Re: Install USB memory Stick

From: manual updates (thinkpersuasion_at_netscape.net)
Date: 11/10/04 

Date: 9 Nov 2004 18:49:45 -0800

In my opinion Microsoft dropped the ball for school users and shool
computer administrators. Then you've got MS experts, unfortunately
they spend most of their computer time logged as a member of the
Administrator's group. XP standard users on a typical XP installation
cannot just pop in a memory stick and go. I'm let down when certified
admins tell users there is no problem. It's not that easy.

This article is a good start:
http://news.com.com/From+the+storage+world,+a+new+fashion+accessory/2100-1041_3-5378415.html

Here's a quote from the article:
"Helmly, the Adobe manager, said he realized that USB flash drives had
crossed an important threshold when he recently shopped at an Office
Depot store in Annapolis. He was astounded, he noted, to see a gaggle
of teenagers gathered around a display case holding the drives. "They
were required for school," he said."

So memory sticks are becomming required gear for students, meanwhile
MS has locked down everything by default.

Petition your computer administrator to install your devices. Make
the important people in the school understand. Eventually Microsoft
needs to understand as well.

Schools often make computer images with Ghost, Deep Freeze, and other
products. If your USB driver is included in the original image, you
should be able to use your device all over campus. That image is
created in a dark room in the last week of July, good luck getting
your device installed.

Microsoft needs a simple security policy for administrators:
1. allow USB storage devices (default)
2. do not allow USB storage devices

They probably won't make it that simple. They can't. They have an
extra layer of complexity for "signed" and "unsigned" drivers. MS
wants vendors to sign up for the MS hardware development program, pay
the fees, get the hardware tested, and eventually get the hardware
certified. Meanwhile you've got a product managers saying the heck
with MS, put the cute memory stick in the store. They will buy it
because it is cute, not caring if the driver is signed or unsigned.

I posted this a while ago. There's some more detail:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%22usb+expert%22&hl=en&lr=&selm=b19ae32f.0409240953.66c44cd9%40posting.google.com&rnum=6

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