Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Remote Boss Button

Incoming Boss Alert
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Why does "not safe for work" only mean "mature" or pornographic? One would think that surfing work-unrelated sites in general would be frowned upon, playing games, chatting online, doodling in MS Paint, updating your blog, all of those would be considered unsafe to pursue at your workplace, if not downright hazardous to your employement. Yet teh NSFW acronym usually indicates mature content.

That being said, there are many things, including but not limited to porn, that people will do on their computers that they shouldn't be doing at the moment (like browsing the Halfbakery), on a constant lookout for random inspections by bosses, parents, teachers, whoever. The common practice is jumping nervously and slamming the Boss Button, Alt+Tab or even Alt+F4, or the equivalent combination for other operating systems, to switch to something inconspicuous. Advanced users have an external key, button, lever, pedal, connected the PC, programmed to minimise or hide what they were doing. But all of those rely on the reflexes of the user, their constant vigilance, and their ability to hear anyone sneaking down the hall and reaching for the door handle.

The Remote Alt-Tab is a laser tripwire that connects to the PC via Bluetooth, and closes or minimizes any application from the "risky" list that's currently running, when someone approaches the door to your room/office, or breaches a perimeter you set up.

The laser, sensor and the little mirrors that create the laser tripwire grid could be camouflaged to avoid suspicion. Maybe disguised as flowerpots, pictures or tiny plastic flies. Or maybe not. If anyone asks you could say it's to stop people from stealing your pencils.

I am not encouraging procrastination, wasting company time and resources, or NSFW content, in any way or form. This idea is presented as-is, and should not be taken as a suggestion of any kind.

Veho, May 09 2009

Fastest Draw In he Office Fastest_20Draw_20In_20The_20Office
[theircompetitor, May 09 2009]

[link]






       Nice idea. Although, rather than a laser trip wire, how about a PIR sensor. Many offices have these all over the place, sometimes for security systems, sometimes for saving energy (switching off lights in unused rooms) so another one will not attract any attention.
skegger, May 09 2009
  

       [+]   

       just cowboy up and do your procrastination...if you still get your work done, your boss probably won't care too much.
sninctown, May 10 2009
  

       Back when I needed a boss button, I used AutoHotkey to set Caps Lock to minimize the frontmost window, if it was Chrome. Otherwise it would serve as a left-side Enter key. That worked fine and was inconspicuous, though it did //rely on the reflexes of the user, their constant vigilance, and their ability to hear anyone sneaking down the hall and reaching for the door handle//.   

       I haven't worked in an office in years, but the other day I thought of a device for cubicle workers consisting of a PIR sensor facing behind the owner (I guess with a mask to avoid accidental activation by the owner) and an LED, to indicate that someone was coming from behind. By then it would probably be too late to inconspicuously hide what you're doing, but at least it keeps you from being startled by someone walking up behind you.
notexactly, Apr 09 2019
  
      
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