Princess censoring shipboard E-mail

[Chip AZ]

I think it was a technical problem. I don't know what email service provider you used but something made the filtering problem turn you off as spam. It may even be the name your choose was somehow in the system as to be blocked. I am not so technically savy as to know which, but since it is your mail box you are responsible for everything that comes into wanted or unwanted. Whether you asked to recieve it or had a prior arrangement that allowed them to send it, I don't know. Should Princess shut your email down-- without knowing more I would say no but we are after all hearing only you side of the story. My suggestion is to ask the expert on the ship. They know more than all of Holiday Inn express experts.

 

You've got a point. I was able to delete the offending e-mail with my laptop and it hasn't happened again nor have I gotten anymore mail like that. I've been meaning to ask the internet person but she has not been in there when I have checked. I get off the ship tommorow.

[smeyer418]

Good for you!!! All'a well that ends well at least in cyber space.

[donna5]

It could have been a Java Script or Active X program in the web pages/e-mail that you were using that caused that. They have to stop certain programs that may cause problems with their system.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Oh no, Brian and I are in complete agreement on this topic, what is the world coming to?!!!!

 

Same here, cjskids. Now if we can stop cell phones service during the cruise....;)

[Laurab23]

So,will I be able to use yahoo to send and recieve email? I don't have a laptop I can bring and I need to stay in touch with my mother who is dogsitting for the first time. I want to be able to answer any questions she might have. I never had a problem on Carnival so will I be alright on Princess?

 

Laura

[jajohnson]

Just had to add my 2 cents worth....warning.....it may contain objectionable content and may not be suitable for all viewers (just had to add that).....

 

I remember when a vacation was an opportunity to get away from the day to day distractions, pressures, and aggravations. A vacation was a time for relaxation....a time to recharge the batteries (so to speak). It amazes me the number of people that just insist on taking that day to day hassle with them on vacation, whether by reading emails or using their cell phone. Most seem to use the rationalization that they just have to keep in touch because the event is so important (also read they are so important) and the issue is absolutlely earth shattering (like answering questions about the dog). Let's be honest, if you were to drop dead right now, you would be missed at work as long as it took to give your assignment to someone else (probably in India). Think how long it takes for the sea to fill in the hole created by someone taking a bucket of water. In your personal life it would probably take a little longer for everyone to recover, but life would move on without you. I wish everyone well, and do not consider this to be a flame at anyone in particular, just my personal opinion, and one from someone who has survived three stress related heart attacks. See....and you thought reformed smokers were bad (big but very serious grin).

[TEXASMUNK]

Censorship: Cannot be applied to any entity EXCEPT a government.

 

Any individual or organization can CHOOSE what will be permitted...remember who "owns" the equipment..they get to set the rules. You, as an individual, can choose to use (rent) their equipment, but it comes with the proviso that you will live with their "rules"

 

A government censors.

 

Doubt me? Wanna argue? Go check a dictionary. The derivation is from Roman times when a government official would review and delete forbidden information.

[smeyer418]

You can call an apple an orange and its still an apple. I think when someone deliberately filters something, the common useage of the word censorship applies no matter what the dictionary says. You believe everything you read?

This dictionary doesn't use the term government censorship and clearly the fourth one is not a governmental term

cen·sor·ship [ sénssər shìp ]

noun

Definition:

1. suppression of published or broadcast material: the suppression of all or part of a play, movie, letter, or publication considered offensive or a threat to security

2. suppression of something objectionable: the suppression or attempted suppression of something regarded as objectionable

3. ancient Roman office: the office, authority, or term of an ancient Roman censor

4. psychiatry suppression of memories: the suppression of potentially harmful memories, ideas, or desires from the conscious mind

[Pam in CA]

jajohnson -- you are right in that no one is indispensible. And if a boss requires you to be in communication daily while on vacation, perhaps you should consider a job change.

 

However, many people have their own businesses that are internet-related that no one else can manage while they are gone. There are many one- or two-person companies out there. There are also people who have very elderly parents or sick kids left behind. Many cruises are longer than 7 days so when considering needing or wanting to stay in touch, a 14- or 21-day cruise is a long time to be unavailable in today's world.

 

If you absolutely, positively have to be in touch with the office or home, then perhaps a cruise isn't for you. Even using your own laptop, you're still dependent on satellite communication and if you're in the middle of the Pacific, that just might not be possible for a day or longer so you should take that into consideration.

 

Just over a year ago, I was on a 21-day cruise that went from Manaus to Rome. When I boarded, my parents were very elderly but in good health. I learned after about 14 days that my Dad had a very aggressive inoperable esophageal cancer so I was able to be in touch with my Mom, give her emotional support and make arrangements to see them as soon as I could. He passed away two weeks after I got home so I'm thankful that I could be in communication and that my Mom knew I loved her.

[sbcs5390]

Just to clear things up-

 

Princess can filter their systems, since they are their property. I think they ought to simply filter by site name, rather than keywords - this would keep more people happy while protecting people from sites they shouldn't visit.

 

Someone mentioned attachments working. The generally accepted thought is that Princess blocks attachments. What most ships do is they do not allow programs besides the web application to run. So if you had a Word attachment, you would not be able to open it. If someone sent you an image attachment, you would probably still be able to open it, since the web browser could read it.

 

What I think is happenign here in this case is that Princess is not in fact blocking his whole email based on one offensive email. The filtering system will not refuse to load an index page (his email listing) because one link (one message) contains a bad term. The system decides whether to load or not based on the content of the individual page being requested. What probably happened is that the offensive email had a "bad word" in the subject line. If the OP's email listing had filled up to the point that the offensive email were on the 2nd page of emails, it would have allowed him access to the main page, but denied his access to his second page of emails.

 

I hope this clears things up and reassures some folks.

 

Brian

[smeyer418]

Just to clear things up-

 

Princess can filter their systems, since they are their property. I think they ought to simply filter by site name, rather than keywords - this would keep more people happy while protecting people from sites they shouldn't visit.

 

Brian

 

Boy you are so right. The people sending the spam are so unsophisticated that they don't constantly change the site names.

[Chip AZ]

That makes sense, that's what happened. The word what ever it was, was in the title denying access to the whole page. I never did track down the computer girl since the cruise was over. But this answers that question. So bring your laptop folks if e-mail is important.

 

Oh, when I use my cell on cruises. I always lock myself in my cabin. Draw the curtains and dial in shame. So that no one will know.

[TEXASMUNK]

You can dig into the deepest esoteric meanings of a word, but the source of the word is still a government choosing what we can see, or say or recieve.

 

Individuals, companies, entities, etc can make choices that is NOT censorship.

 

Governments censor, people choose.

 

Not an argument, just a clarification...

[KFL]

Chip, you will get better reception on your balcony or shore!!!!:) :)

[smeyer418]

You can dig into the deepest esoteric meanings of a word, but the source of the word is still a government choosing what we can see, or say or recieve.

 

Individuals, companies, entities, etc can make choices that is NOT censorship.

 

Governments censor, people choose.

 

Not an argument, just a clarification...

 

When the Romans established the office, there were no things like a company. Companies are of relatively recent timing(a couple of hundred years). And multinational companies were even less on people minds. Companies now perform quasi governmental task(i.e. security, fire protection etc) and the word has migrated its meaning over the years. So that any prevention of looking at something is considered a censorship as opposed to government censorship. The "censors" which originally told people what could or not be on TV, Radio or Movies were NOT governmental censors but a private organization set up to self police the medium.The dictionary doesn't agree with you. The people who have read this original post understood the OP's meaning of the word, and just like spelling, word useage is something that most people don't comment and finally isn't this a terrible waste of a meaningless distinction that you raise, that most of us could care less about. Not an argument pure fact.