[BC] Future of Radio Eng. /was/ Computer based audio

[Sid Schweiger]

>>We bought our sales department new PCs, good, and licensed all the
software thereon. It took about a month for the machines (every one of '
'em) to each become polluted with "stuff". Some of it was OK- software
to
deal with someone's digital camera. Some of it was not acceptable.<<

Unfortunately, a lot of the software we use in broadcasting can only run
if the user is an administrator of his/her computer, which means that
the user can install anything he/she wants to.  But there are a few
machines, which don't run that sort of software, that I have locked down
(i.e., the usual user name is a "limited user").  For everyone else, I
make sure they know that having a "polluted" computer is not only not
useful to them, but also a waste of my time when it finally gets so bad
that I have to be the one to clean it up.  Having to ask for the 3,497th
time "why do you keep going to those web sites when you know they
install crap on your computer which I have to clean up, and ya know
what, maybe I shouldn't clean it up for you anymore?" kinda drives home
the message.

The other sort that drives me to distraction is the user who doesn't
understand the concept of "folder" and saves everything to his desktop. 
That type never understands why he loses stuff which, of course, he
hasn't lost...it's just scrolled off the right side of this desktop.

>>I used to feel bad about deleting this stuff or being the "bad guy".
But
no more. I mean, a laptop with legal XP is $500. A home high speed
connection is $20-40/month. A desk top is 399, or 499 with a flat
screen,
dvd burner, ad nauseam. 

If the sales folks want to "play" and download anything, they can
certainly afford to do it at home. The days of Home = slow speed, Office
= high speed are long gone, even in the hinterlands.<<

Bottom line:  We all have too much to do and not enough time to do it
in.  We have to make sure that policies and procedures are in place to
get everything done with minimum fuss and bother.  If that means locking
down systems, getting tough about what lives on our systems and networks
and what doesn't, so be it.  And again, the regulatory environment is
such that we often just don't have a choice.  From a corporate
standpoint, having controls on everything is a good thing.  Easier for
them, easier for us.

It's best to view the staff as a whole, not as individuals, when you
think about this stuff.  That way, you come to understand that policies
like these benefit everyone who has to live with them, while keeping
your attention and time focused on the important stuff.



Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC
WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Boston MA  02135-2040
Phone: 617-779-5369
Fax: 617-779-5379
E-Mail: sid at wrko.com