What is Digg?57 Comments
- tito13kfm, on 10/12/2007, -1/+26As long as you aren't the trainer you should be fine.
- nathanmock, on 10/12/2007, -4/+25Linux only?
- Warrzie, on 10/12/2007, -18/+36We all know that women would be the most likely to mess up a computer.
- thecoolestcow, on 10/12/2007, -3/+20Hahaha @petard's comment
There's nooo getting out of that one... you just admitted to being addicted to porn and being a 15 year old. Congratulations on ruining your digg rep :) - mordain, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19No baby-boomer techno-phobes are the most likely to screw up a desktop.
- Celeron, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18Yea, like that will stop me. There are always work arounds for things like these. I hope my boss doesn't find my porn movies hidden in the Window directory. Inside is also a video of his wife cheating on him with her trainer.
- Dabellah, on 10/12/2007, -4/+17I'm not in the least bit sexist but hasn't this been proven and verified through an actual conducted study?
- PeakAction, on 10/12/2007, -6/+14@feanor
When writing in a general sense (not about a specific person or people) it is grammatically correct to use "his" as a subject reference. It isn't a sexist remark, it's proper English. If it offends you, by all means, write an angry e-mail to Webster's. - rastan, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10Dude, you obviously didn't RTFA, this is for linux, deepfreeze doesn't exist on linux. Think before you insult next time...
Digg for forced conformity and stifled creativity! :) - tavisjohn, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6I find that the average user who thinks they have expert knowledge are the WORST people to operate a PC. They think they know what they are doing... But then they install AdWare like WeatherBug ON PURPOUSE!!!!!!!!!!
- aptget, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6"no, 15 year old porn-hungry boys are"
Only if using Internet Explorer. Simply watching porn doesn't infect a Windows computer, it's the ActiveX used on the porn sites. - bigpixl, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7The university I go to has that installed on all of the campus computers. It's a pain but it's better than an interface clogged with spyware, viruses etc.
- Sl4sher, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I would love to know how to do this one Windows. I work at a cyber cafe and everyone takes it upon themselves to help me find the best resolution, desktop background, and theme. The resolution thing bothers me the most since they like to pick wide screen resolution for our crappy little CRTs.
- lukas88, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This is good. There was always this ***** at my school who would go around and put republican political cartoons as backgrounds. And thats, well, lame.
- DigitAl56K, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3How about teaching your users to use their desktops effectively, to understand the risks that are out there, and to help them go on to help others? This is pure administrator paranoia: some users mess up their machines, so to save yourself some work you want to lock down every users machine. As someone who is generally in the user position, rather than the admin position, this really irritates me and gives me a dim view of your role and a lack of appreciation for your work. I don't appreciate being locked out of the computer I work on. I don't need to be saved from myself, thanks. So you have to fix a handful of desktops once in a while? Guess what? That's your job.
Maybe this is a good idea in public access areas/schools, but I hate this kind of thing in the workplace. - Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Not only that, but "locking down" machines keeps workers from figuring out how to use their PC's more effectively.
- bwoodruff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2There is also a difference between allowing someone to customize their desktop, and allowing them to BSoD it with spyware.
If I don't want to look at the fugly Fisher Price blue default color scheme that Microsoft and the IT department have chosen for me, I shouldn't have to.
If I would rather use a more secure browser like Mozilla Firefox over M$ IE, I should be able to do that too.
You're just another BOFH 022A.
Make IT related questions part of the standard company application. If the user can answer them, then let them change their damn wallpaper. If not, then lock it down. - Technopundit, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Oh yah, that'll make lots of friends. IT people are just a bunch of control freaks. Better to require all data be saved on the network, then when the user screws up the machine, restore it to a standard configuration.
- lambda, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2
A great way to piss off your users. Don't be an IT control freak. - Aiwanei, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4"No, we are actually some of the least likely. I have built many computers and reinstalled Windows many times."
I'm not trying to start a fight, but doesn't the fact that you have needed to reinstall many times, indicate that you have somehow screwed up? I mean I know after years windows can get lots of broken entries in the registery and what not, and slow down.
And I have to be honest I have reinstalled many times myself, usually because I was playing around trying to figure something out, and didn't have system restore on, or LKGC was broken. But usually a reinstall is only absolutely required, if something was borken. - lambda, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1So I take it YOU don't have any of that software on your machines and you are always working?
- darkecho, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3@Aiwanei -
Being a teen , yet a computer tech (as a real tax paying job), Windows does tend to slow down just overtime of use. I have reformatted my machine many times, due to getting too bloated and that it slowed way down...
Also, where I work (school), we have been locking down desktops so the students can't screw them up (though they eventually do). Such as disabling the "Display" properties so they cant change wallpaper, screensaver, and theme helps take distraction. I hate logging onto a computer and seeing some gay ass picture of 50 cent , and other rappers. Another big one, is giving specific permissions to "All Users" desktop icons. That way it shows up for all users (obviously) but you can make it so they cannot delete icons off the desktop. I imagine you can bring it down all the way to not allowing new icons to be created by that user. - s1rk3ls, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2As a member of the IT group that gets called out when users mess up their computer by playing with settings and installing software they shouldn't instead of actually using their computer for their job - I wish more restrictions like these were implemented more often, especially at large corporations (less headaches for me - and yes, potentially less chance of a job for me as well)
Just think how much money companies would be saving on paid work hours for people like myself, and even equipment such as replacement hard drives or systems that get fried by users installing software, spy ware, viruses, etc. (I've seen systems running so hard with all the junk on it that the hard drive crashes [sooner than it would have under normal circumstances] or it even overheats the PC)
One step would be to switch to a Linux desktop (save more money there by not supporting Micro$oft) and not only are your users less likely to screw things up because they don't know how on a Linux system and can't find the spy ware and viruses to install, but the environment is much more configurable to allow it to be locked down better.
If you spend 8-9 hours in front of a PC every day, most likely you have at least 1 if not more applications that you are *supposed* to be using, most likely almost constantly. Why then, would you need to change the background of the desktop (that you theoretically would never see) or the screen saver (which should never turn on except during breaks or lunchtime) much less install instant messengers, games, search toolbars, streaming audio, (bring a radio to work if you're allowed to listen to music while you work) save money coupon software, emoticons, and fonts, etc.
But alas, that would all be seen as trying to keep the man down... - Haplo, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3for Windows: http://johnbokma.com/windows/quick-launch.html
keeps mine quite clean. - samdu, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3If them customizing their systems comes at the cost of ME spending time with friends and family, then yeah, I'll cut off their ability to customize their system. Saves the company a TON of money, too. My services aren't cheap and I have no reservations about billing for every second that I'm cleaning up something that could have been prevented if the user wasn't so wreckless.
- pigdart, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2read up on "Group Policy"
- spectre_25gt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I've always wondered about that. Shouldn't wreckless driving be considered a good thing?
- bwoodruff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1kutulu13, that isn't always the case.
A lot of IT departments have more control over what happens and what doesn't than you give them credit for. - skatingrox, on 10/12/2007, -3/+3If they're "wreckless" why do you need to clean up after them, since they never *wreck* anything?
- pauldonnelly, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1You're not in the right thread are you?
- Sl4sher, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I was looking at GP earlier, I'll probably have to look at it more before I'm done but I saw nothing to restrict resolution changing.
- darkecho, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1I remember deep freeze.. such a pain in the butt when its time to go around and do updates. Although making it seem like they have installed a program, only to remove it when the computer shuts down was a great idea. I remember when I first came across it. I must have un-installed it at least 5 times, only to have it come back. Good program for users who are especially prone to getting viruses/spyware, as a simple reboot will clear it all out.
- digitaldivider, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1what about mandatory profiles for windows?
- SP33DFR34K, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2http://www.faronics.com/html/deepfreeze.asp
My high school used and seemed to work good. Got rid of all the stupid junk people downloaded, so I didn't have to get rid of it manually, or put some of the stuff back people deleted. Allows to freeze the state of the computer you want and even restrict certain access to things. Works great. - Namronorman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0reck·less
adj.
1. Heedless or careless.
2. Headstrong; rash.
No double-you. Cheers! - dangerboy13, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2I work at a community college and we use Deep Freeze on all the PCs as well. Saves us a ton of time with students who don't know what they are doing that install software or get spyware on the computers. Now I am working on getting them to start using it on the Macs that we have on campus (about 25) so that we can keep uniformity and some level of control on those as well.
- kutulu13, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Im gonna make this real simple for your "simple minded" people out there.
IT's like this....
You are an employee of an employer(i.e. the company you work for). Your "employer" tells you what/when/how/where to do your JOB! Your employer "OWNS/CONTROLS" the equiptment/technique that is used to build "THEIR" product/service. This means the "END USER" (i.e. you most likely/employee) uses that equiptment/technique to do their JOB. The "END USER" does not "OWN/CONTROL" the equiptment/technique.
In the case of an IT dept., the "EMPLOYER" "CONTROLS" IT. If a decision is made where the "EMPLOYER" dosent want the "END USER" to have rights to a computer, it is the IT dept.'s "JOB" to see that it is done. So if you are an "END USER" know this, that it is the compays decision, not IT's, to restrict your acces.
Ultimately "YOU" dont "OWN" it so "YOU" dont make the decision!!! - 022A, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0Hey Mr.PC Magazine (Technopundit),
When you understand the cost of network storage, the difficulty of expanding the IT budget to cover it or getting other departments to accept and implement chargebacks, the complexity of backing up user data, the work required to maintain a standard configuration across several thousand dekstops on different maintenance cycles (read: different hardware configurations) and licensing, 5 years of support under your belt and knowledge of a couple hundred other factors I haven't listed.
Then you will have a valid opinion to bring to the table. Until then, shut the ***** up. - 022A, on 10/12/2007, -1/+0"How about teaching your users to use their desktops effectively, to understand the risks that are out there, and to help them go on to help others?"
Yes, work out of politics of scheduling training for all your users, developing a course and somehow hoping that they absorb enough information to outmode training administrators and technicians. Not going to happen, training 1 person to build a locked down configuration and 10 people support it is far more efficient and reliable.
" So you have to fix a handful of desktops once in a while?"
My staff supports over 10,000 users. The sheer number of machines involved means that there will be more than "a hundful" needing service for reasons completely unrelated to users problems or software on any given week. The number of user calls number in the 100s.
"Guess what? That's your job."
It's your job to use Excel, Visual Studio or whatever the ***** it is you do and not play with desktop scheme, install WindowWasher or ***** with the swap file config because Maximum PC said you should.
If you *need* a configuration change, write it down, submit it and it will be done in 7 days or less. If you *need* admin access to your box, justify it, submit it and it will be reviewed and granted or denied in 7 days or less. - 022A, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1Haha, Linux only.
The overwhelming majority of people who this will be relevant to are going to be supporting Windows. For Windows desktops you can lock down nearly everything to nice stable state using a combination of the following...
1.) Window Group Policies
2.) File System Permissions
3.) Registry Permissions
#1 is easy and there are probably thousands of guides and templates on the web. #2 and #3 are a bit harder and unfortunately are given little time in certification materials.
Basically, you want to turn off write access to the entire filesystem everything except the user's profile directory, enable auditing for failures then run through everything the users *needs* to do with their PC keeping track of each task and see what breaks. Next, check the audit logs and enable only the file permissions and registry key access that the user needs.
This is a tedious process made frustrating by bad programming like apps that break without write access to files/keys which they really only need to read or use hardcoded paths pointing to write user data to system directories. However, the reward is well worth it and your security template doesn't need to change until the apps do. When that happens the process to make is purely procedural and can be offloaded if need be.
For the users who complain about having "their" PCs restricted...
Fact is, the PC you use at work isn't yours, it belongs to the company along with the desk it's sitting on. Even if it was your PC it would subject to company rules and policies if you want to connect to the company network.
For the techs who deal with those users...
If you're lucky, your CTO, CEO, COO, GM or whoever the big boss is will be empowering and sensible enough to accept the same restrictions as everyone else and set the example. Being able to say "If the CTO can deal with it, so can you." will shut the majority of people pretty quick.
Finally, for the PC Magazine reading jackass who's sure he's smarter than the entire IT department...
Just shut the ***** up already before someone lets the right people know about your web surfing habits and the fact that keep infecting your machine with Blaster via a flash drive shared with that Weatherbug running, ZoneAlarm "protected" ***** in your den. Also, enjoy knowing that some people do get special privileges and full control over their boxes. Why? They're smarter than you, trustworthy and discreet. - AKBryant54, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2@puffarthur
i was personally more pr0n hungry when i discovered it at about 13, since then ive learned to control my cravings.. - lyzz, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0Users don't care how to use their desktops effectively. They want the computer to be a magic box that does the work for them. That's why the term users has become a derogatory one.
- bilbus, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1First post was "Linux only? "
And i replyed, I use deep Freeze ..... i dont see how that was off topic - terinjokes, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1i HATE deepfreeze! Sometimes (IE when the power goes out) you don't want it to restore to freeze! And plz freeze at a resulotion HIGHER the 600 x 800! Goossh
- Sl4sher, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0I don't recall deepfreeze locking desktop resolutions and you have to reboot for everything to go back to normal. (Not that i don't intend to install Deep Freeze, I do.)
- WorldGroove, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3Oh forget it.... bury me. (digg needs to allow delete as well as edit)
- elroy, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1who cares. with stuff like spotlight, file structure is becoming somewhat irrelevant.
- s1rk3ls, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1@elroy What is spotlight? Are you refering to the OSX search utility? (which looks like Google and MSN's desktop search tools)
- Gryffydd, on 10/12/2007, -5/+0@fëanor512
Seriously dude, your name looks retarded without the umlaut. - xinpheld, on 10/12/2007, -6/+1Yes, please don't mess with the standard config, because doG forbid a user should be comfortable with his/her system that they have to stare at and spend more active time with per day than their own family. Down with individuality!
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