diff options
| author | utvk <utvk@users.noreply.github.com> | 2016-05-11 22:44:14 +0200 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | utvk <utvk@users.noreply.github.com> | 2016-05-11 22:44:14 +0200 |
| commit | 9e8ef918110f966bdf88b421842c56786efb4a6c (patch) | |
| tree | 37459de5d1c38d7a1fc17cd16615e4e0bbaab35d | |
| parent | d72388b7a7cac8a84050ecb77caf98d4260a206b (diff) | |
| parent | d3a5a2c54b2222e570c23ef57d4957891730aa92 (diff) | |
Merge branch 'master' into norway2
23 files changed, 1058 insertions, 1077 deletions
diff --git a/assets/images/logo-opengraph.png b/assets/images/logo-opengraph.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4f495a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/assets/images/logo-opengraph.png diff --git a/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss b/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss index e187210..53bcd79 100644 --- a/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss +++ b/assets/stylesheets/responsive/custom.scss @@ -26,12 +26,12 @@ $font-family: "Source Sans Pro", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; //$font-family: "Arial", sans-serif; $form_input-bg: $color_white; -$button-bg: $action-color; +$button-bg: darken($color_green, 10%); $button-color: $color_white; -$status-success: $color_green; -$status-failure: $color_red; -$status-pending: $color_orange; +$status-success: darken($color_green, 18%); +$status-failure: darken($color_red, 10%); +$status-pending: darken($color_orange, 28%); $notice-color: $color_green; $error-color: $color_red; @@ -325,6 +325,10 @@ a.link_button_green_large { /* Logged and local options act like submenus */ #logged_in_bar{ + @include respond-min($main_menu-mobile_menu_cutoff) { + top: 0; + } + a { @extend %menu-item; background-color: transparent; @@ -337,7 +341,6 @@ a.link_button_green_large { } } #logged_in_links { - top: 2em; a { font-weight: normal; } @@ -426,7 +429,7 @@ a.link_button_green_large { z-index: 1000; border-radius: 3px; font-size: 1em; - width: 100%; + min-width: 100%; } } diff --git a/lib/alavetelitheme.rb b/lib/alavetelitheme.rb index c8611d5..c245617 100644 --- a/lib/alavetelitheme.rb +++ b/lib/alavetelitheme.rb @@ -3,15 +3,15 @@ theme_name.gsub!('-', '_') THEME_NAME = theme_name class ActionController::Base - # The following prepends the path of the current theme's views to - # the "filter_path" that Rails searches when deciding which - # template to use for a view. It does so by creating a method - # uniquely named for this theme. - path_function_name = "set_view_paths_for_#{THEME_NAME}" - before_filter path_function_name.to_sym - send :define_method, path_function_name do - self.prepend_view_path File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "views") - end + # The following prepends the path of the current theme's views to + # the "filter_path" that Rails searches when deciding which + # template to use for a view. It does so by creating a method + # uniquely named for this theme. + path_function_name = "set_view_paths_for_#{THEME_NAME}" + before_filter path_function_name.to_sym + send :define_method, path_function_name do + self.prepend_view_path File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "views") + end end # In order to have the theme lib/ folder ahead of the main app one, @@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ end for patch in ['controller_patches.rb', 'model_patches.rb', 'patch_mailer_paths.rb'] - require File.expand_path "../#{patch}", __FILE__ + require File.expand_path "../#{patch}", __FILE__ end # Note you should rename the file at "config/custom-routes.rb" to @@ -36,19 +36,19 @@ $alaveteli_route_extensions << 'custom-routes.rb' # Prepend the asset directories in this theme to the asset path: ['stylesheets', 'images', 'javascripts'].each do |asset_type| - theme_asset_path = File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), - '..', - 'assets', - asset_type) - Rails.application.config.assets.paths.unshift theme_asset_path + theme_asset_path = File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), + '..', + 'assets', + asset_type) + Rails.application.config.assets.paths.unshift theme_asset_path end # Tell FastGettext about the theme's translations: look in the theme's # locale-theme directory for a translation in the first place, and if # it isn't found, look in the Alaveteli locale directory next: repos = [ - FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('app', :path=>File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'locale-theme'), :type => :po), - FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('app', :path=>'locale', :type => :po) + FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('app', :path=>File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), '..', 'locale-theme'), :type => :po), + FastGettext::TranslationRepository.build('app', :path=>'locale', :type => :po) ] FastGettext.add_text_domain 'app', :type=>:chain, :chain=>repos FastGettext.default_text_domain = 'app' diff --git a/lib/config/custom-routes.rb b/lib/config/custom-routes.rb index 5aeb7c2..6d4cda4 100644 --- a/lib/config/custom-routes.rb +++ b/lib/config/custom-routes.rb @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@ # Here you can override or add to the pages in the core website Rails.application.routes.draw do - # brand new controller example - match '/mycontroller' => 'general#mycontroller' - # Additional help page example - match '/help/help_out' => 'help#help_out' + # brand new controller example + # match '/mycontroller' => 'general#mycontroller' + # Additional help page example + # match '/help/help_out' => 'help#help_out' end diff --git a/lib/controller_patches.rb b/lib/controller_patches.rb index 9959f86..5c48e70 100644 --- a/lib/controller_patches.rb +++ b/lib/controller_patches.rb @@ -5,14 +5,15 @@ # See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7072758/plugin-not-reloading-in-development-mode # Rails.configuration.to_prepare do - # Example adding an instance variable to the frontpage controller - GeneralController.class_eval do - def mycontroller - @say_something = "Greetings friend" - end - end - HelpController.class_eval do - def help_out - end - end + # Example adding an instance variable to the frontpage controller + # GeneralController.class_eval do + # def mycontroller + # @say_something = "Greetings friend" + # end + # end + # Example adding a new action to an existing controller + # HelpController.class_eval do + # def help_out + # end + # end end diff --git a/lib/customstates.rb b/lib/customstates.rb index c09eb8c..d801c92 100644 --- a/lib/customstates.rb +++ b/lib/customstates.rb @@ -1,50 +1,66 @@ -# See `doc/THEMES.md` for more explanation of this file -# This example adds a "transferred" state to requests. +# See `http://alaveteli.org/docs/customising/themes/#customising-the-request-states` +# for more explanation of this file module InfoRequestCustomStates - def self.included(base) - base.extend(ClassMethods) - end + def self.included(base) + base.extend(ClassMethods) + end + + # Work out what the situation of the request is. In addition to + # values of self.described_state, in base Alaveteli can return + # these (calculated) values: + # waiting_classification + # waiting_response_overdue + # waiting_response_very_overdue + def theme_calculate_status + # just fall back to the core calculation + return self.base_calculate_status + end + + # Mixin methods for InfoRequest + module ClassMethods - # Work out what the situation of the request is. In addition to - # values of self.described_state, in base Alaveteli can return - # these (calculated) values: - # waiting_classification - # waiting_response_overdue - # waiting_response_very_overdue - def theme_calculate_status - # just fall back to the core calculation - return self.base_calculate_status + # Return the name of a custom status. + # Example of how to add a custom status: + # def theme_display_status(status) + # if status == 'transferred' + # _("Transferred.") + # else + # raise _("unknown status ") + status + # end + # end + def theme_display_status(status) + raise _("unknown status ") + status end - # Mixin methods for InfoRequest - module ClassMethods - def theme_display_status(status) - if status == 'transferred' - _("Transferred.") - else - raise _("unknown status ") + status - end - end - - def theme_extra_states - return ['transferred'] - end + # Return the list of custom statuses added by the theme. + # Example of how to add a custom status: + # def theme_extra_states + # return ['transferred'] + # end + def theme_extra_states + return [] end + + end end module RequestControllerCustomStates - def theme_describe_state(info_request) - # called after the core describe_state code. It should - # end by raising an error if the status is unknown - if info_request.calculate_status == 'transferred' - flash[:notice] = _("Authority has transferred your request to a different public body.") - redirect_to request_url(@info_request) - else - raise "unknown calculate_status " + info_request.calculate_status - end - end + # `theme_describe_state` is called after the core describe_state code. + # It should end by raising an error if the status is unknown. + # Example of how to add a custom status: + # def theme_describe_state(info_request) + # if info_request.calculate_status == 'transferred' + # flash[:notice] = _("Authority has transferred your request to a different public body.") + # redirect_to request_url(@info_request) + # else + # raise "unknown calculate_status " + info_request.calculate_status + # end + # end + def theme_describe_state(info_request) + raise "unknown calculate_status " + info_request.calculate_status + end end diff --git a/lib/model_patches.rb b/lib/model_patches.rb index 8abd4e8..7f3b4de 100644 --- a/lib/model_patches.rb +++ b/lib/model_patches.rb @@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ # See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7072758/plugin-not-reloading-in-development-mode # Rails.configuration.to_prepare do - OutgoingMessage.class_eval do - # Add intro paragraph to new request template - def default_letter - return nil if self.message_type == 'followup' - #"If you uncomment this line, this text will appear as default text in every message" - end - end + + # Example of adding a default text to each message + # OutgoingMessage.class_eval do + # # Add intro paragraph to new request template + # def default_letter + # return nil if self.message_type == 'followup' + # "If you uncomment this line, this text will appear as default text in every message" + # end + # end end diff --git a/lib/patch_mailer_paths.rb b/lib/patch_mailer_paths.rb index 7a524fa..99da10a 100644 --- a/lib/patch_mailer_paths.rb +++ b/lib/patch_mailer_paths.rb @@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ # See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7072758/plugin-not-reloading-in-development-mode # Rails.configuration.to_prepare do - # Override mailer templates with theme ones. Note doing this in a before_filter, - # as we do with the controller paths, doesn't seem to have any effect when - # running in production - ActionMailer::Base.prepend_view_path File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "views") + # Override mailer templates with theme ones. Note doing this in a before_filter, + # as we do with the controller paths, doesn't seem to have any effect when + # running in production + ActionMailer::Base.prepend_view_path File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), "views") end diff --git a/lib/views/general/mycontroller.html.erb b/lib/views/general/mycontroller.html.erb deleted file mode 100644 index ad642d3..0000000 --- a/lib/views/general/mycontroller.html.erb +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7 +0,0 @@ -<% @title = "My new controller" %> - -<h1>My new controller</h1> - -<p>This is a view of a controller that does almost nothing, except output the words <code><%= @say_something %></code></p> - - diff --git a/lib/views/help/_sidebar.html.erb b/lib/views/help/_sidebar.html.erb index 958fd78..e92ea43 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/_sidebar.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/_sidebar.html.erb @@ -1,21 +1,18 @@ -<div id="right_column_flip"> - <h2>Help pages</h2> - <ul class="no_bullets"> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Introduction", help_about_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Making requests", help_requesting_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Your privacy", help_privacy_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "FOI officers", help_officers_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "About the software", help_alaveteli_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Credits", help_credits_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Programmers API", help_api_path %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Help us", help_general_path(:action => 'help_out') %></li> - <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Advanced search", advanced_search_path %></li> - </ul> - - <h2 id="contact">Contact us</h2> - <p>If your question isn't answered here, or you just wanted to let us know - something about the site, <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a>. - </p> -</div> - +<div id="right_column_flip" class="right_column_flip"> +<h2>Help pages</h2> +<ul class="no_bullets"> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Introduction", help_about_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Making requests", help_requesting_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Your privacy", help_privacy_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "FOI officers", help_officers_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "About the software", help_alaveteli_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Credits", help_credits_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Programmers API", help_api_path %></li> + <li><%= link_to_unless_current "Advanced search", advanced_search_path %></li> +</ul> +<h2 id="contact" class="contact">Contact us</h2> +<p>If your question isn't answered here, or you just wanted to let us know + something about the site, <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a>. +</p> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/_why_they_should_reply_by_email.html.erb b/lib/views/help/_why_they_should_reply_by_email.html.erb index faaa2b2..1dfdcae 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/_why_they_should_reply_by_email.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/_why_they_should_reply_by_email.html.erb @@ -1,3 +1,3 @@ -The law, the Ministry of Justice and the Information Commissioner all say that an email is sufficient (<a href="<%= help_page_url %>#full_address">more details</a>). +The laws says that an email is sufficient (<a href="<%= help_page_url(:anchor => 'full_address') %>">more details</a>). At the bottom of this page, write a reply to the authority explaining this to them. diff --git a/lib/views/help/about.html.erb b/lib/views/help/about.html.erb index a2b5ef2..36120f1 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/about.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/about.html.erb @@ -2,8 +2,51 @@ <%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> - <h1 id="introduction">Introduction to <%= site_name %> <a href="#introduction">#</a> </h1> <p>This is a custom "about" page</p> -</div> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> + <h1 id="introduction">Introduction to <%= site_name %> <a href="#introduction">#</a></h1> + <dl> + <dt id="purpose">What is <%= site_name %> for? <a href="#purpose">#</a> </dt> + <dd>To help you find out inside information about what the government + is doing. + </dd> + <dt id="premise">How does the site work? <a href="#premise">#</a> </dt> + <dd>You choose the public authority that you would like information from, then + write a brief note describing what you want to know. We then send your request + to the public authority. Any response they make is automatically published on the + website for you and anyone else to find and read. + </dd> + + <dt id="whybother_me">Why would I bother to do this? <a href="#whybother_me">#</a> </dt> + <dd>You pay taxes, and then government does things with the money. All sorts of + things that affect your life, from healthcare through to national defence. Some + it does badly, some it does well. The more we find out about how government + works, the better able we are to make suggestions to improve the things that + are done badly, and to celebrate the things that are done well. + </dd> + + <dt id="whybother_them">Why would the public authority bother to reply? <a href="#whybother_them">#</a> </dt> + <dd>Under Freedom of Information (FOI) law, they have to respond. The response + will either contain the information you want, or give a valid legal reason why + it must be kept confidential. + </dd> + + <dt id="who">Who makes <%= site_name %> ? <a href="#who">#</a> </dt> + <dd><%= site_name %> runs on <a href="http://alaveteli.org">Alaveteli</a>, which was created and run by <a href="http://www.mysociety.org">mySociety</a>, + and was initially <a href="http://www.mysociety.org/2006/12/06/funding-for-freedom-of-information/">funded by the JRSST Charitable Trust</a>. mySociety is a project of the + registered charity <a href="http://www.ukcod.org.uk/UK_Citizens_Online_Democracy">UK Citizens Online Democracy</a>. + If you like what we're doing, then you can + <a href="https://secure.mysociety.org/donate/">make a donation</a>. + </dd> + + <dt id="updates">How can I keep up with news about <%= site_name %>?<a href="#updates">#</a> </dt> + <dd>We have a <a href="<%= blog_path %>">blog</a><% if !MySociety::Config.get('TWITTER_USERNAME', '').empty? %> and a <a href=https://twitter.com/<%= MySociety::Config.get('TWITTER_USERNAME', '') %>>twitter feed</a><% end %>. + </dd> + + </dl> + + <p><strong>Next</strong>, read about <a href="<%= help_requesting_path %>">making requests</a> --></p> + + <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/alaveteli.html.erb b/lib/views/help/alaveteli.html.erb new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ebf659e --- /dev/null +++ b/lib/views/help/alaveteli.html.erb @@ -0,0 +1,30 @@ +<% @title = "Making requests" %> + +<%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> + <% if params[:country_name] %> + <h1><%= _("Would you like to see a website like this in your country?") %></h1> + <% else %> + <h1>Powered by Alaveteli</h1> + <% end %> + <p>This website is powered by Alaveteli. Alaveteli is free software + for making Freedom of Information requests. It can easily be + translated into any language, and customised for variations of FOI + law.</p> + + <p>The development of Alaveteli is sponsored and supported by a + number of foundations and charities who are interested in + transparency across the world.</p> + + <p>If you would like to set up an Alaveteli website in your own + country, we can help. You will need a few days to get the site + configured and ready to use, and will then have to spend at least an + hour a week moderating and managing the site (more for busy + websites).</p> + + <p>Read more on the <a href="http://alaveteli.org">Alaveteli + website</a>, or <a href="mailto:hello@alaveteli.org">drop us an + email</a>.</p> + + <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/api.html.erb b/lib/views/help/api.html.erb index c6488f9..930d918 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/api.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/api.html.erb @@ -2,88 +2,89 @@ <%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> <h1><%=@title %></h1> <dl> <dt>Introduction</dt> <dd> <p>This page explains how programmers can make other websites and software - interact with WhatDoTheyKnow via an "API". + interact with <%= site_name %> via an "API". </p> - <p>WhatDoTheyKnow does not have a full API yet, but we are gradually adding - lots of things that are similar in use to an API as they are requested. + <p> <%= site_name %> does not have a full API yet, but we are gradually adding + lots of things that are similar in use to an API as they are requested. </p> </dd> <dt>Linking to new requests</dt> <dd> <p>To encourage your users to make links to a particular public authority, use URLs of the form - <%= link_to new_request_to_body_path(:url_name => "liverpool_city_council") , new_request_to_body_path(:url_name => "liverpool_city_council") %>. - These are the parameters you can add to those URLs, either in the URL or from a form. - - <ul> + <%= link_to new_request_to_body_path(:url_name => "liverpool_city_council") , new_request_to_body_path(:url_name => "liverpool_city_council") %>. + These are the parameters you can add to those URLs, either in the URL or from a form. + </p> + <ul> <li> <strong>title</strong> - default summary of the new request.</li> <li> <strong>default_letter</strong> - default text of the body of the letter. The salutation (Dear...) and signoff (Yours...) are wrapped round this. </li> <li> <strong>body</strong> - as an alternative to default_letter, this sets the default entire text of the request, so you can customise the salutation and signoff. </li> <li> <strong>tags</strong> - space separated list of tags, so you can find and link up any requests made later, e.g. <em>openlylocal spending_id:12345</em>. The : indicates it is a machine tag. The values of machine tags may also include colons, useful for URIs. - </ul> + </ul> </dd> <dt>RSS (actually, Atom) feeds</dt> <dd> <p>There are Atom feeds on most pages which list FOI requests, which you can - use to get updates and links in XML format. Find the URL of the Atom feed in - one of these ways: - <ul> + use to get updates and links in XML format. Find the URL of the Atom feed in + one of these ways: + </p> + <ul> <li>Look for the <%= image_tag "feed-16.png", :alt => "RSS icon" %> RSS feed links.</li> <li>Examine the <code><link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml"></code> tag in the head of the HTML. </li> <li>Add <code>/feed</code> to the start of another URL. - </ul> + </ul> - <p>In particular, even complicated search queries have Atom feeds. - You can do all sorts of things with them, such as query by authority, by file - type, by date range, or by status. See the <a href="<%= advanced_search_path %>">advanced search - tips</a> for details. + <p>In particular, even complicated search queries have Atom feeds. + You can do all sorts of things with them, such as query by authority, by file + type, by date range, or by status. See the <a href="<%= advanced_search_path %>">advanced search + tips</a> for details. + </p> </dd> <dt>JSON structured data</dt> <dd> <p>Quite a few pages have JSON versions, which let you download information about - objects in a structured form. Find them by: + objects in a structured form. Find them by: </p> <ul> - <li>Adding <code>.json</code> to the end of the URL. </li> - <li>Look for the <code><link rel="alternate" type="application/json"></code> tag in the head of the HTML. </li> + <li>Adding <code>.json</code> to the end of the URL. </li> + <li>Look for the <code><link rel="alternate" type="application/json"></code> tag in the head of the HTML. </li> </ul> <p>Requests, users and authorities all have JSON versions containing basic - information about them. Every Atom feed has a JSON equivalent, containing - information about the list of events in the feed. + information about them. Every Atom feed has a JSON equivalent, containing + information about the list of events in the feed. </p> </dd> <dt>Spreadsheet of all authorities</dt> <dd> <p> - A spreadsheet file listing every body in WhatDoTheyKnow is available: - <%= link_to "all-authorities.csv", all_public_bodies_csv_path %> + A spreadsheet file listing every body in <%= site_name %> is available: + <%= link_to "all-authorities.csv", all_public_bodies_csv_path %> </p> </dd> - <dt> 5. Write API </dt> - <dd> + <dt> 5. Write API </dt> + <dd> <p> - The write API is designed to be used by authorities to create their own requests in the system. The API is currently used by mySociety's <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/foi-register">FOI Register software</a> to support using Alaveteli as a disclosure log for all FOI activity at a particular public body. More technical information about the write API is available on the <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/wiki/API#write-api">Alaveteli wiki</a>. + The write API is designed to be used by authorities to create their own requests in the system. The API is currently used by mySociety's <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/foi-register">FOI Register software</a> to support using Alaveteli as a disclosure log for all FOI activity at a particular public body. More technical information about the write API is available on the <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/wiki/API#write-api">Alaveteli wiki</a>. </p> - </dd> -</dl> + </dd> + </dl> <p>Please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a> if you need an API feature that isn't there yet. It's - very much a work in progress, and we do add things when people ask us to.</p> + very much a work in progress, and we do add things when people ask us to.</p> <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> </div> - diff --git a/lib/views/help/contact.html.erb b/lib/views/help/contact.html.erb index d228aa3..21e5349 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/contact.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/contact.html.erb @@ -4,99 +4,97 @@ <h1><%= @title %></h1> -<div id="contact_preamble"> - - <% if !flash[:notice] %> - <h2>Contact an authority to get official information</h2> - <ul> - <li><a href="<%= new_request_path %>">Go here</a> to make a request, in public, for information - from public authorities.</li> - - <li> - Asking for private information about yourself? - Please read our - <a href="<%= help_requesting_path(:anchor => 'data_protection') %>">help page</a>. - </li> - </ul> - - <% end %> - - <h2>Contact the <%= site_name %> team</h2> - <% if !flash[:notice] %> - <ul> - <li> - Please read the <a href="<%= help_about_path %>">help page</a> first, as it may - answer your question quicker. - </li> - - <li>We'd love to hear how you've found using this site. - Either fill in this form, or send an email to <a - href="mailto:<%=@contact_email%>"><%=@contact_email%></a> - </li> - - <li>We are a <strong>charity</strong> and not part of the - Government.</li> - </ul> - <% end %> +<div id="contact_preamble" class="contact_preamble"> + + <% if !flash[:notice] %> + <h2>Contact an authority to get official information</h2> + <ul> + <li><a href="<%= new_request_path %>">Go here</a> to make a request, in public, for information + from public authorities.</li> + + <li> + Asking for private information about yourself? + Please read our + <a href="<%= help_requesting_path(:anchor => 'data_protection') %>">help page</a>. + </li> + </ul> + + <% end %> + + <h2>Contact the <%= site_name %> team</h2> + <% if !flash[:notice] %> + <ul> + <li> + Please read the <a href="<%= help_about_path %>">help page</a> first, as it may + answer your question quicker. + </li> + + <li>We'd love to hear how you've found using this site. + Either fill in this form, or send an email to <a + href="mailto:<%=@contact_email%>"><%=@contact_email%></a> + </li> + + <li>We are a <strong>charity</strong> and not part of the + Government.</li> + </ul> + <% end %> </div> <%= form_for :contact do |f| %> - <% if not @user %> - <p> - <label class="form_label" for="contact_name">Your name:</label> - <%= f.text_field :name, :size => 20 %> - (or <%= link_to "sign in", signin_path(:r => request.fullpath) %>) - </p> - - <p> - <label class="form_label" for="contact_email">Your email:</label> - <%= f.text_field :email, :size => 20 %> - </p> - <% end %> - + <% if not @user %> <p> - <label class="form_label" for="contact_subject">Subject:</label> - <%= f.text_field :subject, :size => 50 %> + <label class="form_label" for="contact_name">Your name:</label> + <%= f.text_field :name, :size => 20 %> + (or <%= link_to "sign in", signin_path(:r => request.fullpath) %>) </p> <p> - <label class="form_label" for="contact_message">Message to website:</label> - <%= f.text_area :message, :rows => 10, :cols => 60 %> + <label class="form_label" for="contact_email">Your email:</label> + <%= f.text_field :email, :size => 20 %> </p> + <% end %> + + <p> + <label class="form_label" for="contact_subject">Subject:</label> + <%= f.text_field :subject, :size => 50 %> + </p> + + <p> + <label class="form_label" for="contact_message">Message to website:</label> + <%= f.text_area :message, :rows => 10, :cols => 60 %> + </p> + + <p style="display:none;"> + <%= f.label :comment, 'Do not fill in this field' %> + <%= f.text_field :comment %> + </p> - <p style="display:none;"> - <%= f.label :comment, 'Do not fill in this field' %> - <%= f.text_field :comment %> + <% if !@last_request.nil? %> + <p> + <label class="form_label" for="contact_message">Include link to request:</label> + <%=request_link(@last_request) %> + <%= submit_tag "remove", :name => 'remove' %> + </p> + <% end %> + <% if !@last_body.nil? %> + <p> + <label class="form_label" for="contact_message">Include link to authority:</label> + <%=public_body_link(@last_body) %> + <%= submit_tag "remove", :name => 'remove' %> </p> + <% end %> - <% if !@last_request.nil? %> - <p> - <label class="form_label" for="contact_message">Include link to request:</label> - <%=request_link(@last_request) %> - <%= submit_tag "remove", :name => 'remove' %> - </p> - <% end %> - <% if !@last_body.nil? %> - <p> - <label class="form_label" for="contact_message">Include link to authority:</label> - <%=public_body_link(@last_body) %> - <%= submit_tag "remove", :name => 'remove' %> - </p> - <% end %> - - <p class="form_note"> + <p class="form_note"> We can only help you with <strong>technical problems</strong>, or questions about Freedom of Information. - </P> + </p> - <div class="form_button"> - <%= hidden_field_tag(:submitted_contact_form, 1) %> - <%= submit_tag "Send message to the charity", :disable_with => "Sending..." %> - <-- we run this site, not the Government! - </div> + <div class="form_button"> + <%= hidden_field_tag(:submitted_contact_form, 1) %> + <%= submit_tag "Send message to the charity", :disable_with => "Sending..." %> + <-- we run this site, not the Government! + </div> <% end %> - - diff --git a/lib/views/help/credits.html.erb b/lib/views/help/credits.html.erb index bc493bc..dc034c3 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/credits.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/credits.html.erb @@ -1,92 +1,59 @@ -<% @title = "Credit where credit is due" %> +<% @title = "Credit where credit’s due" %> <%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> +<h1 id="credits"><%= @title %> <a href="#credits">#</a> </h1> -<h1 id="credits"><%= @title%> <a href="#credits">#</a> </h1> +<p>Alaveteli, the software that powers <%= site_name %>, is a project of <a href="https://www.mysociety.org">mySociety</a>, a UK organisation. mySociety builds websites that empower citizens to hold authorities to account. And this is one of those sites.</p> <dl> - -<dt id="thanks">Which people made <%= site_name %>? <a href="#thanks">#</a> </dt> -<dd>Oh, nearly everyone (and <a href="http://www.mysociety.org/helpus">maybe you too</a>)! -<ul> -<li> - <a href="http://www.yrtk.org">Heather Brooke</a> - (<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/29/houseofcommons.michaelmartin?gusrc=rss&feed=worldnews">vampy!</a>) has - been pushing the idea of a UK FOI archive for years now. -</li> -<li> - Both Phil Rodgers and <a href="http://www.flourish.org/blog/">Francis Irving</a> - entered it in a mySociety competition for ideas for public interest websites to build. -</li> -<li> - <a href="http://www.mysociety.org/2006/09/27/the-mysociety-call-for-proposals-the-winner-and-runners-up/">It won</a>, - and then Chris Lightfoot (<a href="http://mk.ucant.org/archives/000129.html">RIP :(</a>) - thought up the wheeze of intercepting email responses to requests and - automatically publishing them. -</li> -<li> - Tom Steinberg got the cash to pay for the site from - <a href="http://www.jrrt.org.uk/">a dead chocolate mogul</a> (<em>thank you!</em>) ... -</li> -<li> - ... so that Francis Irving, Angie Ahl, Tommy Martin, Louise Crow, Matthew Somerville - and Tom Steinberg could do the complex mixture of design and coding to build - what you see today. -</li> -<li> - Thanks particularly to Julian Todd (<a href="http://www.freesteel.co.uk/wpblog/">great blog!</a>), - Francis Davey, and Etienne Pollard for using the site early on and giving - feedback (and/or legal advice!), and also to all our other users and - testers. -</li> -<li> - The amazing team of volunteers who run the site, answer your support - emails, maintain the database of public authorities and - <a href="http://www.mysociety.org/2009/10/13/behind-whatdotheyknow/">so much more</a>. - Thanks to John Cross, Ben Harris, Adam McGreggor, Alex Skene, - Richard Taylor. -</li> -<li> - Volunteers who have provided patches to the code - thanks Peter Collingbourne - and Tony Bowden. -</li> -<li> - Everyone who has helped look up FOI email addresses. -</li> -<li> - We couldn't do any of this without those - <a href="http://www.ukcod.org.uk/UKCOD_Trustees">crazy people</a> who volunteer, - amongst many other things, to do the accounts and fill in our VAT return. -</li> -<li> - Finally, all the officers and servants who have answered the many requests - made through the site. Their diligence, patience and professionalism is - what has actually made the information that you see here. Thank them for - helping make Government more transparent. -</li> -</ul> -You're all stars. +<dt id="development">Development <a href="#development">#</a></dt> +<dd> + Hearty cheers to <a href="http://alaveteli.org/">Alaveteli</a>’s many <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/graphs/contributors">contributors</a>.</p> </dd> -<dt id="helpus">Can I help out? <a href="#helpus">#</a> </dt> +<dt id="helpus">How to help <a href="#helpus">#</a></dt> <dd> - <p>Yes please! We're built out of our supporters and volunteers.</p> - <ul> - <li>You can <a href="https://secure.mysociety.org/donate/">make a donation</a>. We're a registered charity.</li> - <li>Help people find successful requests, and monitor performance of authorities, by - <a href="/categorise/play">playing the categorisation game</a>. </li> - <li>Find out FOI email addresses of <a href="/help/requesting#missing_body">authorities that we're missing</a>.</li> - <li>Write a blog post about either <%= site_name %> or an interesting request that you've - found. Post about it on a forum that you frequent. Tell friends about it.</li> <li>If you're - a programmer, get the source code for our parent project, <a href="http://alaveteli.org">Alaveteli</a> - and tell us about patches we can pull. It's made in Ruby on Rails. - <li>Read more about <a href="http://www.mysociety.org/helpus/">volunteering with mySociety</a>. - </ul> + <dt id="volunteer">Become a volunteer <a href="#volunteer">#</a></dt> + <dd> + <p>If you have a passion for transparency, a great deal of patience, and a bit of spare time, consider becoming one of <%= site_name %>'s volunteer admin team. Work includes user support, helping to resolve legal issues, and shaping the site’s direction, and is primarily managed via email.</p> + <p>In the first instance, <%= link_to 'get in touch', help_contact_path %>.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="donate">Make a donation <a href="#donate">#</a></dt> + <dd> + <p>mySociety, Alaveteli's parent organisation, is a charity. WhatDoTheyKnow, our most-visited Alaveteli site, costs thousands of pounds each year, for overheads such as servers, maintenance and development.</p> + + <p>Your contributions, however small, really help. <a href="https://www.mysociety.org/donate/">Donate here</a>.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="classification">Sort things out <a href="#classification">#</a></dt> + <dd> + <p>Admin can be fun! Help people find successful requests, and monitor performance of authorities, by <a href="<%= categorise_play_path %>">playing the categorisation game</a>.</p> + + <p>Or be a dear, and find out FOI email addresses of <a href="<%= help_requesting_path(:anchor => 'missing_bodies') %>">authorities that we're missing</a>.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="promote">Spread the word <a href="#promote">#</a></dt> + <dd> + <p>We don’t have a massive marketing budget, so word of mouth really helps.</p> + <ul> + <li>Write a blog post about <%= site_name %>, or an interesting request that you've found.</li> + <li>Post about the site, and what you can do with it, on a forum that you frequent.</li> + <li>Tell friends about it.</li> + <li>Let your local newspaper or community magazine know how useful we are.</li> + <li>Give a talk.</li> + <li><%= mail_to 'hello@mysociety.org', 'Ask us for leaflets', :encode => "javascript" %> to leave in your local library or coffee shop.</li> + </ul> + </dd> </dd> + <dt id="code">Improve our code <a href="#code">#</a></dt> + <dd> + <p>Seen something that could work better? If you're a programmer, <a href="https://github.com/mysociety/alaveteli/">get the source code</a> for our parent project, <a href="http://alaveteli.org/">Alaveteli</a> and send us a pull request. <%= site_name %> is coded in <a href="http://rubyonrails.org/">Ruby on Rails</a>.</p> + </dd> +</dl> <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> - -</div> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/help_out.html.erb b/lib/views/help/help_out.html.erb deleted file mode 100644 index 6fadca4..0000000 --- a/lib/views/help/help_out.html.erb +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9 +0,0 @@ -<% @title = "Help out" %> - -<%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> - <h1>Help us!</h1> - - <p>This is a custom "help out" page, showing how you can add new pages to Alaveteli from within a theme.</p> -</div> - diff --git a/lib/views/help/officers.html.erb b/lib/views/help/officers.html.erb index 0a7d208..5a0418f 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/officers.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/officers.html.erb @@ -1,247 +1,196 @@ <% @title = "FOI officer questions" %> <%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> - -<h1 id="officers"><%= @title %> <a href="#officers">#</a> </h1> - -<dl> - -<dt id="top">I just got here from bottom of an FOI request, what is going on? <a href="#top">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><p><%= site_name %> is a service run by a charity. It helps ordinary members -of the public make FOI requests, and easily track and share the responses.</p> - -<p>The FOI request you received was made by someone using <%= site_name %>. You can -simply reply to the request as you would any other request from an individual. -The only difference is that your response will be automatically published on -the Internet. -</p> -<p>If you have privacy or other concerns, please read the answers below. -You might also like to read the <a -href="/help/about">introduction to <%= site_name %></a> to find out more about what -the site does from the point of view of a user. You can also search the -site to find the authority that you work for, and view the status of -any requests made using the site. - -<p>Finally, we welcome comments and -thoughts from FOI officers, please <a href="/help/contact">get in touch</a>. -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="responses">Why are you publishing responses to FOI requests? <a href="#responses">#</a> </dt> - -<dd>We think there are lots of benefits. Most importantly it will encourage the -public to be more interested and involved in the work of government. We -also hope that it will reduce the number of duplicate requests on any -subject that a public body will receive. Given that Freedom of Information -responses contain public information, which anybody could easily request -again from the public authority, we think there should be no reason not to -publish it widely. -</dd> - -<dt id="realpeople">Are the people making requests real people? <a href="#realpeople">#</a> </dt> - -<dd>Yes. For the purposes of keeping track of responses we use -computer-generated email addresses for each request. However, before -they can send a request, each user must register on the site with a -unique email address that we then verify. You can search this site and -find a page listing all requests that each person has made. -</dd> - -<dt id="email_only">An email isn't a sufficient address for an FOI request! <a href="#email_only">#</a> </dt> - -<dd>Yes it is. This -<a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1142/response/2894/attach/5/20080806100741260.pdf">letter from the ICO to Rother District Council</a> gives guidance on the matter, specifically -in the context of requests made via <%= site_name %>. -</dd> - -<dt id="vexatious">Aren't you making lots of vexatious requests? <a href="#vexatious">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><p><%= site_name %> is not making any requests. We are sending requests on -behalf of our users, who are real people making the requests. </p> -<p>Look at it like this - if lots of different people made requests from -different Hotmail email addresses, then you would not think that Microsoft were -making vexatious requests. It is exactly the same if lots of requests are made -via <%= site_name %>. Moreover, since all requests are public it is much easier -for you to see if one of our users is making vexatious requests. </p> -<p>If that isn't enough for you, the -<a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1142/response/2894/attach/5/20080806100741260.pdf">letter from the ICO to Rother District Council</a> gives some guidance on the matter.</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="spam_problems">I can see a request on <%= site_name %>, but we never got it by email!<a href="#spam_problems">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><p>If a request appears on the site, then we have attempted to send it to -the authority by email. Any delivery failure messages will automatically -appear on the site. You can check the address we're using with the "View FOI -email address" link which appears on the page for the authority. <a -href="/help/contact">Contact us</a> if there is a better address we can -use.</p> -<p>Requests are sometimes not delivered because they are quietly removed by -"spam filters" in the IT department of the authority. Authorities can make -sure this doesn't happen by asking their IT departments to "whitelist" -any email from <strong>@<%= AlaveteliConfiguration::incoming_email_domain %></strong>. -If you <a href="/help/contact">ask us</a> we will resend any request, -and/or give technical details of delivery so an IT department can chase -up what happened to the message. -</p> -<p>Finally, you can respond to any request from your web browser, without -needing any email, using the "respond to request" link at the bottom of -each request page. -</dd> - -<dt id="days">How do you calculate the deadline shown on request pages?<a href="#days">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>The Freedom of Information Act says:</p> - -<blockquote><p>A public authority must comply with section 1(1) <strong>promptly</strong> and -in any event not later than the twentieth working day following the date of -receipt.</p></blockquote> - -<p>The nerdy detail of exactly how weekends are counted, and what happens if -the request arrives out of office hours, is just that - detail. What matters -here is that the law says authorities must respond <strong>promptly</strong>.</p> - -<p>If you've got a good reason why the request is going to take a while to -process, requesters find it really helpful if you can send a quick email with a -sentence or two saying what is happening. </p> - -<p>FOI officers often have to do a lot of <strong>hard work</strong> to answer -requests, and this is hidden from the public. We think it would help everyone -to have more of that complexity visible.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="days2">But really, how do you calculate the deadline?<a href="#days2">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p>Please read the answer to the previous question first. Legally, authorities -must respond <strong>promptly</strong> to FOI requests. If they fail to do that, -it is best if they show the hard work they are doing by explaining what is -taking the extra time to do. -</p> - -<p>That said, <%= site_name %> does show the maximum legal deadline -for response on each request. Here's how we calculate it.</p> - -<ul> - -<li>If the day we deliver the request by email is a working day, we count that -as "day zero", even if it was delivered late in the evening. Days end at -midnight. We then count the next working day as "day one", and so on up to -<strong>20 working days</strong>.</li> - -<li>If the day the request email was delivered was a non-working day, we count -the next working day as "day one". Delivery is delivery, even if it happened on -the weekend. Some authorities <a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/policy_regarding_body_scans#incoming-1100">disagree with this</a>, our lawyer disagrees with them. </li> - -<li>Requesters are encouraged to mark when they have <strong>clarified</strong> -their request so the clock resets, but sometimes they get this wrong. If you -see a problem with a particular request, let us know and we'll fix it.</li> -</ul> - -<p>The date thus calculated is shown on requests with the text "By law, -Liverpool City Council should normally have responded by...". There is only -one case which is not normal, see the next question about -<a href="#public_interest_test">public interest test time extensions</a>. -</p> - -<p>Schools are also a special case, which <%= site_name %> displays differently. -</p> - -<ul> -<li>Since June 2009, <strong>schools</strong> have "20 working days -disregarding any working day which is not a school day, or 60 working days, -whichever is first" (<a href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2009/draft/ukdsi_9780111477632_en_1">FOI (Time for Compliance with Request) Regulations 2009</a>). <%= site_name %> indicates on requests to schools that the 20 day deadline is only -during term time, and shows them as definitely overdue after 60 working days -</li> -</ul> - -<p>If you're getting really nerdy about all this, read the <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/timeforcompliance.pdf">detailed ICO guidance</a>. -Meanwhile, remember that the law says authorities must respond -<strong>promptly</strong>. That's really what matters.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="public_interest_test">How do you reflect time extensions for public interest tests?<a href="#public_interest_test">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p>The Freedom of Information Act lets authorities claim an indefinite time -extension when applying a <strong>public interest test</strong>. Information -Commissioner guidance says that it should only be used in "exceptionally -complex" cases -(<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/foi_good_practice_guidance_4.pdf">FOI Good Practice Guidance No. 4</a>). -<%= site_name %> doesn't specifically handle this case, which is why we use the -phrase "should normally have responded by" when the 20 working day time is -exceeded. -</p> -<p>The same guidance says that, even in exceptionally complex cases, no -Freedom of Information request should take more than <strong>40 working days</strong> -to answer. <%= site_name %> displays requests which are overdue by that much -with stronger wording to indicate they are definitely late. -</p> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> + <h1 id="officers"><%= @title %> <a href="#officers">#</a> </h1> + + <dl> + + <dt id="top">I just got here from bottom of an FOI request, what is going on? <a href="#top">#</a> </dt> + + <dd><p><%= site_name %> is a service run by a charity. It helps ordinary members + of the public make FOI requests, and easily track and share the responses.</p> + + <p>The FOI request you received was made by someone using <%= site_name %>. You can + simply reply to the request as you would any other request from an individual. + The only difference is that your response will be automatically published on + the Internet. + </p> + <p>If you have privacy or other concerns, please read the answers below. + You might also like to read the <a + href="<%= help_about_path %>">introduction to <%= site_name %></a> to find out more about what + the site does from the point of view of a user. You can also search the + site to find the authority that you work for, and view the status of + any requests made using the site. + + <p>Finally, we welcome comments and + thoughts from FOI officers, please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">get in touch</a>. + </p> + </dd> + + <dt id="responses">Why are you publishing responses to FOI requests? <a href="#responses">#</a> </dt> + + <dd>We think there are lots of benefits. Most importantly it will encourage the + public to be more interested and involved in the work of government. We + also hope that it will reduce the number of duplicate requests on any + subject that a public body will receive. Given that Freedom of Information + responses contain public information, which anybody could easily request + again from the public authority, we think there should be no reason not to + publish it widely. + </dd> + + <dt id="realpeople">Are the people making requests real people? <a href="#realpeople">#</a> </dt> + + <dd>Yes. For the purposes of keeping track of responses we use + computer-generated email addresses for each request. However, before + they can send a request, each user must register on the site with a + unique email address that we then verify. You can search this site and + find a page listing all requests that each person has made. + </dd> + + <dt id="email_only">An email isn't a sufficient address for an FOI request! <a href="#email_only">#</a> </dt> -<p>The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act does not allow such a public -interest extension. <%= site_name %> would like to see the law changed to either -remove the extension from the UK Act, or to reintroduce an absolute time limit -of 40 working days even with the extension (the House of Lords <a -href="http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2000-10-17&number=1&house=lords">voted -to remove</a> provision for such a time limit during the initial passage -of the UK Act through Parliament). -</p> -</dd> + <dd>Yes it is. In the UK, this + <a href="https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/1142/response/2894/attach/5/20080806100741260.pdf">letter from the ICO to Rother District Council</a> gives guidance on the matter, specifically + in the context of requests made via WhatDoTheyKnow, a similar site to <%= site_name %>. + </dd> + + <dt id="vexatious">Aren't you making lots of vexatious requests? <a href="#vexatious">#</a> </dt> + + <dd><p><%= site_name %> is not making any requests. We are sending requests on + behalf of our users, who are real people making the requests. </p> + <p>Look at it like this - if lots of different people made requests from + different Hotmail email addresses, then you would not think that Microsoft were + making vexatious requests. It is exactly the same if lots of requests are made + via <%= site_name %>. Moreover, since all requests are public it is much easier + for you to see if one of our users is making vexatious requests. </p> -<dt id="large_file">How can I send a large file, which won't go by email?<a href="#large_file">#</a> </dt> + </dd> -<dd>Instead of email, you can respond to a request directly from your web -browser, including uploading a file. To do this, choose "respond to request" at -the bottom of the request's page. <a href="/help/contact">Contact us</a> if it -is too big for even that (more than, say, 50Mb). -</dd> + <dt id="spam_problems">I can see a request on <%= site_name %>, but we never got it by email!<a href="#spam_problems">#</a> </dt> + + <dd><p>If a request appears on the site, then we have attempted to send it to + the authority by email. Any delivery failure messages will automatically + appear on the site. You can check the address we're using with the "View FOI + email address" link which appears on the page for the authority. <a + href="<%= help_contact_path %>">Contact us</a> if there is a better address we can + use.</p> + <p>Requests are sometimes not delivered because they are quietly removed by + "spam filters" in the IT department of the authority. Authorities can make + sure this doesn't happen by asking their IT departments to "whitelist" + any email from <strong>@<%= AlaveteliConfiguration::incoming_email_domain %></strong>. + If you <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">ask us</a> we will resend any request, + and/or give technical details of delivery so an IT department can chase + up what happened to the message. + </p> + <p>Finally, you can respond to any request from your web browser, without + needing any email, using the "respond to request" link at the bottom of + each request page. + </p> + </dd> + + <dt id="days">How do you calculate the deadline shown on request pages?<a href="#days">#</a> </dt> -<dt id="names">Why do you publish the names of civil servants and the text of emails? <a href="#names">#</a> </dt> + <dd> + + <p>The Freedom of Information Act says:</p> + + <blockquote><p>A public authority must comply with section 1(1) <strong>promptly</strong> and + in any event not later than the twentieth working day following the date of + receipt.</p></blockquote> + + <p>The nerdy detail of exactly how weekends are counted, and what happens if + the request arrives out of office hours, is just that - detail. What matters + here is that the law says authorities must respond <strong>promptly</strong>.</p> + + <p>If you've got a good reason why the request is going to take a while to + process, requesters find it really helpful if you can send a quick email with a + sentence or two saying what is happening. </p> + + <p>FOI officers often have to do a lot of <strong>hard work</strong> to answer + requests, and this is hidden from the public. We think it would help everyone + to have more of that complexity visible.</p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="days2">But really, how do you calculate the deadline?<a href="#days2">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + + <p>Please read the answer to the previous question first. Legally, authorities + must respond <strong>promptly</strong> to FOI requests. If they fail to do that, + it is best if they show the hard work they are doing by explaining what is + taking the extra time to do. + </p> -<dd>We consider what officers or servants do in the course of their employment -to be public information. We will only remove content in exceptional -circumstances, see our <a href="/help/privacy#takedown">take down policy</a>. -</dd> + <p>That said, <%= site_name %> does show the maximum legal deadline + for response on each request. Here's how we calculate it.</p> + + <ul> -<dt id="mobiles">Do you publish email addresses or mobile phone numbers? <a href="#mobiles">#</a> </dt> + <li>If the day we deliver the request by email is a working day, we count that + as "day zero", even if it was delivered late in the evening. Days end at + midnight. We then count the next working day as "day one", and so on up to + <strong><%= AlaveteliConfiguration::reply_late_after_days %> working days</strong>.</li> + + <li>If the day the request email was delivered was a non-working day, we count + the next working day as "day one". Delivery is delivery, even if it happened on + the weekend. Some authorities disagree with this, our lawyer disagrees with them. </li> -<dd><p>To prevent spam, we automatically remove most emails and some mobile numbers from -responses to requests. Please <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> if we've -missed one. -For technical reasons we don't always remove them from attachments, such as certain PDFs.</p> -<p>If you need to know what an address was that we've removed, please <a - href="/help/contact">get in touch with us</a>. Occasionally, an email address -forms an important part of a response and we will post it up in an obscured -form in an annotation. -</dd> + <li>Requesters are encouraged to mark when they have <strong>clarified</strong> + their request so the clock resets, but sometimes they get this wrong. If you + see a problem with a particular request, let us know and we'll fix it.</li> + </ul> + + <p>The date thus calculated is shown on requests with the text "By law, + Liverpool City Council should normally have responded by...". + </p> -<dt id="copyright"><a name="commercial"></a>What is your policy on copyright of documents?<a href="#copyright">#</a> </dt> + </dd> -<dd>Our Freedom of Information law is "applicant blind", so anyone in the -world can request the same document and get a copy of it. + <dt id="large_file">How can I send a large file, which won't go by email?<a href="#large_file">#</a> </dt> -If you think our making a document available on the internet infringes your -copyright, you may <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> and ask us -to take it down. However, to save tax payers' money by preventing duplicate -requests, and for good public relations, we'd advise you not to do that. -</dd> + <dd>Instead of email, you can respond to a request directly from your web + browser, including uploading a file. To do this, choose "respond to request" at + the bottom of the request's page. <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">Contact us</a> if it + is too big for even that (more than, say, 50Mb). + </dd> -</dl> + <dt id="names">Why do you publish the names of civil servants and the text of emails? <a href="#names">#</a> </dt> + + <dd>We consider what officers or servants do in the course of their employment + to be public information. We will only remove content in exceptional + circumstances, see our <a href="<%= help_privacy_path(:anchor => 'takedown') %>">take down policy</a>. + </dd> + <dt id="mobiles">Do you publish email addresses or mobile phone numbers? <a href="#mobiles">#</a> </dt> -</dl> - -<p><strong>If you haven't already</strong>, read <a href="/help/about">the introduction</a> --> -<br><strong>Otherwise</strong>, the <a href="/help/credits">credits</a> or the <a href="/help/api">programmers API</a> --> + <dd><p>To prevent spam, we automatically remove most emails and some mobile numbers from + responses to requests. Please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a> if we've + missed one. + For technical reasons we don't always remove them from attachments, such as certain PDFs.</p> + <p>If you need to know what an address was that we've removed, please <a + href="<%= help_contact_path %>">get in touch with us</a>. Occasionally, an email address + forms an important part of a response and we will post it up in an obscured + form in an annotation. + </dd> -<div id="hash_link_padding"></div> + <dt id="copyright"><a id="commercial"></a>What is your policy on copyright of documents?<a href="#copyright">#</a> </dt> + <dd>Our Freedom of Information law is "applicant blind", so anyone in the + world can request the same document and get a copy of it. -</div> + If you think our making a document available on the internet infringes your + copyright, you may <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a> and ask us + to take it down. However, to save tax payers' money by preventing duplicate + requests, and for good public relations, we'd advise you not to do that. + </dd> + + </dl> + + <p><strong>If you haven't already</strong>, read <a href="<%= help_about_path %>">the introduction</a> --> + <br><strong>Otherwise</strong>, the <a href="<%= help_credits_path %>">credits</a> or the <a href="<%= help_api_path %>">programmers API</a> --> + + <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/privacy.html.erb b/lib/views/help/privacy.html.erb index 6f190ee..9330d5c 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/privacy.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/privacy.html.erb @@ -2,185 +2,182 @@ <%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> -<h1 id="privacy"><%= @title %> <a href="#privacy">#</a> </h1> - -<dl> - -<dt id="email_address">Who gets to see my email address? <a href="#email_address">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><p>We will not disclose your email address to anyone unless we are obliged to by law, -or you ask us to. This includes the public authority that you are sending a -request to. They only get to see an email address -@<%= AlaveteliConfiguration::incoming_email_domain %> which is specific to that request. </p> -<p>If you send a message to another user on the site, then it will reveal your -email address to them. You will be told that this is going to happen.</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="nasty_spam">Will you send nasty, brutish spam to my email address? <a href="#nasty_spam">#</a> </dt> -<dd>Nope. After you sign up to <%= site_name %> we will only send you emails -relating to a request you made, an email alert that you have signed up for, -or for other reasons that you specifically authorise. We will never give or -sell your email addresses to anyone else, unless we are obliged to by law, or -you ask us to. -</dd> - -<dt id="public_request">Why will my name and my request appear publicly on the site? <a href="#public_request">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>We publish your request on the Internet so that anybody can read it and -make use of the information that you have found. We do not normally delete -requests (<a href="#delete_requests">more details</a>). -</p> -<p> -Your name is tangled up with your request, so has to be published as well. -It is only fair, as we're going to publish the name of the civil servant who -writes the response to your request. Using your real name also helps people -get in touch with you to assist you with your research or to campaign with you. -</p> -<p>By law, you must use your real name for the request to be a valid Freedom of -Information request. See the next question for alternatives if you do not want -to publish your full name. -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="real_name">Can I make an FOI request using a pseudonym? <a href="#real_name">#</a> </dt> - - -<dd> -<p>Technically, you must use your real name for your request to be a valid Freedom of Information request in law. See this -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/name_of_applicant_fop083_v1.pdf">guidance from the Information Commissioner</a> (January 2009). -</p> - -<p>However, the same guidance also says it is good practice for the public -authority to still consider a request made using an obvious pseudonym. -You should refer to this if a public authority refuses a request because you -used a pseudonym.</p> - -<p>Be careful though, even if the authority follows this good practice, the -pseudonym will probably make it impossible for you to complain to the -Information Commissioner later about the handling of your request. -</p> - -<p>There are several good alternatives to using a pseudonym.</p> - -<ul> -<li>Use a different form of your name. The guidance says -that "Mr Arthur Thomas Roberts" can make a valid request as "Arthur Roberts", -"A. T. Roberts", or "Mr Roberts", but <strong>not</strong> as "Arthur" or "A.T.R.". -</li> -<li>Women may use their maiden name.</li> -<li>In most cases, you may use any name by which you are "widely known and/or -is regularly used". -<li>Use the name of an organisation, the name of a company, the trading name of -a company, or the trading name of a sole trader. -<li>Ask someone else to make the request on your behalf. -<li>You may, if you are really stuck, ask us to make the request on -your behalf. Please <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> with -a good reason why you cannot make the request yourself and cannot -ask a friend to. We don't have the resources to do this for everyone. -</ul> - -<p>Please do not try to impersonate someone else.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="full_address">They've asked for my postal address! <a href="#full_address">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>If a public authority asks you for your full, physical address, reply to them saying -that section 8.1.b of the FOI Act asks for an "address for correspondence", -and that the email address you are using is sufficient. -</p> -<p> -The Ministry of Justice has <a href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foi-procedural-what.htm">guidance -on this</a> – -<em>"As well as hard copy written correspondence, requests that are -transmitted electronically (for example, in emails) are acceptable -... If a request is received by email and no postal address is given, the email -address should be treated as the return address." -</em> -</p> -<p>As if that isn't enough, the Information Commissioner's -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/practical_application/foi_hints_for_practitioners_handing_foi_and_eir_requests_2008_final.pdf">Hints for Practitioners</a> say -<em>"Any correspondence could include a request for information. If it is written (this includes e-mail), legible, gives the name of the applicant, an address for reply (which could be electronic), and includes a description of the information required, then it will fall within the scope of the legislation."</em> -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="postal_answer">No no, they need a postal address to send a paper response! <a href="#postal_answer">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>If an authority only has a paper copy of the information that you want, -they may ask you for a postal address. To start with, try persuading them -to scan in the documents for you. You can even <a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/car_parking_charges_policy_and_a#outgoing-532">offer to gift them a scanner</a>, which in that particular case -embarrassed the authority into finding one they had already.</p> - -<p>If that doesn't work, and you want to provide your postal address privately -in order to receive the documents, mark your request as "They are going to reply by post", and it will -give you an email address to use for that purpose.</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="delete_requests">Can you delete my requests, or alter my name? <a href="#delete_requests">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p><%= site_name %> is a permanent, public archive of Freedom of -Information requests. Even though you may not find the response to -a request useful any more, it may be of interest to others. For this -reason, we will not delete requests. -</p> - -<p>Under exceptional circumstances we may remove or change your name -on the website, <a href="#takedown">see the next question</a>. -Similarly, we may also remove other personal information. -</p> - -<p>If you're worried about this before you make your request, -see the section on <a href="#real_name">pseudonyms</a>.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="takedown">Can you take down personal information about me? <a href="#takedown">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p>If you see any personal information about you on the site which you'd like -us to remove or hide, then please <a href="/help/contact">let us know</a>. -Specify exactly what information you believe to be problematic and why, and -where it appears on the site.</p> - -<p>If it is sensitive personal information that has been accidentally -posted, then we will usually remove it. Normally we will only consider -requests to remove personal information which come from the individual -concerned, but for sensitive information we would appreciate anyone -pointing out anything they see.</p> - -<p>We consider that there is a strong public interest in -retaining the names of officers or servants of public authorities. We will only -remove such names in exceptional circumstances, such as where the disclosure of -a name and position of employment would substantially risk an individual's -safety. If you are such an official and you wish to have your name removed for -such an urgent reason, you must supply us with a request to do so from your -line manager. This request must demonstrate that a risk has been perceived -which outweighs the public interest, and must demonstrate that efforts have -been made to conceal the name on the organisation's own website.</p> - -<p>For all other requests we apply a public interest test to decide -whether information should be removed. -<a href="http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?ActiveTextDocId=3190650"> Section 32</a> -of the Data Protection Act 1998 permits us to do this, as the material we -publish is journalistic. We cannot easily edit many types of attachments (such -as PDFs, or Microsoft Word or Excel files), so we will usually ask -that authorities resend these with the personal information removed.</p> - -</dd> - - -</dl> - -<p><strong>Learn more</strong> from the help for <a href="/help/officers">FOI officers</a> --> - -<div id="hash_link_padding"></div> - - -</div> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> + <h1 id="privacy"><%= @title %> <a href="#privacy">#</a></h1> + <dl> + + <dt id="email_address">Who gets to see my email address? <a href="#email_address">#</a> </dt> + + <dd><p>We will not disclose your email address to anyone unless we are obliged to by law, + or you ask us to. This includes the public authority that you are sending a + request to. They only get to see an email address + @<%= AlaveteliConfiguration::incoming_email_domain %> which is specific to that request. </p> + <p>If you send a message to another user on the site, then it will reveal your + email address to them. You will be told that this is going to happen.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="nasty_spam">Will you send nasty, brutish spam to my email address? <a href="#nasty_spam">#</a> </dt> + <dd>Nope. After you sign up to <%= site_name %> we will only send you emails + relating to a request you made, an email alert that you have signed up for, + or for other reasons that you specifically authorise. We will never give or + sell your email addresses to anyone else, unless we are obliged to by law, or + you ask us to. + </dd> + + <dt id="public_request">Why will my name and my request appear publicly on the site? <a href="#public_request">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>We publish your request on the Internet so that anybody can read it and + make use of the information that you have found. We do not normally delete + requests (<a href="#delete_requests">more details</a>). + </p> + <p> + Your name is tangled up with your request, so has to be published as well. + It is only fair, as we're going to publish the name of the civil servant who + writes the response to your request. Using your real name also helps people + get in touch with you to assist you with your research or to campaign with you. + </p> + <p>By law, you must use your real name for the request to be a valid Freedom of + Information request. See the next question for alternatives if you do not want + to publish your full name. + </p> + </dd> + + <dt id="real_name">Can I make an FOI request using a pseudonym? <a href="#real_name">#</a> </dt> + + + <dd> + <p>Technically, you must use your real name for your request to be a valid Freedom of Information request in UK law. See this + <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/name_of_applicant_fop083_v1.pdf">guidance from the Information Commissioner</a> (January 2009). + </p> + + <p>However, the same guidance also says it is good practice for the public + authority to still consider a request made using an obvious pseudonym. + You should refer to this if a public authority refuses a request because you + used a pseudonym.</p> + + <p>Be careful though, even if the authority follows this good practice, the + pseudonym will probably make it impossible for you to complain to the + Information Commissioner later about the handling of your request. + </p> + + <p>There are several good alternatives to using a pseudonym.</p> + + <ul> + <li>Use a different form of your name. The guidance says + that "Mr Arthur Thomas Roberts" can make a valid request as "Arthur Roberts", + "A. T. Roberts", or "Mr Roberts", but <strong>not</strong> as "Arthur" or "A.T.R.". + </li> + <li>Women may use their maiden name.</li> + <li>In most cases, you may use any name by which you are "widely known and/or + is regularly used".</li> + <li>Use the name of an organisation, the name of a company, the trading name of + a company, or the trading name of a sole trader.</li> + <li>Ask someone else to make the request on your behalf.</li> + <li>You may, if you are really stuck, ask us to make the request on + your behalf. Please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a> with + a good reason why you cannot make the request yourself and cannot + ask a friend to. We don't have the resources to do this for everyone.</li> + </ul> + + <p>Please do not try to impersonate someone else.</p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="full_address">They've asked for my postal address! <a href="#full_address">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>If a public authority asks you for your full, physical address, reply to them saying + that section 8.1.b of the FOI Act asks for an "address for correspondence", + and that the email address you are using is sufficient. + </p> + <p> + The Ministry of Justice has <a href="http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/foi-procedural-what.htm">guidance + on this</a> – + <em>"As well as hard copy written correspondence, requests that are + transmitted electronically (for example, in emails) are acceptable + ... If a request is received by email and no postal address is given, the email + address should be treated as the return address." + </em> + </p> + <p>As if that isn't enough, the Information Commissioner's + <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/practical_application/foi_hints_for_practitioners_handing_foi_and_eir_requests_2008_final.pdf">Hints for Practitioners</a> say + <em>"Any correspondence could include a request for information. If it is written (this includes e-mail), legible, gives the name of the applicant, an address for reply (which could be electronic), and includes a description of the information required, then it will fall within the scope of the legislation."</em> + </p> + </dd> + + <dt id="postal_answer">No no, they need a postal address to send a paper response! <a href="#postal_answer">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>If an authority only has a paper copy of the information that you want, + they may ask you for a postal address. To start with, try persuading them + to scan in the documents for you. You can even <a href="https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/car_parking_charges_policy_and_a#outgoing-532">offer to gift them a scanner</a>, which in that particular case + embarrassed the authority into finding one they had already.</p> + + <p>If that doesn't work, and you want to provide your postal address privately + in order to receive the documents, mark your request as "They are going to reply by post", and it will + give you an email address to use for that purpose.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="delete_requests">Can you delete my requests, or alter my name? <a href="#delete_requests">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + + <p><%= site_name %> is a permanent, public archive of Freedom of + Information requests. Even though you may not find the response to + a request useful any more, it may be of interest to others. For this + reason, we will not delete requests. + </p> + + <p>Under exceptional circumstances we may remove or change your name + on the website, <a href="#takedown">see the next question</a>. + Similarly, we may also remove other personal information. + </p> + + <p>If you're worried about this before you make your request, + see the section on <a href="#real_name">pseudonyms</a>.</p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="takedown">Can you take down personal information about me? <a href="#takedown">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + + <p>If you see any personal information about you on the site which you'd like + us to remove or hide, then please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">let us know</a>. + Specify exactly what information you believe to be problematic and why, and + where it appears on the site.</p> + + <p>If it is sensitive personal information that has been accidentally + posted, then we will usually remove it. Normally we will only consider + requests to remove personal information which come from the individual + concerned, but for sensitive information we would appreciate anyone + pointing out anything they see.</p> + + <p>We consider that there is a strong public interest in + retaining the names of officers or servants of public authorities. We will only + remove such names in exceptional circumstances, such as where the disclosure of + a name and position of employment would substantially risk an individual's + safety. If you are such an official and you wish to have your name removed for + such an urgent reason, you must supply us with a request to do so from your + line manager. This request must demonstrate that a risk has been perceived + which outweighs the public interest, and must demonstrate that efforts have + been made to conceal the name on the organisation's own website.</p> + + <p>For all other requests we apply a public interest test to decide + whether information should be removed. + <a href="http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?ActiveTextDocId=3190650">Section 32</a> + of the Data Protection Act 1998 permits us to do this, as the material we + publish is journalistic. We cannot easily edit many types of attachments (such + as PDFs, or Microsoft Word or Excel files), so we will usually ask + that authorities resend these with the personal information removed.</p> + + </dd> + + + </dl> + + <p><strong>Learn more</strong> from the help for <a href="<%= help_officers_path %>">FOI officers</a> --> + + <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/requesting.html.erb b/lib/views/help/requesting.html.erb index 28e55fd..ca6bff7 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/requesting.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/requesting.html.erb @@ -1,286 +1,285 @@ <% @title = "Making requests" %> <%= render :partial => 'sidebar' %> -<div id="left_column_flip"> - -<h1 id="making_requests"><%= @title %> <a href="#making_requests">#</a> </h1> -<dl> - -<dt id="which_authority">I'm not sure which authority to make my request to, how can I find out? <a href="#which_authority">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>It can be hard to untangle government's complicated structured, and work out -who knows the information that you want. Here are a few tips: -<ul> -<li>Browse or search <%= site_name %> looking for similar requests to yours.</li> -<li>When you've found an authority you think might have the information, use -the "home page" link on the right hand side of their page to check what they do -on their website.</li> -<li>Contact the authority by phone or email to ask if they hold the kind of -information you're after.</li> -<li>Don't worry excessively about getting the right authority. If you get it -wrong, they ought to advise you who to make the request to instead. -</li> -<li>If you've got a thorny case, please <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> for help.</li> -</ul> - -</dd> - - - -<dt id="missing_body">You're missing the public authority that I want to request from! <a href="#missing_body">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>Please <a href="<%= new_change_request_path %>">contact us</a> with the name of the public authority and, -if you can find it, their contact email address for Freedom of Information requests. -</p> -<p>If you'd like to help add a whole category of public authority to the site, we'd love -to hear from you too. -</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="authorities">Why do you include some authorities that aren't formally subject to FOI?<a href="#authorities">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p><%= site_name %> lets you make requests for information to a range of -organisations:</p> - -<ul> - <li> Those formally subject to the FOI Act</li> - <li> Those formally subject to the Environmental Regulations (a less well - defined group)</li> - <li> Those which voluntarily comply with the FOI Act</li> - <li> Those which aren't subject to the Act but we think should be, on grounds - such as them having significant public responsibilities. - </li> -</ul> - -<p>In the last case, we're using the site to lobby for expansion of the -scope of the FOI Act. Even if an organisation is not legally obliged to respond -to an FOI request, they can still do so voluntarily. -</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="focused">Why must I keep my request focused?<a href="#focused">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p> -Please put in your request only what is needed so that someone can -easily identify what information you are asking for. Please do -<i>not</i> include any of the following: -</p> - -<ul> -<li>arguments about your cause</li> -<li>statements that could defame or insult others</li> -</ul> - -<p> -If you do, we may have to remove your request to avoid problems with -libel law, which is a pain for both you and us. Short, succinct messages -make it easier for authorities to be clear what information you are -requesting, which means you will get a reply more quickly. -</p> - -<p> -If you want information to support an argument or campaign, Freedom of -Information is a powerful tool. Although you may not use this site to -run your campaign, we encourage you to use it to get the information you -need. We also encourage to run your campaign elsewhere - one effective -and very easy way is to <%= link_to 'start your own blog', -"http://wordpress.com/"%>. You are welcome to link to your campaign -from this site in an annotation to your request (you can make -annotations after submitting the request). -</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="fees">Does it cost me anything to make a request?<a href="#fees">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> - -<p>Making an FOI request is nearly always free.</p> - -<p>Authorities often include unnecessary, scary, boilerplate in -acknowledgement messages saying they "may" charge a fee. Ignore such notices. -They hardly ever will actually charge a fee. If they do, they can only charge you if -you have specifically agreed in advance to pay. <a - href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/practical_application/chargingafee.pdf">More - details</a> from the Information Commissioner. -</p> - -<p>Sometimes an authority will refuse your request, saying that the cost -of handling it exceeds £600 (for central government) or £450 (for all other -public authorities). At this point you can refine your -request. e.g. it would be much cheaper for an authority to tell you the amount -spent on marshmallows in the past year than in the past ten years. -</p> - -</dd> - - - -<dt id="quickly_response">How quickly will I get a response? <a href="#quickly_response">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>By law, public authorities must respond <strong>promptly</strong> to -requests. -</p> - -<p>Even if they are not prompt, in nearly all cases they must respond within -20 working days. If you had to clarify your request, or they are a school, -or one or two other cases, then they may have more time -(<a href="/help/officers#days">full details</a>). - -<p><%= site_name %> will email you if you don't get a timely response. You can -then send the public authority a message to remind them, and tell them if they -are breaking the law.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="no_response">What if I never get a response?<a href="#no_response">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>There are several things you can do if you never get a response.</p> -<ul> - <li>Sometimes there has been a genuine problem and the authority never - received the request. It is worth telephoning the authority and politely - checking that they received the request. It was sent to them by email. - </li> - <li>If they have not received it, the problem is most likely due to - "spam filters". Refer the authority to the measures in the answer - '<a href="/help/officers#spam_problems">I can see a request on <%= site_name %>, but we never got it by email!</a>' - in the FOI officers section of this help. - </li> - <li>If you're still having no luck, then you can ask for an internal review, - and then complain to the Information Commissioner about the authority. - Read our page '<a href="/help/unhappy">Unhappy about the response you got?</a>'. -</ul> -</dd> - -<dt id="not_satifised">What if I'm not satisfied with the response? <a href="#not_satifised">#</a> </dt> -<dd>If you didn't get the information you asked for, or you didn't get it in time, -then read our page '<a href="/help/unhappy">Unhappy about the response you got?</a>'. -</dd> - -<dt id="reuse">It says I can't re-use the information I got!<a href="#reuse">#</a> </dt> -<dd> -<p>Authorities often add legal boilerplate about the -"<a href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051515">Re-Use of Public Sector -Information Regulations 2005</a>", which at first glance implies you may not -be able do anything with the information. -</p> - -<p>You can, of course, write articles about the information or summarise it, or -quote parts of it. We also think you should feel free to republish the -information in full, just as we do, even though in theory you might not be -allowed to do so. See <a href="/help/officers#copyright">our policy on copyright</a>.</p> - -</dd> - -<dt id="ico_help">Can you tell me more of the nitty gritty about the process of making requests? <a href="#ico_help">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>Have a look at the -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/access_to_official_information.aspx">access to official information</a> -pages on the Information Commissioner's website.</p> - -<p>If you're requesting information from a Scottish public authority, -the process is very similar. There are differences around time -limits for compliance. -See the <a href="http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=1858&sID=321">Scottish -Information Commissioner's guidance</a> for details.</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="data_protection">Can I request information about myself? <a href="#data_protection">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>No. Requests made using <%= site_name %> are public, made under the Freedom of -Information Act, and cannot help you find information about a private -individual.</p> - -<p>If you would like to know what information a public -authority holds about yourself, you should make a "Subject Access Request" in -private using Data Protection law. The leaflet "<a -href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/introductory/subject_access_rights.pdf">How to access your information</a>" (on the Information Commissioner's -website) explains how to do this.</p> - -<p>If you see that somebody has included personal information, perhaps -unwittingly, in a request, please <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a> -immediately so we can remove it.</p> -</dd> - - -<dt id="private_requests">I'd like to keep my request secret! (At least until I publish my story) <a href="#private_requests">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><p><%= site_name %> is currently only designed for public requests. All -responses that we receive are automatically published on the website for anyone -to read. </p> -<p>You should contact the public authority directly if you would like to -make a request in private. If you're interested in buying a system which helps -you manage FOI requests in secret, then <a href="/help/contact">contact us</a>. -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="eir">Why can I only request information about the environment from some authorities? <a href="#eir">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>Some public authorities, such as <a href="http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/south_east_water">South East Water</a>, -don't come under the Freedom of Information Act, but do come under another law called -the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). -</p> - -<p>It's a very similar law, so you make a request -to them using <%= site_name %> in just the same way as an FOI request. The only -difference is that on the page where your write you request, it reminds you -that you can only request "environmental information" and tells you what that -means. It is quite broad. -</p> - -<p>You can, of course, request environmental information from other -authorities. Just make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request as normal. The -authority has a duty to work out if the Environmental Information Regulations -(EIR) is the more appropriate legislation to reply under. -</p> -</dd> - -<dt id="multiple">Can I make the same to request to lots of authorities, e.g. all councils? <a href="#multiple">#</a> </dt> - -<dd>We ask you to first send a test version of your request to a few -authorities. Their responses will help you improve the wording of your request, -so that you get the best information when you send the request to all of -the authorities. There is currently no automated system for sending the request -to the other authorities, you must copy and paste it by hand. - -</dd> - -<dt id="offsite">I made a request off the site, how do I upload it to the archive?<a href="#offsite">#</a> </dt> - -<dd><%= site_name %> is an archive of requests made through the site, -and does not try to be an archive of all FOI requests. We'll never support uploading -other requests. For one thing, we wouldn't be able to verify that other -responses actually came from the authority. If this really matters to you, -you can always make the same request again via <%= site_name %>. -</dd> - -<dt id="moderation">How do you moderate request annotations? <a href="#moderation">#</a> </dt> - -<dd> -<p>Annotations on <%= site_name %> are to help -people get the information they want, or to give them pointers to places they -can go to help them act on it. We reserve the right to remove anything else. -</p> -<p>Endless, political discussions are not allowed. -Post a link to a suitable forum or campaign site elsewhere.</p> -<dd> - -</dl> - -<p><strong>Next</strong>, read about <a href="/help/privacy">your privacy</a> --> - -<div id="hash_link_padding"></div> - -</div> +<div id="left_column_flip" class="left_column_flip"> + <h1 id="making_requests"><%= @title %> <a href="#making_requests">#</a></h1> + <dl> + + <dt id="which_authority">I'm not sure which authority to make my request to, how can I find out? <a href="#which_authority">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>It can be hard to untangle government's complicated structure, and work out + who holds the information that you want. Here are a few tips: + </p> + <ul> + <li>Browse or search <%= site_name %> looking for similar requests to yours.</li> + <li>When you've found an authority you think might have the information, use + the "home page" link on the right hand side of their page to check what they do + on their website.</li> + <li>Contact the authority by phone or email to ask if they hold the kind of + information you're after.</li> + <li>Don't worry excessively about getting the right authority. If you get it + wrong, they ought to advise you who to make the request to instead. + </li> + <li>If you've got a thorny case, please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a> for help.</li> + </ul> + + </dd> + + + + <dt id="missing_body">You're missing the public authority that I want to request from! <a href="#missing_body">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>Please <a href="<%= new_change_request_path %>">contact us</a> with the name of the public authority and, + if you can find it, their contact email address for Freedom of Information requests. + </p> + <p>If you'd like to help add a whole category of public authority to the site, we'd love + to hear from you too. + </p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="authorities">Why do you include some authorities that aren't formally subject to FOI?<a href="#authorities">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p><%= site_name %> lets you make requests for information to a range of + organisations:</p> + + <ul> + <li> Those formally subject to the FOI Act</li> + <li> Those formally subject to the Environmental Regulations (a less well + defined group)</li> + <li> Those which voluntarily comply with the FOI Act</li> + <li> Those which aren't subject to the Act but we think should be, on grounds + such as them having significant public responsibilities. + </li> + </ul> + + <p>In the last case, we're using the site to lobby for expansion of the + scope of the FOI Act. Even if an organisation is not legally obliged to respond + to an FOI request, they can still do so voluntarily. + </p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="focused">Why must I keep my request focused?<a href="#focused">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + + <p> + Please put in your request only what is needed so that someone can + easily identify what information you are asking for. Please do + <i>not</i> include any of the following: + </p> + + <ul> + <li>arguments about your cause</li> + <li>statements that could defame or insult others</li> + </ul> + + <p> + If you do, we may have to remove your request to avoid problems with + libel law, which is a pain for both you and us. Short, succinct messages + make it easier for authorities to be clear what information you are + requesting, which means you will get a reply more quickly. + </p> + + <p> + If you want information to support an argument or campaign, Freedom of + Information is a powerful tool. Although you may not use this site to + run your campaign, we encourage you to use it to get the information you + need. We also encourage to run your campaign elsewhere - one effective + and very easy way is to <%= link_to 'start your own blog', + "http://wordpress.com/"%>. You are welcome to link to your campaign + from this site in an annotation to your request (you can make + annotations after submitting the request). + </p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="fees">Does it cost me anything to make a request?<a href="#fees">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + + <p>Making an FOI request is nearly always free.</p> + + <p>Authorities often include unnecessary, scary, boilerplate in + acknowledgement messages saying they "may" charge a fee. Ignore such notices. + They hardly ever will actually charge a fee. If they do, they can only charge you if + you have specifically agreed in advance to pay. <a + href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/practical_application/chargingafee.pdf">More + details</a> from the Information Commissioner. + </p> + + <p>Sometimes an authority will refuse your request, saying that the cost + of handling it exceeds £600 (for central government) or £450 (for all other + public authorities). At this point you can refine your + request. e.g. it would be much cheaper for an authority to tell you the amount + spent on marshmallows in the past year than in the past ten years. + </p> + + </dd> + + + + <dt id="quickly_response">How quickly will I get a response? <a href="#quickly_response">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>By law, public authorities must respond <strong>promptly</strong> to + requests. + </p> + + <p>Even if they are not prompt, in nearly all cases they must respond within + 20 working days. If you had to clarify your request, or they are a school, + or one or two other cases, then they may have more time + (<a href="<%= help_officers_path(:anchor => 'days') %>">full details</a>). + </p> + <p><%= site_name %> will email you if you don't get a timely response. You can + then send the public authority a message to remind them, and tell them if they + are breaking the law.</p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="no_response">What if I never get a response?<a href="#no_response">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>There are several things you can do if you never get a response.</p> + <ul> + <li>Sometimes there has been a genuine problem and the authority never + received the request. It is worth telephoning the authority and politely + checking that they received the request. It was sent to them by email. + </li> + <li>If they have not received it, the problem is most likely due to + "spam filters". Refer the authority to the measures in the answer + '<a href="<%= help_officers_path(:anchor => 'spam_problems') %>">I can see a request on <%= site_name %>, but we never got it by email!</a>' + in the FOI officers section of this help. + </li> + <li>If you're still having no luck, then you can ask for an internal review, + and then complain to the Information Commissioner about the authority. + Read our page '<a href="<%= help_general_path(:action => 'unhappy') %>">Unhappy about the response you got?</a>'. + </ul> + </dd> + + <dt id="not_satifised">What if I'm not satisfied with the response? <a href="#not_satifised">#</a> </dt> + <dd>If you didn't get the information you asked for, or you didn't get it in time, + then read our page '<a href="<%= help_general_path(:action => 'unhappy') %>">Unhappy about the response you got?</a>'. + </dd> + + <dt id="reuse">It says I can't re-use the information I got!<a href="#reuse">#</a> </dt> + <dd> + <p>Authorities often add legal boilerplate about the + "<a href="http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051515">Re-Use of Public Sector + Information Regulations 2005</a>", which at first glance implies you may not + be able do anything with the information. + </p> + + <p>You can, of course, write articles about the information or summarise it, or + quote parts of it. We also think you should feel free to republish the + information in full, just as we do, even though in theory you might not be + allowed to do so. See <a href="<%= help_officers_path(:anchor => 'copyright') %>">our policy on copyright</a>.</p> + + </dd> + + <dt id="ico_help">Can you tell me more of the nitty gritty about the process of making requests? <a href="#ico_help">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>Have a look at the + <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/for_the_public/access_to_official_information.aspx">access to official information</a> + pages on the Information Commissioner's website.</p> + + <p>If you're requesting information from a Scottish public authority, + the process is very similar. There are differences around time + limits for compliance. + See the <a href="http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/nmsruntime/saveasdialog.asp?lID=1858&sID=321">Scottish + Information Commissioner's guidance</a> for details.</p> + </dd> + + <dt id="data_protection">Can I request information about myself? <a href="#data_protection">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>No. Requests made using <%= site_name %> are public, made under the Freedom of + Information Act, and cannot help you find information about a private + individual.</p> + + <p>If you would like to know what information a public + authority holds about yourself, you should make a "Subject Access Request" in + private using Data Protection law. The leaflet "<a + href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/data_protection/introductory/subject_access_rights.pdf">How to access your information</a>" (on the Information Commissioner's + website) explains how to do this.</p> + + <p>If you see that somebody has included personal information, perhaps + unwittingly, in a request, please <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a> + immediately so we can remove it.</p> + </dd> + + + <dt id="private_requests">I'd like to keep my request secret! (At least until I publish my story) <a href="#private_requests">#</a> </dt> + + <dd><p><%= site_name %> is currently only designed for public requests. All + responses that we receive are automatically published on the website for anyone + to read. </p> + <p>You should contact the public authority directly if you would like to + make a request in private. If you're interested in buying a system which helps + you manage FOI requests in secret, then <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">contact us</a>. + </p> + </dd> + + <dt id="eir">Why can I only request information about the environment from some authorities? <a href="#eir">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>Some public authorities, such as <a href="https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/south_east_water">South East Water</a>, + don't come under the Freedom of Information Act, but do come under another law called + the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). + </p> + + <p>It's a very similar law, so you make a request + to them using <%= site_name %> in just the same way as an FOI request. The only + difference is that on the page where you write your request, it reminds you + that you can only request "environmental information" and tells you what that + means. It is quite broad. + </p> + + <p>You can, of course, request environmental information from other + authorities. Just make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request as normal. The + authority has a duty to work out if the Environmental Information Regulations + (EIR) is the more appropriate legislation to reply under. + </p> + </dd> + + <dt id="multiple">Can I make the same to request to lots of authorities, e.g. all councils? <a href="#multiple">#</a> </dt> + + <dd>We ask you to first send a test version of your request to a few + authorities. Their responses will help you improve the wording of your request, + so that you get the best information when you send the request to all of + the authorities. There is currently no automated system for sending the request + to the other authorities, you must copy and paste it by hand. + + </dd> + + <dt id="offsite">I made a request off the site, how do I upload it to the archive?<a href="#offsite">#</a> </dt> + + <dd><%= site_name %> is an archive of requests made through the site, + and does not try to be an archive of all FOI requests. We'll never support uploading + other requests. For one thing, we wouldn't be able to verify that other + responses actually came from the authority. If this really matters to you, + you can always make the same request again via <%= site_name %>. + </dd> + + <dt id="moderation">How do you moderate request annotations? <a href="#moderation">#</a> </dt> + + <dd> + <p>Annotations on <%= site_name %> are to help + people get the information they want, or to give them pointers to places they + can go to help them act on it. We reserve the right to remove anything else. + </p> + <p>Endless, political discussions are not allowed. + Post a link to a suitable forum or campaign site elsewhere.</p> + <dd> + + </dl> + + <p><strong>Next</strong>, read about <a href="<%= help_privacy_path %>">your privacy</a> --> + + <div id="hash_link_padding"></div> +</div>
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/lib/views/help/unhappy.html.erb b/lib/views/help/unhappy.html.erb index 79e3f82..50cec1b 100644 --- a/lib/views/help/unhappy.html.erb +++ b/lib/views/help/unhappy.html.erb @@ -1,110 +1,116 @@ <% @title = "Unhappy about a Freedom of Information request?" %> -<% if !@info_request.nil? %> -<h1>Unhappy about the response you got -to your request '<%=request_link(@info_request) %>'? -</h1> +<% if @info_request %> + <h1>Unhappy about the response you got + to your request '<%=request_link(@info_request) %>'? + </h1> <% else %> -<h1>Unhappy about the response you got?</h1> + <h1>Unhappy about the response you got?</h1> <% end %> <p>If ...</p> <ul> -<li>You didn't get a reply within 20 working days</li> -<li>You did not get all of the information that you requested <strong>or</strong></li> -<li>Your request was refused, but without a reason valid under the law</li> + <li>You didn't get a reply within 20 working days</li> + <li>You did not get all of the information that you requested <strong>or</strong></li> + <li>Your request was refused, but without a reason valid under the law</li> </ul> <p>... you can</p> <ol> -<li>Ask for an <strong>internal review</strong> at the public authority.</li> -<li>If that doesn't help, complain to the <strong>Information Commissioner</strong>.</li> -<li>Either way, also <strong>use other means</strong> to answer your question.</li> + <li>Ask for an <strong>internal review</strong> at the public authority.</li> + <li>If that doesn't help, complain to the <strong>Information Commissioner</strong>.</li> + <li>Either way, also <strong>use other means</strong> to answer your question.</li> </ol> <h1 id="internal_review">1. Asking for an internal review <a class="hover_a" href="#internal_review">#</a> </h1> <p> -<% if !@info_request.nil? %> - <%= link_to "Request an internal review", show_response_no_followup_path(:id => @info_request.id, :incoming_message_id => nil) + "?internal_review=1#followup", :class => 'link_button_green' %> and then write a message asking the authority to review your request. -<% else %> + <% if @info_request %> + <%= link_to "Request an internal review", new_request_followup_path(:request_id => @info_request.id) + "?internal_review=1#followup", :class => 'link_button_green request-internal-review-action' %> and then write a message asking the authority to review your request. + <% else %> At the bottom of the relevant request page on <%= site_name %> choose "request an internal review". Then write a message asking for an internal review of your request. You may want to include a link to the request page, to make it clear which request you are talking about. -<% end %> + <% end %> </p> <p>Internal reviews should be quick. If one takes longer than 20 working days -then the authority should write and let you know, and it should never take -longer than 40 working days (see this -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/foi_good_practice_guidance_5.pdf">good -practice guide</a>). -You will then either get the information that -you originally requested, or you will be told that the review upholds the -original decision. + then the authority should write and let you know, and it should never take + longer than 40 working days (see this + <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/freedom_of_information/detailed_specialist_guides/foi_good_practice_guidance_5.pdf">good + practice guide</a>). + You will then either get the information that + you originally requested, or you will be told that the review upholds the + original decision. </p> <h1 id="complaining">2. Complaining to the Information Commissioner <a class="hover_a" href="#complaining">#</a> </h1> <p>If you are still unhappy after the public authority has done their internal review, -then you can complain to the Information Commissioner. To do this read -<a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom_of_information.aspx">Complaints about Freedom of Information</a> -on the Information Commissioner's website. If you requested information from a Scottish -authority, then <a href="http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/HowToAppeal/Appeal.asp">appeal -to the Scottish Information Commissioner</a>. + then you can complain to the Information Commissioner. To do this read + <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/complaints/freedom_of_information.aspx">Complaints about Freedom of Information</a> + on the Information Commissioner's website. If you requested information from a Scottish + authority, then <a href="http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/HowToAppeal/Appeal.asp">appeal + to the Scottish Information Commissioner</a>. </p> <p>To make it easier to send the relevant information to the -Information Commissioner, either -<% if !@info_request.nil? %> + Information Commissioner, either + <% if @info_request %> include a link to your request <strong><%=h request_url(@info_request) %></strong> -<% else %> + <% else %> include a link to your request on <%= site_name %> <% end %> in your complaint or print out the whole page of your request and all attachments. </p> <p><%= site_name %> has no special facilities for handling a request at this stage - it -passes into the Information Commissioner's system. You can leave annotations on your -request keeping people informed of progress.</p> + passes into the Information Commissioner's system. You can leave annotations on your + request keeping people informed of progress.</p> <p>A warning. There is a backlog of work at the Information Commissioner, and -it can take literally years to get resolution from them. If you reach this point, -you should accept that you won't get the information quickly by this means. Maybe -you want to help the fight to improve Freedom of Information, or maybe -getting the information slowly is still worthwhile. You can also try and -get the information by <strong>other means...</strong></p> + it can take literally years to get resolution from them. If you reach this point, + you should accept that you won't get the information quickly by this means. Maybe + you want to help the fight to improve Freedom of Information, or maybe + getting the information slowly is still worthwhile. You can also try and + get the information by <strong>other means...</strong></p> <h1 id="other_means">3. Using other means to answer your question <a class="hover_a" href="#other_means">#</a> </h1> -<p>You can try persuing your problem or your research in other ways. +<p>You can try persuing your problem or your research in other ways.</p> <ul> -<li>Make a <strong>new FOI request</strong> for summary information, or for -documentation relating indirectly to matters in your refused request. -<a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">Ask us for ideas</a> if you're stuck.</li> -<li>If any <strong>other public authorities</strong> or publicly owned companies are involved, -then make FOI requests to them.</li> -<li>Write to <strong>your MP</strong> or other politician using <a -href="http://www.writetothem.com">WriteToThem</a> and ask for their help -finding the answer. MPs can write directly to ministers or departments, and -can ask written questions in the House of Commons. Councillors in local authorities -can talk directly to council officers.</li> -<li>Ask <strong>other researchers</strong> who are interested in a similar -issue to yours for ideas. You can sometimes find them by browsing this site; -contact any registered user from their page. There may be an Internet -forum or group that they hang out in. If it is a local matter, use <a -href="http://www.groupsnearyou.com">GroupsNearYou</a> to find such a -forum.</li> -<li><strong>Start a pledge</strong> on <a href="http://www.pledgebank.com">PledgeBank</a> to get -others to act together with you. For example, you could arrange a meeting with -staff from the authority. Or you could form a small local campaigns group. + <li>Make a <strong>new FOI request</strong> for summary information, or for + documentation relating indirectly to matters in your refused request. + <a href="<%= help_contact_path %>">Ask us for ideas</a> if you're stuck.</li> + <li>If any <strong>other public authorities</strong> or publicly owned companies are involved, + then make FOI requests to them.</li> + <li>Write to <strong>your MP</strong> or other politician using <a + href="http://www.writetothem.com">WriteToThem</a> and ask for their help + finding the answer. MPs can write directly to ministers or departments, and + can ask written questions in the House of Commons. Councillors in local authorities + can talk directly to council officers.</li> + <% if can_ask_the_eu?(@country_code) %> + <li> + Try <%= link_to 'asking for the information from the European Union', + 'http://www.asktheeu.org' %>. Every one of the 500 million people + living in the European Union (both citizens and residents) has the + legally guaranteed right to ask for information from EU authorities. + <%= link_to 'Ask The EU', 'http://www.asktheeu.org' %> is a version of + this website for the European Union. + </li> + <% end %> + <li>Ask <strong>other researchers</strong> who are interested in a similar + issue to yours for ideas. You can sometimes find them by browsing this site; + contact any registered user from their page. There may be an Internet + forum or group that they hang out in. If it is a local matter, use <a + href="http://www.groupsnearyou.com">GroupsNearYou</a> to find such a + forum.</li> + <li>You could form a small local campaign group and arrange a meeting + with staff from the authority.</li> </ul> - - - diff --git a/test/alavetelitheme_test.rb b/test/alavetelitheme_test.rb deleted file mode 100644 index 3e2d782..0000000 --- a/test/alavetelitheme_test.rb +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8 +0,0 @@ -require File.expand_path(File.join(File.dirname(__FILE__), 'test_helper')) -class AlavetelithemeTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase - # Replace this with your real tests. - test "the truth" do - assert true - end - -end diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb deleted file mode 100644 index a2052ee..0000000 --- a/test/test_helper.rb +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4 +0,0 @@ -require 'rubygems' -require 'active_support' -require 'minitest/autorun' -require 'active_support/test_case' |
