# How do you avoid being caught on SD while at work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 16, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436 "2004-05-16T15:50:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SallyStar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SallyStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SallyStar)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/1 "2004-05-16T15:50:27Z")
Have your ever been caught on SD at work? How much time do you spend on SD while at work? How do you avoid being caught? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/2 "2004-05-16T18:11:49Z")
I spend 90% of my time at work on SDMB. I don’t hide it. If they want me to do actually work, they can come up with some for me. (I end up doing 15-20% of my work for them at home or on weekends, so “at work” and “working” don’t coincide all that closely) ---
**Author:** ![biqu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/3 "2004-05-16T18:51:41Z")
At work I have received curious glances when the SDMB is loaded in a graphical browser, with its large blue and yellow banner screaming for attention from those who would quickly pounce on the opportunity to label me a stoner. I have since learned to avoid such confrontations by reading the boards in my favorite text-mode browser [w3m](http://w3m.sourceforge.net). I encountered a bit of difficulty compiling it on the old SunOS computers but eventually got a working executable that enables me to surf the web without attracting any attention. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/4 "2004-05-16T18:53:39Z")
I don’t have to hide my actions at work, but for those that do… alt-tab is your friend. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/5 "2004-05-16T18:57:22Z")
I don’t have to worry about hiding it. As a caretaker for another Doper, it’s practically encouraged. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/6 "2004-05-16T21:41:42Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > I don’t have to hide my actions at work, but for those that do… alt-tab is your friend. 😉 And Alt+F4, and [Windows]+M… ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/7 "2004-05-16T22:52:39Z")
I take the radical step of not coming here while I’m at work. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/8 "2004-05-17T00:45:20Z")
> [@](#): > > _From **TJdude825** _ > And Alt+F4, and [Windows]+M… No! Use [windows]+D. You can do it left-handed easier and you don’t have to stetch your hand out for the keys. Ummm… if anyone asks, I’ve been working for the past 4 hours… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/9 "2004-05-17T00:52:58Z")
I can’t access the Dope at work since they installed the new blocking software. Since it’s considered “entertainment”, I can’t view it. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/10 "2004-05-17T01:09:51Z")
I use the Opera web browser and I hit the “New” button to open a new window. I also have my pc facing away from everyone else so that I an see anyone who is coming toward me. It gives me plenty of time to get another window open. Not that they really care where I work anyways. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/11 "2004-05-17T02:10:28Z")
I don’t work yet, but I have school and we have to work so it counts. Anyway, during Computers, I get a corner computer, finish my work fast, and just surf the Dope. They haven’t found this yet, or don’t mind it. Anyway, I spend countless hours reading Cecil’s coulums. I think it is how I first found the message board. Anyway, my teacher is cool, knows I work, and doesn’t care. She read one of them once and really liked it. So the Dope at school isn’t an issue. Wow, if someone else just read that past sentance and didn’t know about the SD, it would raise some eyebrows. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/12 "2004-05-17T02:24:59Z")
I’m with **Smeghead**. Since they put us on the company’s servers (we’re a district office) about a year and a half ago I just haven’t dropped by from work. I don’t really have time to, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/13 "2004-05-17T03:09:10Z")
The program I mainly use for work has four sectored windows making up the screen. When being used properly, one of these looks remarkably like the SDMB. I just launch an IE window, resize it, and place it over this window. The result appears remarkably business-like. 🙂 However, as guided by my moral compass, I never surf on those occasions when there is actual work to be done. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/14 "2004-05-17T04:07:38Z")
> [@](#): > > How do you avoid being caught on SD while at work? I own the company 🆒 Unfortunately I’m generally juggling so many projects that i’m lucky to get ten minutes a day in here. _Sigh_ Maybe I should start looking for a _real_ job so I can get back here more often 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Beauty\_Personified](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Beauty\_Personified](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauty_Personified)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/15 "2004-05-17T05:31:27Z")
I always keep another browser window open behind the window with which I’m reading The Straight Dope. Whenever someone come near, I just click on the taskbar to switch to the other window. If someone actually bothers to look at what’s on my screen, they’ll just see hardcore pornography. So, everyone at work thinks I’m a pervert, but they don’t think I’m a threat to the fabric of society. 😉 Anyhoo… ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/16 "2004-05-17T10:30:55Z")
Hell, I’ve actually used the SD archives for work! A student of mine had to do a research paper, and we decided on white slavery. I remembered Cecil had written an article on it, so we used the article (among a few others; Cecil covered mostly sex slaves while other sites had different topics) there. I was effectively paid (although at $6.50 an hour, not a lot) to search the archives. Other than that, however, not much. When I’m working (I can be at work and not working; sometimes I go up to the lab early, for example; sometimes people are late/don’t show up), I’m working with an actual person, and it would be rather unprofessional for me to read the board while “tutoring” someone, unless I were showing that person how to use/understand this type of MB software, or something otherwise related to the internet. They don’t “catch” me. My bosses usually either are in their offices or out delivering something/eating/otherwise not in. The exceptions are rare. However, I am never on the board when I should be working, so there’s nothing to catch. I’ve posted from my workplace before, but never _during_ work (unless waiting for a student or doing drop-in help at the math lab). So simple, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/17 "2004-05-17T13:32:38Z")
I normally open about 15-25 threads, and always have a back-up thread to alt+tab to. ---
**Author:** ![DeVena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dec6dc/32.png) [@DeVena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeVena)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/18 "2004-05-17T13:51:37Z")
Well, my job is to answer questions. And to find the answers to questions. I’ve explained that the Straight Dope is a research tool. Kinda like Google, but with more attitude. According to my boss, it’s fine to spend time here. Really. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/19 "2004-05-17T13:53:41Z")
My monitor sits at a 45-degree angle and it isn’t visible until you are within 5 feet of my cubicle. At this point the screen is viewable, but it’s not easy to see what’s on it. As a precaution, I turn the monitor about 10 to 15 degrees more, enough that I can still view it almost head-on, but walkers-by can’t really see what’s on the screen. I also scroll off the big SDMB banner from the top so it doesn’t stand out so plainly. I used to ALT-TAB every time someone came to my cubicle, but I figured this actually looked more suspicious and drew more attention than to just leave it on my screen and just hope that whatever happens to be on the screen doesn’t arouse any curiosity when someone stops in to visit me. However, as I’m going to be moving to a different facility in my work I may not have the privacy that I have had here, so my posting frequency from work may not be as much now. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436/20 "2004-05-17T14:05:46Z")
I keep WordPerfect reduced on the taskbar. If anyone comes in, I just hit it. If they ask what I’m doing “Oh, justing seeing if some of these old files can be deleted.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-avoid-being-caught-on-sd-while-at-work/245436.md?page=2)