome
> 
> 
> 
> Paul H. Gray
> Library Manager, CLC and LRC LAN
> Northeast Campus Library
> Hurst, Tx
> 817-515-6623
> 


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