Do you attempt to explain or simplify proxy/other error messages for users?

[pete]

For the umpteenth time someone has come in and said "can you unblock $foo".

"er...we're not blocking $foo, what message do you get?"
<interlude>
"That's nothing to do with us (a)their webserver is broken, b) you're typing in the wrong url, c) that page doesn't exist)".

I mean, I've customised the Squid error pages to include information in plain English and the "blocked" vs "site is broken" notices are different - one is colourful with images, the other is not. But every time a webserver gives them a 404 they think it's our filtering.

*wanders off to see if anyone makes posters explaining webserver errors*

[TechMonkey]

Our filter page is a has a big hedgehog that flashes at people saying "THIS IS FILTERED!!!". Not touched anyother webserver errors but still they come to us and say something is filtered. I have even seen a error page returned saying somethign clear like "this webserver is dead, please try again later" That was all it said on the page and yet it was us filtering it.
No idea the solution sorry

[GlennT]

Sadly, the problem lies with getting the end user to READ the error message. How many times have we all had kids walk in the office and say "My computer don't work!" .... "What's the error message?" .... "Dunno".

[localzuk]

Sadly, the problem lies with getting the end user to READ the error message. How many times have we all had kids walk in the office and say "My computer don't work!" .... "What's the error message?" .... "Dunno".

Precisely! This isn't just kids though, staff are just as bad.

We have filtering pages which are big and obvious, so don't seem to get people accusing us of blocking pages all that often. What we do get is 'the internet is broken' meaning that the site they are trying to access as a) down or b) doesn't exist in the first place... But it is of course the internet connection.

[pallen]

No solution to the problem, but depending on my mood I may ask them to go away and read the error message so I might be able to help them. This is happening more often these days.....Trying to force the end user to actually establish what the problem is before asking for help is a struggle sometimes.

[elsiegee40]

You have my sympathies Pete

I've just been asked to make a poster by the HT to explain the "Print job cancelled. You cannot print unsaved Documents" message that Print Manager Plus gives out. I thought my customised message (exactly as in the quotes) was enough... silly me!

[chalkwellstu]

You have my sympathies Pete

I've just been asked to make a poster by the HT to explain the "Print job cancelled. You cannot print unsaved Documents" message that Print Manager Plus gives out. I thought my customised message (exactly as in the quotes) was enough... silly me!

Occupational hazard i fear. i once had someone come up to me and in a cross and frustrated way say 'there's a problem with my pc, i keep getting a message saying "No Data Has Been Input" WHAT THE HELL DOES THIS MEAN? why can't you people put things in plain english' - i justed stared blankly doing my best not to laugh.

[DaveP]

I have serveal versions of block pages, all based around these core 'themes'

Scool badge/school colours [writ very large]

Access to this page is not allowed

or

Your Internet access has been blocked

See your Head Of Year or the Network Manager for clarification.

I still get messages saying that '..the Internet is not working...' three years after first introducing these VERY clearly annotated pages. Oh well.