Re: Woody & M$ dhcp
On Mon, Aug 18, 2003 at 11:15:11PM +0100, Mark wrote:
> On Mon, Aug 18, 2003 at 07:17:36PM -0300, ogulla@uonbi.ac.ke wrote:
> > Hi all,
> > Got this debian beast running **illegally** on the company network. My
>
> It would be a good use of your time to get to know the net admins very
> well, and get some more formal agreement that you can have the machine
> there. You run the risk of being blamed for any problems, be they due
> to you or not, and possibly run the risk of having linux permanently
> (or at least long-term) banned - many MCSE types are nervous around
> linux. Try to get their buy-in - life will be much easier.
I heartily second this, Mark.
I ran Linux for a while at my school with all the lower level support people
informally aware of its existence (and providing me with data necessary for
hook up to other areas of the LAN). Then one of the earlier kernels which
had a packet spewing bug (now a feature to be added at your own risk...?? :)
came into my system.
I thought it wasn't active in my particular compilation (no indication of
collisions, etc, by ifconfig). I didn't know the difference between token
ring (our small niche at the college) and ethernet (everywhere else on the
LAN). I was too naive and ignorant of networking then (probably only about
half better now! :D ).
The staff swore off ever knowing anything about me (to the newly-hired
department head). The network was swamped for two weeks because they
couldn't figure out where it came from or how to track it down/isolate it.
I and others on the token ring never noticed--we went mostly straight out to
the Net, bypassing the buzz.
I was nearly hung, quartered, and drawn. A lot of it because I was honest
in my answers to their questions. Things were Very knee-jerk-ish.
I've put off all work I was developing at the school through Linux/Open
Source--mostly computational chemistry work--because of their rancor. I've
discovered "a life elsewhere." Ah, well. Lesson learned.
To the original poster: IMHO, do yourself a favor. If indications are they
believe Linux to be a "renegade" system (as does that IS manager here), get
rid of it. It ain't worth all the trouble it likely will cause.
But DO look into the possibility of openly trying Linux on the LAN. Get a
Knoppix CD, hand it to a friendly admin-type, and ask him/her to try it out.
Support with your use of Linux at home. Test the CD on your own machine
first so you know it will work, then you can say that you honestly did try
it once (if asked), "and it seemed to do fine." You like its software, etc,
etc. Maybe things will flow..?
HTH,
Kenward
--
In a completely rational society, the best of us would aspire to be
_teachers_ and the rest of us would have to settle for something less,
because passing civilization along from one generation to the next
ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsibility anyone
could have. - Lee Iacocca
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