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WEBTV INSIDER INFO



THE BACKDOOR PROJECT

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~ WTV INSIDER INDEX ~

Backdoor Update Page

The Back Door Crossfunctional update page

 

Complete history of the project

It began:

From: Edward Rodriguez [mailto:erod@corp.webtv.net]
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 7:50 AM

Ladies and Gentlemen,

When I got in this morning at 5:30am, I found the back door wide open to a dark building. It's pretty nerve racking to walk in a place of business like that and not know if someone is inside or not. Luckily I didn't see anyone out of the ordinary except for an emailer under a lump of sleeping bags.

Could we please make sure the doors are closed when we leave that way we know if it's the janitors or not at night? Or better yet can we just make it that all doors must be shut at all times?

Ed a.k.a "WACO"
Connections Team
"Kick Ass, Take Names, RAH!!"

 

Ryan replies:

Ryan Dadasovich [ryan@corp.webtv.net]

Eeek a mouse!

 

Rafael tries to keep it on course:

Rafael Santos [rsantos@corp.webtv.net]

Since this seems to be a recurring event, we should make it a rule to keep the back door closed at all times.

RS

 

Aimee adds her input:

Aimee Baker [genie@corp.webtv.net]

I agree that it is a reoccurring event but I thought we figured out that it was the janitors that are leaving the door open. And please remember that we have to open that door all the time for people who don't have or forgot their badges.

Just my 2 cents.

Aimee

 

Ryan's soon to be famous Castellan comment:

From: ryan@corp.webtv.net
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 11:46 AM
 

If you go outside and forget your key, knock *real* hard...or you may want to go upstairs, down the hall, and back down the stairs to enter through the front door (which is usually open) because Previews refuses to be the Castellan from this day forward.

 

Dara pips up with exclamation points:

Dara Schoenwald [daras@corp.webtv.net]

we don't have to the keep the door open for people who forget their badges- that defeats the whole purpose of having them!

eveyone will just have to start remembering- and if they forget- they'll have to knock until someone feels like letting them in!

 

Mike officially announces the Team

Michael Robotham [robotham@corp.webtv.net]

I will be forming the Back Door Cross-Functional Team to address all issues. We plan to hold bi-weekly meetings for the next three months until we get this issue resolved. Please escalate all issues to the new Backdoor alias.

-mike

 

Kieca proposes a process:

From: Kieca Mahoney [mailto:kieca@corp.webtv.net]
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 12:40 PM
To: robotham@corp.webtv.net
Subject: RE: Back Door

Could I see the agenda item list for this meeting? Since it affects my group we will be sure to make a Back Door Master problem and start tracking it. I can also take it to the Top Ten meeting and make sure  Bruce gets on  that. We may be able to have SOC automate the back door function through Remedy and then it will automatically shut itself. Let me know.

-kieca

 

More from Mike with Kieca's keen insights:

Michael Robotham [robotham@corp.webtv.net]

Kieca brings up some very crucial procedural points. It is absolutely vital that we follow process for this hot topic. Therefore I will be submitting the rough draft of the 137 page Backdoor spec. Any comments on the features and supportability of keeping the backdoor open or closed should be directed to the backdoor alias so that we can roll this into the spec. I have every confidence that we can resolve this crisis efficiently and effectively.

thanks,

mike

 

Josh blows all away with an instant solution:

Josh Allen [allen@corp.webtv.net]

Hi all,

Is there any way we could seal the back door shut with some kind of powerful adhesive, like maybe the stuff that was used to glue the drawer shut in the copy room? Then maybe we could create a kind of giant vacuum tube that would suck employees up and over the building to the front door. I've talked to Terry Leary about this and he seems to think it could be feasible.

Joshua Allen

WebTV Networks, Inc.

 

Chris displays his concern:

Christopher Braun [cbraun@corp.webtv.net]

Counseling *will not* be available for individuals traumatized by walking to the front door. The back door must remain closed at all times/Terry Leary

chris

 

Ryan seconds the Josh plan:

Ryan Dadasovich [ryan@corp.webtv.net]

Josh's idea is brilliant.

I will be working with "Eagle Pnuematic" and Terry Leary to create a specially designed tube for this building.

http://eagle-pneumatic.com/

Established in 1979, Eagle Pneumatic, Inc. manufactures pneumatic tube systems designed for industrial, retail and commercial applications. We are a full range manufacturing plant that specializes in application engineering, ustom design and manufacturing with skilled installation and a Nationwide sales network. Our full product line includes pressure/pressure, pressure/vacuum and our micro processor controlled semi-automatic system.

Our system is used by warehouse, distribution centers, manufacturing plants and hospitals for transporting documentation, quality control samples, specimens and pharmaceutical products.

Wal-Mart Stores, Panasonic, Ford, John Deere are just a few of our many satisfied customers.

 

Mike adds an update:

Michael Robotham [robotham@corp.webtv.net]

Mari has just received back her RFP (request for proposal) and preliminary bids from Eagle Pnuematic have come in far lower than Ace Catapults so the Backdoor Cross Functional Team has set up a meeting with Eagle Pnuematic for an onsite inspection. This should not interrupt your daily workflow and construction signs will be posted until the surveying tools can be taken down.

 

 

Back Door Alias is announced:

Please send your thoughts and spec reviews to this new alias.....

Andy Gonia
WebTV Networks Inc.
Previews Department

 

Al VanDerSmoot tries to sell us on his implimentation of the Josh Plan:

Michael Richman [mrichman@corp.webtv.net]

To our new and valued customers,

Mike has been gracious enough to allow me to use his email for a moment. As onsite rep. for Eagle Pneumatic let me express the enthusiasm my co-workers and myself are feeling with the recent acceptance by Mari of our proposal.

We at Eagle have been creating vacuum powered employee conveyance systems for over 125 years. It's true. Our first systems, used during the gold rush, were actually hand/foot pumps and so were significantly slower than some of our more advanced devices now.

I will be on-site for the rest of the day fielding questions about possible effects our suction will have on hair, skin, and business clothing.

Yours,

Al VanDerSmoot
Eagle Pnuematic

 

wpe2.jpg (11231 bytes)

 

Aimee singlehandledly solves the issue :

Aimee Baker [genie@corp.webtv.net]

ok, now this is as bad as the "I shaved my head" emails that were going around. Someone has thrown away the door stop for the back door so the issue is done.

Thanks.

 

Mike isn't through yet:

Michael Robotham [robotham@corp.webtv.net]

This may not be the best time to announce this but, I will be forming the Doorstop Recovery Team shortly.

 

Emily adds her critical observation:

Emily Heenan [emily@corp.webtv.net]

Yes, but will it contain the new, critical 'backdoor' description field?

-----Original Message-----

From: Deborah Goldberg [mailto:goldberg@corp.webtv.net]
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 1998 1:21 PM
To: cs@corp.webtv.net
Subject: new description fields

FYI Today's training session will introduce the new description fields that will be put in place tonight. It is important that everyone attend.

 

Aaron DeYonker [aarond@corp.webtv.net]

Aaron adds an old-timers comment:

I'm shaving my head right now in protest of this back door thread.

 

Ray Hill [rayhill@corp.webtv.net]

Ray misses the point:

Can we please move this discussion to the newsgroup so that people who have important e-mail don't have to wade through all of this to find it?

news:artemis.customercare (or click it from the 'Other CS Pages' drop-down)

Thanks,

--ray

Bryan arranges tool support for the Backdoor Project

Bryan H. Bell [bbell@corp.webtv.net]

Hello!

Starting at 6am tomorrow, the two shortcuts to CMR Client on your desktop will once again give you different versions of CMR Client. 

- The "CMR Client (Production)" shortcut will launch CMR Client Etude
(version 1.2.24)-the current CMR Client.

- The "CMR Client (Beta)" shortcut will launch CMR Client Back Door (version
1.4.5)-the next CMR Client. 

The CMR Client Back Door release contains changes to support the planned Back Door functionality. Here is a summary of the most important changes:

- BACK DOOR button: The sidebar now includes the BACK DOOR button. When you click on it, you will be presented with the BACK DOOR window.

- BACK DOOR window: This window displays the fields necessary for Back Door support.

- KNOCK LEVEL field: This field displays a number representing how loudly the person seeking entry is knocking. One means they are missing the door with their hand. Five means they are bloodying their knuckles and perhaps
damaging the door.

- SHAVED HEAD? field: This field displays the current state of the person seeking entry to the 2593 Coast Building. If their head is shaved, the field will display a "Y." If not, it will display an "N." Agents should never
allow entry to persons without shaved heads unless first escalating the issue to their supervisor.

- PERMIT ENTRY button: Click on this button to allow the person to enter
without using the pneumatic entry system.

- USE PNEUMATIC ENTRY button: Click on this button to activate the pneumatic
entry system.

There is a known bug with the PNEUMATIC ENTRY button. It will not work with employees who have worked on the WebTV Back Door Powered By MCI Internet
program. We consider this bug to be a showstopper (we won't release to
Production or our MCI agents unless it is fixed). We expect to have it fixed in the next beta release.

Thanks!

Bryan H. Bell, Tools Planner

Jeff updates the situation:

Jeff Finkelstein [jefffin@corp.webtv.net]

In my best Spanglish I shared the notes from the back door discussion with
the Custodial Administrators and they are taking an active roll to ensure a cleanly release of CMR Client Back Door (version1.4.5). Al VanDer Smoot has been brought up to speed on these new developments and groundbreaking for the "vacuum powered employee conveyance systems" is still on schedule.
For all news as it happens please visit the Back Door Discussion group
alt.discuss.backdoor.

My name is Jeff and I too use the BackDoor,

Documentation and Training documents the entire incident.

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