On Thu, 2004-05-06 at 22:02, Shannon Roddy wrote: > > > > This was taken from an LSU posting today: > > > >> IT-Folks, > >> > >> For the benefit of my own department, I prepped a very brief set of > >> notes > >> (attached) to summarize today's meeting. > > > > <I snipped this from his notes> > > > > Topic: Laptop program > > LSU is exploring a laptop requirement for students at LSU. This would > > work > > in tandem with the likelihood that ALL Windows computers at LSU will be > > required to be an "Active Directory" participant. Active Directory is a > > Windows server component that centralizes resources. It is seen as a > > necessary > > step toward securing the LSU network. > > > > </snip> > > As a full time systems administrator for Caltech and a part time > student at LSU, I would emphatically protest the requirement to have a > windows laptop as part of my enrollment. A laptop requirement is fine, > but *I* should be able to choose the OS, especially if I have to buy > the damn thing. Linux may not be the answer, but I have found OS X to > have the best of both worlds, especially for a student. I wonder if I > could sue the university? Hmm... laptop enters campus, gets infected, > I get home and it infects my network... You get the idea. I think LSU > has enough problems with Windows worms floating around without 20,000+ > students bringing them in from home. > > > _______________________________________________ > General mailing list > [email protected] > http://brlug.net/mailman/listinfo/general_brlug.net
I was at the above meeting, and the idea of having "ALL" Windows computers on the LSU Campus be part of LSU's Active Directory, I found to be crazy. Besides the fact it would be a nightmare to move my 100 so odd computers to another domain that I don't have much control over and the fact that LSU can't keep their domain controllers up, there are probably some privacy issues with forcing students to add their computers to the LSU Active Directory. If I was a student at LSU, I would have serious issues with giving control of my computer over to LSU, thats what they want? They want to have control over a student's computers so that they can install and change what ever they think is giving them "security" problems. I am still confused on how this will help security, are they going to take away the rights of students to install software on their personal computers? What if I want to un-install the MS patch the Computer Services put on my computer because it gives me problems (which has happened to me personally)? The only way I can see the above policy improving security, is by taking away all the rights of students to install software on their personal computers, and for some reason I don't see that going over so well. A few more holes could be poked in this policy, example the wide open wireless access, but thats for another time. The whole laptop idea in general scares me. The policy is seriously flawed. Dennis -- 1 + 1 = 10 Louisiana State University Biological and Agricultural Department (www.bae.lsu.edu) Computer Systems Administrator Ph: 225.578.1072, E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
