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From: Webb, KerryA
Date: Tue, Feb 15 2011 5:09PM
Subject: Disclaimer instead of a Read-only Word document
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One of my colleagues has received a request to post a Word document on their site as "Read only", presumably to ensure that it can't be copied and changed. As an alternative, they're suggesting putting a disclaimer on the document.

I'm a little bit baffled by this. I can't see how having a Read-only document would prevent copying and alteration, and I'm not sure how you could word a disclaimer to prevent copying.

Anyone come across this sort of thing?

Thanks

Kerry

--
Kerry Webb
Manager
Policy Office | InTACT
Shared Services | ACT Government

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From: Bevi Chagnon | PubCom
Date: Tue, Feb 15 2011 10:21PM
Subject: Re: Disclaimer instead of a Read-only Word document
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Well, you can make a PDF file read-only and prevent copying the content
through Acrobat's security settings.
(Of course, you'd make an accessible PDF, right?)

One caution about posting live Word documents on an external website:
I was just reminded today by a government client that a link to a Word
document was flagged by their browser as unsecure content and would not
render the document. Essentially, it was a security error for the user.

Most government agencies and many businesses prevent native Word,
PowerPoint, or Excel files from opening in the browser as a security
measure, so you might lose a substantial portion of your users and never
know it. And then there's the .doc older file format vs. .docx newer Word
file format to contend with.

Regardless of how you secure a document, someone with enough time and skills
can - and will - hack it.

So why not just use a standard copyright notice? Example: C 2011 ABC
Company, protects the content. And you can always embellish the notice with
more legalese if you think that will intimidate thieves.

- Bevi Chagnon

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