Win2000 download restrictions

[suekamm at mindspring.com]

Michele Seipp wrote:

  We have just upgraded to Windows 2000, server and workstations.  
  The City IS
  staff, who manage the network, want to prohibit any and all 
  downloads for
  both staff and public.

  1)      They are concerned about being held personally liable for any
  illegal downloads found on a city computer.  How are other IS depts 
  dealing
  with this liability issue?

2)      Library staff certainly have legitimate reasons to download 
content,
and I want to find out if there are solutions in Win2000 for limiting 
rather
than completely prohibiting downloads.  For instance, can downloads 
be
limited to a particular drive in W2K?

I think the Gates grant computers, which use WIN NT (similar in some 
was to WIN 2000) are programmed to allow downloading ONLY  to the 
A (floppy) drive.  There are profiles set up for various types of users, 
and the "staff" and "administrator" profiles allow different activities 
from the "public" profiles.  (For example, MS FrontPage is available 
only under the "staff" profile; the history feature is also available only 
in "staff" or "admin.")  I don't know if this topic has been covered in 
Web4Lib archives.

I am assuming that your system will have anti-virus software which 
will run automatically at a set time or when the computer is turned 
on.  If your users may download only to a floppy disk, I would think 
posting a warning against viruses would cover liability issues.

--
Your friendly CyberGoddess and re-elected ALA Councilor,
Sue Kamm
Truest of the Blue, Los Angeles Dodgers Think Blue Week 2000
Visit my home page:  
http://suekamm.home.mindspring.com/index.htm
email:  suekamm at mindspring.com
"Good is not good when better is expected."  -- Vin Scully