[OPLINTECH] Allow software on public computers other than what's installed?

[Chad Neeper]

Years ago I used to lock the computers down pretty tightly. Computers were
relative a new thing in libraries and librarians were more paranoid. These
days, patron computers are logged in with user-level privileges and they
all have Deep Freeze. So I take the attitude that if a patron can install a
program without elevated privileges, they're welcome to do it. I don't
care. That's exactly what I tell the staff. I also don't lock them down
nearly as heavily as I used to. They're all on isolated/firewalled network
segments and are frozen. So they're cleaned out at every reboot. This
allows for maximum utility for whatever the patron needs, while keeping the
library's network safe/secure. This is the approach I've taken for the last
~10 years or more and it's worked quite well. YMMV!

Chad


______________________________
*Chad Neeper*
Senior Systems Engineer

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

*Full IT/Computer consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and
schools*


On Wed, Feb 20, 2019 at 3:39 PM Phil Shirley via OPLINTECH <
oplintech at lists.oplin.org> wrote:

> Do you allow patrons to run software on public computers other than what's
> installed? That would include portable software and I suppose even browser
> extensions.
>
> Phil
> --
>
> *Phil Shirley*
> IT Manager
> *Cuyahoga Falls Library*
> *p.* 330.928.2117 x109 *e. *pshirley at cuyahogafallslibrary.org
> *w. cuyahogafallslibrary.org <http://www.cuyahogafallslibrary.org/> a.
> 2015 Third Street, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221*
>
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