A win95 question

[Derek Atkins]

Bill Horne <bhorne at banet.net> writes:

> 1. I want to be able to control it from the head end

Ok, have the script run from the head-end (although that's more
challenging, because you have to tell the script the IP address of the
client).

> 2. It has to be transparent to the users, i.e., they won't tolerate
> anything that they have to start each time they leave the machine,
> so I don't think a script would do the trick.  Am I wrong?

Will they tolerate something they have to startup every time they
login?  The script can stay running even when they're at the machine.
You don't have to stop it.  You'll just (potentially) have to restart
it when you login again.  But I'm not convinced you even need to do
that.  If you're not connected, the ping will fail.  But that should
be ok.

> Also, I'm REALLY worried about such a utility getting passed around
> - you know how executives like to brag - and I'd greatly appreciate
> ideas on how its use can be controlled from inside the firewall, so
> the modem pool managers don't get deluged with "no access"
> complaints.

Not much you can do about that.  The managers of the modem pool have a
real reason why they want people to disconnect when they're not using
the system.  The modem pool is a scarce resource.  You're attempting
to bypass their controls.

If you want control over it, have the modem-pool maintainers make it
so that certain accounts don't get automatically disconnected.  If you
can't get them to approve this, then either:

	a) your people aren't high enough in the food chain to matter,
or	b) you will have to worry about other people using your technique.

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available
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