[WEB4LIB] Re: Writeable CD drive on a public machine?

[Dan Lester]

Monday, February 26, 2001, 2:50:11 PM, you wrote:

DC> I think we may be hearing more about this ... we allow students to download
DC> their articles, assignments etc onto floppies so they can print them at
DC> home, but only last week a student asked me if she could download onto a
DC> cd. It's the first time we've had this request, but I don't think it will
DC> be the last - apparently, this is normal procedure for her at home - all of
DC> her work is stored on disc ...

As others have noted, copyright issues aren't our problem.  If you're
worried, put a standard copyright sign, like you have on your copy
machines, on the computers too.

We have about a third of our machines for the public with Zip drives.
They get used. We don't sell Zips, but do sell floppies for a buck.
Haven't really had demand to sell Zips, as people seem to bring their
own.  I think a CDR would be reasonable, but I'll wait until I get
some demand for it.  Yes, there could be queueing for various reasons,
but that happens anyway.  The people who want to save their articles
to Zip disks make sure to start on a Zip equipped machine, which is
rarely a problem to find one open.

If I were worried about someone tying them up to save stuff to CD or
Zip, I'd worry about the "porn boys" (local appellation for those who
hang out on the computers in back corners, monitors turned to the
side, etc.) saving stuff more than MP3s or anything else.

I don't think the CDR would be much more difficult to support than any
of the other "take away media".

cheers

dan

-- 
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  www.postcard.org  www.gailndan.com