Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!agate!apple!usc!polyslo!vlsi3b15!vax1.cc.lehigh.edu!sei.cmu.edu!krvw From: DCD@CUNYVMS1.BITNET Newsgroups: comp.virus Subject: Corporate culture shift resulting from virus mis(?)information Message-ID: <0004.y8907171856.AA19378@ge.sei.cmu.edu> Date: 15 Jul 89 20:36:00 GMT Sender: Virus Discussion List Lines: 41 Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu I am actively involved with a large microcomputer BBS for Mechanical Engineers (CIME-ISE, 608-233-5378). I will be giving a talk on the BBS at the International Computers in Engineering Conference this August in Anaheim, and am preparing a piece that will appear in the magazine Mechanical Engineering, the main organ (as they say) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (circ. approx. 130,000). I understand that the messages here are in general somewhat academic and technical, but perhaps the following line of discussion may spark some interest. I am intrigued by what can only be called the return of MIS: we all know the corporate Kulturkampf that took place not so many years ago when microcomputers became readily available--the MIS people (in large corporations) kicked and screamed, but eventually their power was diluted. Now, I am seeing reports that their day has returned. Relatively techno- illiterate upper management sees reports on viruses in Time, etc., and puts a call in that all decisions on software must be blessed from a newly power- ful management structure. Consider the following case, which I consider emblematic: a project engineer at a large chemical installation plant can 1) sign off on $50,000 daily, but igf but if he wants a $200 copy of wordstar, e.g., he must ask his piping supplier to buy it and bury it in an invoice; 2) he must use some cock-a-mamie line editor on his central computer; he, and many other engineers, circumvent this by burying their favorite programs on some hidden directory (of course against compnay policy) 3) he is being hassled about using the engineering BBS, and all BBS's in general. A valuable resource is being maligned and his productivity will suffer. I have no doubt that such corporate shenanigans are taking place all the time, and would be interested in any comments. Thanks for your time in reading this, Robert Braham E-mail: DCD@CUNYVMS1.BITNET Home: 1315 Third Ave., 4D New York, NY 10021 (212) 879-1026