UNIX System Administration Handbook, Third Edition

27 Policy and Politics

This chapter covers some nontechnical topics that are often included in a system administrator’s repertoire. In addition to discussing various issues of law and policy, we talk about some of the interpersonal aspects of system administration and the political intrigues that occur at UNIX sites.

UNIX and computer networks are both quite young—a mere 25 years old—yet they are a microcosm of social issues that have existed for thousands of years. In many cases, the legal and social institutions of the real world have been slow to adapt to the implications of new technology.

The Internet is well on its way to replacing or ...