University IT Departments

I always like coming up to Durham, although arriving at 0115 this morning as a result of a series of nightmares in Terminal 5 was not enjoyable. The town itself, with the cathedral is still one of the most amazing sites and an early morning walk with the mist and sun playing games with the architecture is a great experience. However on the down side they the University just doesn’t get the needs of an IT environment. Getting web access these days should be free, if not then an ID and a password should do it. Not here; I have to go and see the IT department and set up proxy servers (taking notes so I can reverse all of this later). I can now get internet access, but I can’t upload the podcast from my lecture to the web site. Neither can I get my email other than going direct to the server. Lots of Universities are like this. They create major obstacles to communication which is an irony given their purpose.

Just who are they protecting from whom?