I tried to stay away from this thread but just cant stay quiet now. Andrew, like you, most of us are frustrated by the fact that in many cases people who know less than we do on a given level are actually in places of authority over us on those very levels. You're starting to see the 'real world'.
Unfortunately for you, school at your level is plagued with kids who think the internet is the worlds biggest playground when its closer to a jungle warzone. Someone has to protect those kids [and the computers] from the sleazebags out there. You may know how to protect yourself on a network with all kinds of tools at your disposal, but SSH/Telnet can do some real nasty stuff if put into the wrong hands. As was brought up before, if they allow you to use it, they have to let everyone use it. I think the way to approach this is from the top. IT teachers and principals are pretty low on the food chain in the CBE. Linux needs to be embraced but you cant force it, its an often agonizing process of explaining over and over and showing people things repeatedly. I was also made suspicious by your comments about 'steering' people away from seeing IRC and an unfiltered browser, as well as an unmonitored email address. What is so important [read: school related] and personal that you cant just wait until you're at home to use email, or use the monitored addy. Who cares if your principal intercepts your email about your science project due next week? What would you possibly need IRC at school for? The web browser needs no comment, text can be more dangerous than images, and lynx won't stop you from downloading jpgs for later viewing. Youre concerned about transferring files, why can't you burn them on CD? If its a word doc its probably going to fit on a floppy. Again, if theyre school related anyways, it won't matter if it ends up being flagged because as soon as they see what it is, theyre not going to give it a second thought. All that said, when I was in HS not all that long ago I had similar circumstances. I dropped classes b/c I knew more than the teacher and it was a waste of my time. I actually stayed away from the computers and did my stuff at home. I don't think that you're going to learn much you don't know from using the inferior hardware/software at most schools anyhow. Ultimately you're at school to learn. As was posted before, if they are hampering your ability to do your work you have a case. But if you want IRC at school, I don't see it happening. The 'this isnt really about Linux' issue fits here somewhere. We understand your plight and it sucks. That said, I think you need to chill out. Your posts are borderline flames, and that'll get you nowhere fast on this list. Of course I speak only for myself, but Im sure others feel the same. I apologise if this post hits a nerve, I needed to speak my mind. </rant> Crap, 22 and Im starting to sound like my parents... :D --Nick On March 10, 2004 06:24 pm, Andrew Graupe wrote: > On Wed, 10 Mar 2004, Jarrod Major wrote: > > Andrew and Group, > > > > There is a time and place for this kind of action. Unfortunately, I don't > > believe that this is the time or place for CLUG to get involved. I agree > > with everyone who has suggested getting your parents involved. Ultimately > > it's their taxes that pay for your schooling and their voices that will > > be heard not ours. > > > > Even if your parents are technologically inept, you should still make the > > case to them first. Honestly, this is what any good parent can be counted > > on, championing your cause for you. > > > > It is a goal of mine to make a case to the CBE/Calgary Separate School > > Board or any school board in the region to use Linux. This is not the way > > I would choose. > > > > Niels has some excellent suggestions that I will expand on. If you were > > running your own web server you could at least pull the files from home > > to school. > > This is probably not worth explaining again, but THERE IS NO WAY TO > LEGITIMATELY DOWNLOAD FILES. If you have actual suggestions on how to > send files back and forth, believe me, I would love to hear them. I > cannot download things with MS-IE, and the contents of flashdrives and > other removable media are being monitored with some sort of script for > .exe files (some FOIPP, huh?) so I can't even bring Mozilla to school. > Once again, suggestions are appreciated. > > > It's getting them back home that is the trick. You are stuck with > > FTP, SSH, SSH through a web browser written in Java, or some kind of web > > app with PHP with file transfers set to some ungodly limit if you are > > transferring really large files. These are a few suggestions for you. > > > > I truly sympathize with your plight. I am aware how much you feel that > > your hands are tied. There is no guarantee that even if you got the right > > to use any of the above apps or solutions that it would still work, what > > if those ports were blocked within/without the school network. There are > > levels and levels here. With all the movies and horror stories of kids > > hacking into school computers how can you really blame them for being > > paranoid. We all know that a healthy level of paranoia is critical to > > survival in this wired world. Good on the school boards if they are this > > protective. I would rather that then some creep getting vital statistics > > on my kid. Or using the school resources to send out the next Trojan. And > > yes, a few bad apples spoil it for everyone. > > > > I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your endeavors so > > far. It appears that you have gone about this more or less the right > > way... up to inviting us to send mail to your VP or Principal. > > > > Officially I don't think we can help you more than that. > > > > Good luck! > > > > Jarrod Major > > President CLUG > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > > Behalf Of Andrew Graupe > > Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 10:46 AM > > To: Calgary Linux Users Group > > Subject: [clug-talk] Linux at School > > > > > > Now is the time for e-mail. Send to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Thanks -- Nick W (nickw77 at shaw.ca) Registered Linux User #324288 (http://counter.li.org) MSN Messenger: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo: foolish_gambit ICQ: 303276221 It's not our fault, we're outnumbered by stupid people ten to one. _______________________________________________ clug-talk mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://clug.ca/mailman/listinfo/clug-talk_clug.ca
