[OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers

[Dan Will]

Chad,
   I am the other one without an iTunes account I guess  ;^) . I agree
that a safety net would be nice but, with 60+ (including 12 staff) pcs
it's pretty easy to forget to stake them all well. We have to educate
all our users better I guess : \
Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: Chad Neeper <cneeper at level9networks.com>
Cc: OPLINTECH <OPLINTECH at oplin.org>
Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:46:55 -0500

Dan (or anyone else),

I'm one of the two people in the world that don't have an account set up
for iTunes, so I can't as easily follow up on this as you may be able
to:  If iTunes account info is stored (and can be identified) in the
Windows registry, it should be a trivial matter to delete the entries
using a .reg file and a Task Scheduler job every hour or so as an extra
safety net for when you're not there to remind the patrons to reboot
when they are done, etc.

Just a thought.

-----------------------
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

--   Full LAN/WAN consulting services   --
-- Specialized in libraries and schools --



Dan Will wrote: 

> Mary Beth,
>    We currently do have ITunes installed but, I cannot imagine any
> savvy patron wanting to have their personal information left on a
> public computer.  I understand that not all patrons are tech savvy and
> that's where I feel I come in. I try to explain to them that leaving
> an accounts information on our computers is not wise and that the
> Library cannot  assure them of confidentiality. If they want to use
> their account information, restart the computer after they finish.  On
> our computers, that should be enough to clear the information. Our
> computer use policy (that they have to sign) clearly states that we
> can not guarantee their information privacy. I personally, don't have
> a problem with patron's making session changes  but, I would not do it
> myself. 
>    I agree with Chad, in that I tend to rely on the Shared Computer
> Toolkit or SteadyState to return the computers to their previous state
> and leave them "fairly" open. Our patrons want to be able to do
> anything that they can do at home (or more, they don't worry about our
> computers like their own). "IF" I can allow something without worrying
> about them being down half the time, then I'm for it.
> -- 
> Dan Will
> Technology Supervisor
> Meigs County District Public Library
> Pomeroy, Ohio 45769
> 740.992.5813
> 740.992.6140 (fax)
> willda at oplin.org
> 
> The difference between fiction and reality?
> Fiction has to make sense.
> Tom Clancy
>         
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mary Beth Seith <mseith at twinsburglibrary.org>
> To: OPLINTECH <OPLINTECH at oplin.org>
> Subject: [OPLINTECH] iTunes/iPods on public computers
> Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:31:29 -0500
> 
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> With the holiday gift-giving season upon us, we're starting to receive 
> patron inquiries about the availability of iTunes on our public/lab 
> computers so they can make use of all the iPods they're buying. 
> 
> Given the considerations with Apple's requirement that you "authorize" a 
> computer to an iPod/iTunes account, how are other libraries handling 
> this?  Right now, we don't have the iTunes software installed, but we do 
> allow patrons to plug in MP3 (or other USB) devices that don't require 
> special software.  I have no problem with adding iTunes/iPods, except 
> for these issues with maintaining the software installation as being 
> generic, privacy considerations, etc.  We don't currently have plans to 
> make our music collection available this way, but are simply looking to 
> accomodate those patrons who want to use it for their own tracks.
> 
> For those of you who make use of a program like DriveShield or 
> DeepFreeze, do you simply make the patrons responsible for unauthorizing 
> the workstation they're using before departing?  Otherwise I can see 
> people ending up with zombie registrations when the system rebooted... 
> 
> Thanks!
> Mary Beth
> 
>   
> 
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> 
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