Fortres 101

[Wally Babcock]

This was recently discussed on PACS-L.  I append a summary below. 

Our computing services folks are considering a similar product called
PCLockout.  Has anyone used this?  Compared the two?

Wally
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Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 17:34:22 -0500 (CDT)
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS at UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
Sender: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L at UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L at UHUPVM1.UH.EDU>

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Thank you to everyone who responded to my request for information.
It has been very helpful.

*******************RESPONSES**************************

Product: Fortres 101 (96 version)
Company: Fortres Grand Corporation, P.O. Box 888, Plymouth, Indiana
46563, Tel.
(800)331-0372
Price: Site license:$295 per building, unlimited load.

We have used Fortres for about one year, it does mostly what you want
to do.
The new version (96 version) with more flexibilities and claims fixed
some bugs.

I hope the next version will be a real bug-free and robust one.
***************************************************************

We use Fortress here at MBC to lock the windows machines down to
the point students can only open a menu (such as Netscape) and use
it, we have completely eliminated the ability to use: file manager, copy
items on the machine (file to file), resize or move icons, etc -- basically
the student can assure themselves of a fresh start by simply powering
off/on the PC and using the program.  We have also inserted several batch files
to clean the cache and history files from Netscape each time the PC is
rebooted.  Fortress has been a good protection device for us, but
someone with the time and inclination can get around the protection.  Of
course, this is true for most any kind of protection scheme.
************************************************************

I saw the ad for Fortress 101 and purchased the cite license.  It
looks like a good program, and is very easy to install.  *However*, they
apparently have some quality control problems with the duplication of the disks.
I
have now received *3* bad disks.  Their response, however, has been great
until the last disk.  Each time I've called Fortres Grand and they immediately
sent out another disk. However, they have been slow (10+ days) in sending out
the 4th. disk.  I am sure they think I'm trying to do a number on them....:-(

The problem appears to be in setting up multiple user groups.  After
setting up the multiple users, you save the configurations.  If you
get a message windows that says  "It's too deep" you have a bad disk, and
the multiple users function will not work. In fact, *nothing* will be
protected.

It looks like a really neat program, allowing you to set protection
down to the individual file level.  If they can get the bad disk
duplication fixed, it should be a very good security program.
*********************************************************

We use Fortres 101 (version F95) and have been very pleased with it.
We have now been using it for about 6 months.  Georgia has a new
statewide set of databases known as GALILEO (GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online)
[located at http://www.galileo.peachnet.edu].  We use Fortres to prevent access
to anything we don't want students and faculty into, such as DOS prompt;
file manager; etc.; etc.; etc.  GALILEO operates through the Netscape
browser with its own icon.  We place the GALILEO icon and the TNVT icon in
the startup group so that patrons only can get to GALILEO and can telnet.
 So far, we don't think anyone has broken into anything they should not.
We did have someone install the America Online program on top of GALILEO
once on one workstation (for some unknown reason since they have GALILEO and
WWW for free in our library), but it was at a time that we had FTP in
startup.  After we moved FTP out of startup, we have not noticed any other
problem.  The company seems to be very easy to work with, and the price of $295
for a building-wide license is nothing to complain about.  I am very
enthusiastic about Fortres.
**************************************************************

For the first 4-6 weeks of this year we did not have Fortres on
our  public pc's. I spent about an hour a day straightening them out
and troubleshooting. Since we loaded Fortres I don't have to spend
hardly anytime on them. I know it has saved me a lot of time. I think it
is well worth the money. I did not do any comparison shopping. I
heard about it from a fellow DRA user, who happens to be an ex-marine.
I figure if it was secure enough for him it would be for me!
Once you are in an application Fortres can't do anything. For
example, if a student is in netscape and decides to change things around
he/she can, but it definitely cuts down on moving icons around, and
getting out to DOS, etc.
**************************************************************

I just began working at a library which just started Fortress on the
lab workstations. It works great. You can completely lock users out of
the ability to exit Windows and run other programs. There is a way for
staff to get out when needed. I doubt anybody would guess the sequence,
unless, of course, they have a copy of the software. The exit is password
protected, however. I have only been at this library for two weeks, but, so far,
Fortress is doing the job without a hitch.
************************************************************

We use Fortres 101 here at the UW-Stout Library Learning Center.  We
have a building license.  It works great for Windows 3.x, but on Windows 95,
it isn't quite as slick.  On our Windows 3.1 PC's, we set up one program
group with icons for all of the programs we want people to have access to.
Then we open that group and resize it so that it takes up the entire
screen.  The other program groups are still there hiding behind it, but nobody
can
access them since Fortres won't let them minimize the screen.  It works very
well.

The problem with Windows 95 is that you don't have program groups on
the desktop, so we had to create shortcuts to each program.  People still
can drag things onto the desktop like their favorite web site, etc.  It
doesn't have nearly as much flexibility as on Windows 3.x.  We also had a lot
of trouble just obtaining the version to run on Windows 95.  They told
us for months that it would be "ready next week."  Then when we finally did
receive it, there were problems with a missing file and it locked the
machines up so that you couldn't access anything and you couldn't get into
Fortres
to change the settings.  They sent us a second disk that didn't work any
better than the first.  The third disk did actually work.  It was a very
frustrating experience.
*************************************************************

We use Fortres 101 for Win 3.1 in all our buildings and find that it
is a very reliable product.  It lets you disable or prevent access to
specific windows features and prevent against overwrite of programs, drivers,
ini files...etc (by running attrib for you).  The product locks you into one
group where you stack the icons you want.  I know that Fortres was going to
work on allowing multiple groups last time I talked to them and they may have
already done that.

Fortres uses all the tricks that you can do in DOS 6+ to prevent
interrupting the boot process and adds a small TSR program that
prevents breaking the autoexec.bat execution (for Win 3.1).
We do not have the Win95 version installed anywhere so can't speak
for that piece.  In the 1 1/2 years we have been using it I do not know
of anyone gaining access to our PC's.
**********************************************************

I've been using it for several months now and have had two problems
with it.  First, one of the features locks icons on the screen so they
can't be rearranged.  This is nice, as it also prevents users from
minimizing the program manager, and allows you to set your screen up in an
uncluttered way.  Unfortunately, this has to be turned off if the
machine is running any full screen dos applications or certain other
applications (The version of Encarta that we have has this problem).
 This is really only a minor annoyance.

The second problem was a bit more bothersome.  A machine running a
communications program started having problems in which the
com program would lock and drop the user back to a now completely
unprotected windows screen.  I solved this by moving to a more robust
comm program, but it still makes me nervous.

On the other hand, neither of these glitches has led to any real
problems and I am, by and large, still quite happy with the product.  Neither
problem seemed big enoughh to call tech support about, so I don't
know how good they are.
*************************************************************
We've been using Fortres 101 (yes, it only has one s)for about a year
now and I think it's great.  There may be some ways around it for super
sophistated users (usually through holes left by whatever application
you are using) but it's worked out well for us so far.  We're even using
it on staff workstations to keep the interface consistent throughout
most of the shared workstations throughout our building.  It's easy to
install and easy to remove temporarily when you need to make changes.
**********************************************************
We have used Fortress for 1 1/2 years and found it a very
secure program.  It basicaly uses alot of the built-in tricks Windows and
DOS have available but adds some more control.  Your icons are locked
into a group, files are write protected and breaking out the the boot
process is prevented with a TSR program.  They have release a WIN95
version now but we are only using WIN 3.11 for workgroups.

We use it on staff terminals used by many persons to ease administration
and public CD ROM machines/networks.  The license is not too expensive at
around $300/building.  Feel free to call if you want more info - Fortres
used to offer a 30 day trial to test it out.



*******************************************
Melissa Casper (Libcaspr at cml.indstate.edu)
Cunningham Memorial Library
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN  47809
(812) 237-2059
812-237-2059

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>
>We're looking at this software for possible use,
>obviously in our library, and we'd love some
>input from others who've used it.  We have Windows95
>and Windows3.1 and dos machines and....
>
>Thanks!
>
>--Barb
>********************************************************************
>Barbara Dunn				524 Main St.
>Technical Services Librarian		Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
>Cedar Falls Public Library		(319)273-8643
>
>"All the men on my staff can type."  -- Bella Abzug
>********************************************************************
>
>
>
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Waldo C. Babcock                 
Reference/Electronic Access Librarian
Lightner Library, Keuka College, Keuka Park, NY  14478-0098
Voice:315-536-5265 Fax:315-536-5402  Email:wally at nysernet.org
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