interacting with shell - another newbie question

[Steve Holden]

James Stroud wrote:
> Tina I wrote:
>> James wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I work in this annoying company where I have to autheticate myself to
>>> the company firewall every 30-50 minutes in order to access the
>>> internet.  (I think it's a checkpoint fw).
>>>
>>> I have to run "telnet what.ever.ip.address 259" then it prompts me
>>> with userid, then password, then I have to select "1".  Then the
>>> program closes itself and the internet is enabled.
>>>
>>> I would like to automate this process with Python and run it every 30
>>> miniutes so I don't have to keep typing in these userid/password
>>> everytime.  How can this be done?  Is there a module I can use to
>>> interact with the shell? (I'm running linux)
>>>
>>> Thank you.
>>>
>>> James
>>>
>> Sounds like the perfect way to get fired. To be sure though, remember to 
>> store your password in clear text ;)
>> However bizarre the security measures seem it's obviously in place to 
>> make sure it's *you* sitting at the computer. Scripting the 
>> authentication process is equal to simply removing it.
> 
> Yes, and finding ways to have employees pointlessly waste time is equal 
> to simply removing them.

The clue, of course, is right there at the start of the original post: 
"I work at this annoying company ...". What the OP really needs is a new 
employer if it's impossible to do anything about the "policy". The 
company and the employee are clearly incompatible.

regards
  Steve
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