[techtalk] Almost arrested for using telnet

[Sienca Teng]

Mary wrote:
> Use of things like telnet, or anything that isn't the web, is
> regarded as generally suspicious by people who staff things
> like library terminals.

And for good reason, I think.  I'm amazed they even have floppy
drives on the machines.  People could bring in infected disks.  If
a telnet app is allowed, then other executables have to be allowed
too.  There are servers small enough to run from a floppy, you'd
be amazed at what can fit.  I wouldn't be surprised at all if
something along the lines of BackOrifice(sp?) could be run like
that.

<theorizing>
If I were running a public internet access place, users would not
have install permissions and there wouldn't be floppy drives.
People could download all you want, but all downloads would be
masked to no-execute and saved to a separate place.  Then when
you're done, you can bring your floppy over to a service counter
and the staff would copy it for you.
</theorizing>

Sienca Teng
sienca at home.com
http://members.nbci.com/sienca/
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
*** This message is printed with 100% post-consumer recycled electrons ***
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-