lopez@uiucdcsm.UUCP (06/07/87)
AT&T 6300 Computers. Recently a problem arose concerning the true identification of an AT&T 6300 Computer. The problem with these machines is that their identification plates can be screwed off with a screw driver, and according to the people I spoke to at AT&T there is no other way to identify their machines. Thus what is to keep someone from buying a newer machine, and then taking the plate off and swapping it with an older machine, or better yet, what is to keep someone from buying a new machine and swapping the ID and returning the old one as defective. Please don't feed me that honesty bit, for I have met sooooooo many liars in this world that I really don't want to hear it. If anyone knows of a way to verify that a computer that someone delivered is indeed the one that corresponds to its identification plate, I would appreciate it if you would send me e-mail and tell me how to. Of course you can take down every serial number found on the internals, but how about after the fact. How can AT&T determine that a computer is indeed the same one as the identification plate says it is. If there is no way, I can see many ways an individual could get screwed by bad service people. (I am not suggesting that anyone in this world is dishonest, I am just very curious) F. Lopez AT&T Bell Laboratories
npollack@polyslo.UUCP (06/11/87)
In article <8000012@uiucdcsm> lopez@uiucdcsm.cs.uiuc.edu writes: > >AT&T 6300 Computers. > >Recently a problem arose concerning the true identification of an >AT&T 6300 Computer. The problem with these machines is that their >identification plates can be screwed off with a screw driver.... > >................... I can see many ways an individual could get screwed >by bad service people. (I am not suggesting that anyone in this world >is dishonest, I am just very curious) > >F. Lopez >AT&T Bell Laboratories Here at Calif State Univ. we usually just spray paint a stenciled identification on both top and bottom cover. We also etch or mark with permanent marker all of the internal boards and hard drives. We have been told of trouble with unscrupulous types trying to switch boards, keyboards, drives, etc. over the years. The heavily obnoxious Identification scheme that we use completely discourages most forms of 'abuse' and dishonesty. In 6 years, my facility has lost only an apple II disk drive (we were sad that they only took the drive) and one option board (apple). This is with over 85 computers in the facility. Other buildings and groups that do not like "ugly computers" and fail to mark them for I.D., have consistantly lost upwards of $50,000 of equip. each year during the same time frame. Just in case anyone wants my 'advice', MAKE THEM UGLY. It really works! Neal Pollack Chief Engineer Computer Science Department Calif Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805-546-2147