> On Thu, 23 Jul 1992 13:47:00 EDT Roger Burns said:
> >At my computing center, when a user leaves the organization their old
> >account is usually re-assigned to a new employee.  If the departing
>
> It may be off the topic of lstsrv, but that has  to be one of the stupidest
> things I've ever heard of.  Would you recycle social security or drivers
> license numbers?   Good grief!
 
Social Security numbers will have to be recycled eventually, as
there are only 10**9 available.  The current US population is on
the order of 2 times 10**8.
 
We do recycle userids (we call them initials) because we have a
system for assigning them that was designed 25 years ago, when
there were a lot fewer computer users.  The length of the userids
(3 characters) is, of course, built into a lot of programs, so
it's not easy to change.  It's not a security problem because we
don't allow a userid to be deactivated until all data sets are
deleted, tapes released, etc.  So it's not possible for the new
owner to get access to the old owner's data.  There is a slight
possibility of the new owner receiving mail intended for the old
owner, but I don't think it is all that likely.  Userids usually
don't get recycled right away.  Misdirected mail due to a
misspelled userid is far more likely.  Also, we don't have the
constant student turnover that a university does.  It's actually
rather common for ownership of a userid to be transfered when
someone leaves, just to avoid the need to move all the data.
 
We don't currently automatically delete LISTSERV subscriptions
when a userid is deactivated.  We do plan to do that, however.
 
> I know, you just work there, and don't make policy....and it IS our
> beloved government that does this....hmmm....wonder if the presidential
> candidates know about this atrocity....and whether Perot ever woulda allowed
> something like this at EDS....    8-)
>
> dan  (owner of advanc-l, arie-l, circplus, cdromlan, postcard)
 
I'll bet that EDS and Perot Systems do what the customer wants,
without a lot of backtalk.  :-)
 
Cheap shots like this are one of the constant annoyances of
working for the federal government.  From your signature I see
that you probably are an employee of the Idaho state government.
Anyway, I'm sure that everyone here can attest that universities
and corporations always make the wisest decisions and plan years
ahead.  :-)
 
[Now back to the topic of this list.]
 
Roger Fajman                                   Telephone:  +1 301 402 1246
National Institutes of Health                  BITNET:     RAF@NIHCU
Bethesda, Maryland, USA                        Internet:   [log in to unmask]
Postmaster for NIHCU.BITNET and CU.NIH.GOV