[techtalk] Almost arrested for using telnet

[Tami Friedman]

        Last Thursday I was using my sneakernet copy of putty on an NT
        server at the Texas Workforce Commission to check email of
        fencepost.  I had been doing this for a number of weeks as I am
        job-searching and have included my email address on my resume. 

        Some young male who refused to identify himdelf came over to me and
        asked, "Are you using *telnet*?"
        I replied that I was and he went absolutely ballistic!  He claimed
        that telnet was strictly against the rules and waved his hand at
        the posted rules.  The posted rules clearly state that these
        terminals are to be used for job-search-related functions and no
        programs may be installed that do not have direct bearing to one's
        job search.  I pointed out that I was checking my email for a reply
        to a job-feeler I had sent out the day before (this was true - I
        *was* actually using it for job-search-related activities that day)
        and pointed out that I was not breaking any rules.  He became more
        agitated and re-iterated that I was brealking all the rules and I
        must cease using telnet at once.  I asked him why and he
        disappeared.  I quickly browsed my email and found the reply I had
        been looking for, and managed to clumsily (it is m$) cut & paste it
        onto my floppy before the young man came back with TWO POLICEMEN
        who asked me to come down to the station.  Flabbergasted I asked if
        I was under arrest at which point they may have blushed a bit (its
        hard to tell with blacks) and stammered that no, I was not exactly
        under arrest.  They explained that I had broken the rules on that
        man's (they pointed to the still unnamed system manager) machines.

        I pointed out that the machines belonged to the taxpayers of Texas
        of which I was one, and also pointed out that I doubed I was
        breaking any rules.  I explained that it was mostly a technical
        issue and if the unnamed manager could explain what danger I was
        exposing the machines to by running telnet I would be glad to
        stop.  The unnamed one muttered something about opening ports, once
        again refused to give his name (although by this time I had been
        forced to show my drivers licence and give my ss#) and referred me
        to his boss, who I will name in another post when I again have
        access to a terminal with telnet.  For now, I am curious if anyone
        can give me a good reason why a sysadmin would not allow telnet to
        be used (when the m$ equivalent of a daemon) is not disabled?

        Thanks

.Tami
 .signature: syntax error at line 1: `(' unexpected

tami at gnu.org
(512) 699-7175
Austin, Tx.