During the late 1980s, I worked as a technical writer for a firm under contract to the Bonneville Power Administration (residential weatherization project for energy saving). Twenty-four people in the office, all equipped with company-supplied computers. This was somewhat before the internet, and none of the computers were hooked up or networked.

Some people would load computer games on their (really the company's) computers and spent time screwing around when not being carefully watched. So—

A firm edict was issued from the office manager that "Das ist verboten," as in "Thou shalt NOT!"

Diagram:   A = grindstone. B = nose. Apply B to A and get crackin'! That's what your being paid for!

Sounds to me like a similar situation.

Incidentally, the Bonneville Power Administration is under the Department of Energy, which is a government bureau. And this occurred during the Reagan administration.

Draw your own conclusions (he said, ominously)!

Don Firth