Re: Microsoft distributes free CDs in Japan to patch Windows

[Ray Wong <rayw () rayw net>]

On Mon, Sep 08, 2003 at 01:40:01PM -0400, Sean Donelan wrote:
> On Mon, 8 Sep 2003, Ray Wong wrote:
> > I seem to be repeating myself a lot: The problem is not technical; hence the
> > solution is not technical either.
> >
> > Now, other than being a poor attempt to pass the buck, how does this help
> > us as network operators (and similar IT professionals) in fixing the problem?
>
> If infected users have an offline method for obtaining patches, then we
> don't need to figure out a way to keep their buggy, infected computers
> connected to the network long enough to download the patches.

very well.  Then see my comments about how doable it is to produce and
distribute CDs cheaply.   It's practical if folks care enough to bother.

Of course, since we STILL have to handhold users into doing things, why
not just download the patches to our own servers, and either make CDs as
a courtesy to customers, or setup a quarantine network we shove them off
to, which only has access to our local patch server?  M$ still does have
everything downloadable, for those of us who can figure out how to do it.

> This is one reason why universities are distributing thousands of CDs with
> the fixes to their students.

For this latest mess, a floppy actually suffices.  I handed quite a few out,
once I found some. :-)



-- 

Ray Wong
rayw () rayw net