Slashdot Mirror
Should Colleges Monitor Students' PCs?
dancedance asks: "I am a CS student at a small Liberal Arts college. Like most academic institutions, we have to deal with worm-infested computers being brought into the network from the outside. In the past the school's response has been to require all windows computers to install the virus software provided by the school. Although this helped protect the network, it was certainly not a complete solution, especially at the beginning of the school year. This year computing services is taking a more proactive approach to network security: it is requiring all Windows-based computers to install software which will allow the school to automatically update virus software, apply windows patches, install software 'deemed necessary' for network security, and 'report on the status of your computer'. This seems like a 'one step foreword, two steps backward,' approach to network safety as I fear that, under this system, a malicious user would only have to break into one central system to wreak havoc on the entire network. Are my concerns about this system well founded, or is this less of a problem than I make it out to be? Are similar policies getting implemented at other academic institutions?"
Boy-oh-boy, that's gotta be tough. "CS101: Introduction to Point-n-Click", "CS110: Introduction to Powerpoint Animation Techniques" (and the follow-up course: "CS210: Intermediate Powerpoint Animation Techniques") and the popular elective "CS495: Advanced Regedit".
CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
1. Nobody is forcing them to live on campus.
2. Dialup is a viable alternative: you might dismiss it because it isn't fast, but if you're that paranoid about the terms and conditions attached to being on the college network then don't expect them to have an independent broadband connection (and whatever else you might like) just for you.
Why do people expect everything to fall into their laps like it's some kind of divine right?
"Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
Dont know why you got modded up - You Sir are the Linux troll that everyone knows is keeping us out of the desktop. BigBrotherWare?? you obviously have never admined a network. You want to plug random virii/trojan/spyware into my network....my rules. Let me restate that...My network, my rules....dont like it....hey dial-up is $9/month Oh, and when you cracjk out the "But my fees pay for this!!" crap, your fees also pay for the campus Dems, Repubs, GBLT broup, as well as ecco terrorists. Get over it.
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