Restrictive Environment From School

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Dave Flowerday

I meant to be done with this post already, but I'm adding one more thing: you better get used to these policies because you'll find similar ones when you go to college and when you graduate and get a job. Most companies do just about the same thing to their laptops and desktops as the schools do.

Tell it. Getting on the network here at the University of South Carolina at first is a true test of one's patience. (You have to download the University's antivirus software, keep your system patched, and Cisco CleanAccess, which makes sure the above conditions are met. Well, at least on Windows.)

And installing software on a University machine? Unless you're charged specifically with a task such as administering a web server or running a computer lab, forget it.

I've dealt with some doozies here at USC, but it mainly comes down to finding the right person to solve most problems. Believe it or not, working IT for a public institution and knowing what you're doing are not mutually exclusive. Once you find that person who can get the job done, keep their number filed somewhere. Being able to cut past the phone tree to someone who knows your situation tends to do wonders for any issues you may experience.

Or start passing the hat around. You can get a fully-functioning PC for around $250 from Wal-Mart (without a monitor, but we're geeks--surely someone has an old monitor in the garage).

But please, don't attempt to subvert the rules. It almost invariably becomes more trouble than it's worth.