Steve's Hippy Technology Zen Mantra: Open but Standardized Freedom

Open: Don't put more energy into locking down your data than you do in securing your paper files. We really don't have anything that anyone wants anyway. Too much time, energy and expense can be put into security. You need to cost-benefit this realistically. Once you staff are inside your network it should be very easy for them to get to everything they need. Don't let your sys admin go crazy.

Caveat: This doesn't apply to ports outside your firewall or accessible to the internet. Hackers want your web or email server, and they shouldn't be allowed to have it to torment others.

Standards: It is impossible to support every software application that a staff has an itch to try. For the sanity of your techie you have to pick a uniform set of core applications (email, browser, office suite) and install, support and train only those. The same goes for data storage conventions. All programs have a filing system for paper files - you need a similar, easy way for any staff or manager to find another's electronic documents.

Freedom: Program technology should not be controlled by the system administrators. The technology is present for the benefit of staff and their work. We should not lock down our systems to such a degree that staff can't try innovative or time saving ideas. We aren't guarding Fort Knox. We should err on the side of access for staff over overly restrictive security.