Behind the Scenes at MIT's Network 118
BobB writes "MIT's head of computer networks and security gives an inside look at how the techie school is fending off hackers, cranking up its network to handle voice over IP and become a fiber network operator to link to other research institutions. From the article: 'Q - How do you actually enforce security standards among MIT's departments and network users? A - Enforce is not a word you can use at MIT. We try to entice people to do the right thing. We've made a lot of progress. We've removed the financial incentive to run your own network, which used to be cheaper than having us do it. We've been a cost-recovery network since forever now though. At many universities the network is free and they just fund it out of operating costs.'"
The main security problem (Score:5, Insightful)
Q:.. I know MIT has not been immune to breaches either, but what do you think when you hear about new breaches like these?
A:.. The problem we all have is the Microsoft patch of the week. I hate to say it, but it's sort of the payback for universities not paying attention to security for decades or being sloppy about administrative computing.
Not that MS is the only problem, but they helped secure that mentality. I don't think Linux would have made it easier or better either. He goes on to talk about use of SSNs and other bad ideas. If only businesses would listen to this type of advice!!
Re:The main security problem (Score:5, Insightful)
If only consumers would demand that business listen to this type of advice.
Not a trivial change. (Score:5, Insightful)
When I switched to a keyboard that rearranged my “Super Six”, I was distraught too. I kept hitting the wrong keys and it was annoying for some time. This is not a trivial difference for people used to not staring at their keyboards as they work.
Re:Huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Did you consider when using his keyboard he didn't look at the keyboard?
If this person job is data entry, then YOU were in the wrong for not anticipating then need for the same keyboard layout.
Re:Huh? (Score:3, Insightful)
You probably spend a ton of time picking out your gadgets or aligning things to just the way you like them, but I suspect you just throw any old thing at users and expect them to "deal with it", after all, they're just clueless anyway, right? Hey, if the user liked the keys arranged horizontal v vertical, then what's wrong with that, and why does it justify your bad attitude becuase of it?
You give us IT "professionals" a bad rep.
Re:Huh? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Public IPs (Score:1, Insightful)
BUT this is MIT.
'Nuff said.
If they can't figure out Linux (i.e. it's not simple enough) - maybe they should reconsider schools?
Re:Huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Frankly, the keyboards with those 6 keys vertical bug the heck out of me, too. It's a lot harder to feel where the middle row is when it's 3-high instead of 3-wide, since my fingers are arranged horizontally on the keyboard.
Re:Huh? (Score:3, Insightful)
Each of the three things you note is change for the sake of benefit. Automatic transmission*, direct access to the number, arbitrary number of channels.
What is the point of rearranging the six-block that you describe?
If someone said "Here's your new phone. You have to use it constantly for your job. Oh, by the way, we rearranged the numbers so they now go
789
456
123
0
, would you just accept this change-for-the-sake-of-change, or would you want to know why the primary interface that you use to function in your job has been suddenly changed for no apparent benefit?"
Different is not necessarily better...
(*: not that an automatic transmission is automatically a benefit. Let's have the example of a "stick"-shift that has paddle shifters on the steering wheel with an automatic clutch. That's also change, but it's change with a benefit, because you no longer have to take your hands off the wheel to shift."
Re:The main security problem (Score:3, Insightful)
If only ideas were evaluated on their merit, rather than based on the amount of money people can throw towards them.
"Market forces" don't guarantee smart outcomes, especially given that smart isn't correlated with wealthy.