Re: [Exim] acl to reject clients

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jethro R Binks" <jethro.binks@???>
> On Wed, 9 Jun 2004, TN wrote:
>
> > I have been asked by a firm for whom I installed exim for to block
> > certain email clients from being used when sending email. They want this
> > for license compliance to force their staff to stop using clients for
> > which they don't own licenses (ie. outlook, lotus notes etc). I
> > suggested that they just enforce it, but staff tend to install whatever
> > they feel like without the management's knowledge (they don't have an
> > admin, I'm it and only ask me to do work irregularly, so I have no
> > control either)
> >
> > Is this possible, and how is this done ? I presume its possible by
> > inspecting the User-Agent but I don't think outlook express sends this,
> > and I imagine they would still like their staff to use OE.
>
> Clients don't send any sort of identifying string, although perhaps other
> characteristics or tricks may be employed to divine some of them, it's not
> worth it.
>
> However, it isn't your problem. If the management knows people are
> installing software willy-nilly, then they have far bigger problems than
> people using different email clients. This is a policy issue, not a
> technical one, and the management need to tackle it through policy,
> auditing, and discipline.
>
> If management know people are running unlicensed software and aren't doing
> anything about it, they themselves are probably in legal hot water and are
> probably liable. If you know that, but they don't, then point it out to
> them, it should help concentrate their efforts on more effective measures.
>
> Jethro.
>

As a consultant, I would modify Jethro's statement a tiny bit. It IS your
problem, because "the client is always right." Sad but true. I recommend
focussing on the technical infeasibility of doing what they ask. No one
likes to hear "it's impossible," but sometimes it's true (as in this case).
As a consultant you have a duty to present reality to the client.

On the other hand, it is generally best to have an alternate solution for
the client to consider, when presenting a case of "it's technically
impossible to do it the way you asked." :)

If they are only hiring a part-time person for admin tasks, they must be a
fairly small company (or a stupid one). So perhaps the solution is to hire
you to make a mid-night run through all the computers in the office, to
un-install unlicensed stuff? They have every right to do this; they own the
computers, not the staff. When that happens a few times, staff will stop
installing unlicensed things on their work computers. ;) Plus, you get
paid. ;) Maybe even at a shift differential rate. :)

Regards,

Jim Roberts
Punster Productions, Inc.