[10573] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Restrictions on public terminals
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (spober@manvax.cc.manhattan.edu)
Tue Sep 3 20:18:26 1996
Date: Tue, 03 Sep 1996 18:21:46 -0500 (CDT)
From: spober@manvax.cc.manhattan.edu
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L@UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Some months ago, we put up a limited number of computers in
the public area of the library for Internet access. We have
two terminals set up for WWW access only, and several set up
for all Internet services, plus all other applications available
on the campus network.
We were concerned in the beginning that the majority of the usage
would be for word processing and other local applications, as our
intention was to provide Internet access to information resources.
In truth, we have found that the heaviest users of the computers are
the IRC users. From what we can see, the chatters are using them
as recreational resources (I'm sure that someone out there uses the
IRC for scholarly pursuits, but I've yet to see that happen here.)
There have been times that all or almost all of the terminals are
being used for chat, and none are available for those users who would
like to use the Internet for research.
I don't wish the librarians here to be put in the role of policing
what use is made of the public computers. However, we are going to
take the first step towards that simply by enforcing time limits.
We would like to block access to the IRC in the hope that this will
free these computers to be used for access to other net resources,
however, many of the students know quite well how to download and
install a chat client. We do not block access to the hard drive so
that they can download large files, but I do have a few lines in
autoexec.bat that removes the chat clients (along with other downloaded
files) when the computers are rebooted.
Are other institutions having this problem with IRC use? How are
you dealing with it?
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Stacy Pober Internet: spober@manvax.cc.manhattan.edu
Information Alchemist
Manhattan College Libraries Phone: 718-862-7166
Riverdale, NY 10471 Fax: 718-862-7995
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Wouldn't it be nice if ignorance were painful? - S. Wright
