Alan Dayley wrote:
> Let me understand...
> 
> Supposed I am a graduate student and I have need to use a computer in my engineering research at an ASU lab somewhere.
> 
> If I bring in my old 233MHz computer with the original, un-patched Windows 98 installed on it and connect it to the school network I DON'T have to register it?  But if I have the latest Red Hat Linux on it, fully patched and secured, I HAVE to register it?

ABSOLUTELY.  There has never been an initiative to register MS products.

Austin

PS - I am playing a bit of a fool here.  I understand there intent.  I 
just find it painfully misguided.  I know many of the people using linux 
machines in the college, and know their needs and understand the need 
for security.  ETS (Engineering Technical Service) is either deliberatly 
making the effort of owning a Linux machine painfully high or simply 
doesnt know the best way to deal with their linux situation.

Example - people (professors and researchers) have systems that they 
have had some custom software built on for whatever reason, or some 
packages installed and services running in support of either classes or 
research.  Some of these machines are pretty bad off as far as security 
goes.  ETS says they have to upgrade to the latest distribution.  They 
don't say, turn off uneccessary services (they could send someone up to 
do that job in about 5 minutes) and upgrade the services you are using, 
only accept connections from ASU ips.  I think ETS is trying to scare 
people away from linux or at least from running their own linux 
machines.  If they provided some centralized facility to support the 
needs of these people that would be fine.  I am not sure what they 
provide, but it doesn't seem to me that they are going out of their way 
to help.