\section{Login on office workstations}

%(notes from the previous manual writer, which I have tried to
%follow in writing this:    ---rei)

%Something about the history of the login restrictions on office
%workstations should go here. In particular, the one much-flamed about
%use of the ``twitlist'' (with *all* names elided) should be included
%as a lesson.  The discussion of the reasons for having these features
%in the first place should also be documented, including references to
%the appropriate meeting minutes.

%Also, technical procedures for putting someone in the ``prospective''
%category should also be included, and referenced from the ``new
%members'' section. The technical side of the modified xlogin should be
%included, not only the social side.

The current login screen, which basically tells the user trying to
login that SIPB machines are for the use of SIPB members and
prospectives, was put in place several years ago in response to
seemingly random people walking in and using the machines, without
interacting with the rest of the office in any way at all.  While
there is nothing against people using these machines even for non-SIPB
purposes, SIPB is a private office, not a public cluster, and thus
people who have no business with SIPB really don't have much business
logging in on a SIPB machine.  Of course, anyone with an interest in
SIPB, either socially or on a technical level, is welcomed to login.
(There is no obligation to do SIPB work on a SIPB machine, although
occasional work for SIPB would be appreciated.)

Since the implementation of the login screen, random logins have
almost completely disappeared.

At one point, there also existed a list of people who were not
permitted to login in the SIPB office, because of several instances in
which these people abused their privileges.  This list, however, soon
became unnecessary (thankfully).

If a new person walks into the office and shows an interest in
becoming a prospective, a SIPB member needs to do two things: (1) add
the person's username to
\verb#/afs/sipb/admin/text/members/members_and_prospectives#, and (2) add the
person to the sipb-prospectives mailing list.  This officially makes
the person a prospective.  Of course, it would also be a good thing to
inform other SIPB members, including the secretary (who, after all,
needs to list prospectives' attendance in the minutes).


