[511] in Resnet-Forum
Re: Housecalls...and liability issues
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dan Updegrove)
Thu Feb 23 22:13:48 1995
To: resnet-forum@MIT.EDU
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 1995 21:48:41 -0500 (EST)
From: danu@dccs.upenn.edu (Dan Updegrove)
While we have several programs in place to "make it easy" for our ResNet
residents to obtain and install their own IP software (see below), we
nevertheless find it necessary to send out student assistants to assist
those who can't do it themselves. In some cases, our assistants discover
that the first task is to install the Ethernet card (or adapter, in the
case of laptops). Since our goal is to leave the customer up and netting
on one visit, we authorize the assistants to install the cards. We haven't
had a serious problem in two years, and we're prepared to repair or
replace the first one that occurs. We think making customers happy is
worth the risk.
By way of background, our ResNet program is UTP Ethernet only, and we run
BOOTP in the residences to assign IP addresses without manual
intervention. We currently route IP and AppleTalk (not IPX). Thus, for Mac
users, we make available on an AppleShare server all the IP-based software
needed (MacTCP, Telnet, Fetch, NetScape, ...) in one self-extracting
archive. For DOS/Windows users, we make available at the front desks a
free starter disk that contains a TCP stack (Novell's LAN Workplace) and
an FTP client, with which users can obtain the rest of the software suite
from an FTP server.
Regards,
Dan
--
Daniel A. Updegrove University of Pennsylvania
Associate Vice Provost 3401 Walnut, Suite 221A
Information Systems and Computing Phila, PA 19104-6228
Executive Director 215 898-2883
Data Communications & Computing Service fax 898-9348
Home Page URL: http://pobox.upenn.edu/~danu/
