Control of web browser....a DIFFERENT question

[Dan Lester]

I've said my piece more than once on censorship, so I'll let
that one go.  And if anyone considers this question to be
about censorship, well, that isn't what I'm asking.

We have public web stations in the library that are very tightly
locked down by IKIOSK (under Win95 and NS3.x).  We're
happy with it.  They can't add to hotlist, do any printing, etc,
etc.  They can do those things in labs, so all they have to do
is walk a couple hundred feet to another building.

What we'd like to control is the use of email and chat that are
provided via Web Pages rather than separate clients.  We
assume that we could buy or license a blocking product that
would allow us to configure our own places to block, and then
block such pages as we learn of them.  But on principle we
don't really want to do that.  It is not a perfect system and
would put us in a constant battle with users.

Also, we're looking at switching to NT4 on these and a
couple other machines, since we understand (correctly?) that
it will allow us to remotely control another machine.  The idea
is to put NT4(client) on the public machines and on one at
the reference desk.  We'll post signs saying that anyone
using chat or email via the web will have their session
terminated immediately.  May sound weird, but will it work? 
Why or why not?

Any other suggestions on this issue are welcome. 
Discussing why we shouldn't block these services if not of
interest to me for two reasons:

1. I've already been told to block them.
2. It IS a resources issue.  
3. If and when chat and email become "scholarly issues that
the library must provide services for" I'll work on convincing
the powers above me that we should change back.

cheers

dan


Dan Lester, Network Information Coordinator
Boise State University Library, Boise, Idaho, 83725 USA
voice: 208-385-1235   fax:  208-385-1394
dlester at bsu.idbsu.edu     OR    alileste at idbsu.idbsu.edu
Cyclops' Internet Toolbox:    http://cyclops.idbsu.edu
"How can one fool make another wise?"   Kansas, 1979.