VNC. Why do school techies dislike it?

[visualman]

I have being trying for over a year to get a school to use VNC to enable visually impaired pupils at KS3 to receive the IWB image on their laptops. However there is a universal dislike of it down here in sunny Dorset. I am told it is too difficult to install, or too insecure or it will enable the student to corrupt the school network. I am unable to argue the case because I am a guest in the school and have no real authority to insist on it unless I envoke the DDA which is a big hammer and immediately gets backs up. All I want is access to the IWB!

[glennda]

The Main reason is that a student could then potentially view information they are not supposed to if they connect when they are not supposed to. We use it as a technical tool but not one if that way.

Personally for this type of thing there are better ways to do things then use VNC. Something like Adobe Connect but again there could be the same problem as above.

[visualman]

Thanks Glenda. I have been told that it opens up the system to the student. I am at my wits end on this one. My visually impaired students are at a real disdvantage and nobody seems to have a solution.

[SYNACK]

VNC is also about as efficient as a 18L V16 plane engine. It comes in many guieses some which may as well send BMP screenshots over the network and as such has rather large CPU usage in comparison to more efficient solutions designed for screencasting. Also all that is needed for all hell to break loose is one dodgey/corrupted/messed with setting on the host and then the 'viewer' has control, couple that with no-one else watching the PC and trouble follows.

[SYNACK]

ProfCast - Welcome
How to Use Windows Media Encoder 9 Series
Live Screencasting! Broadcast Your Desktop Screen Activity in Real-Time with Procaster
Camtasia Relay: Professors Can Record & Post Lectures on iTunes

Live screencasting is something that is well solved for conferencing solutions like the Adobe one above, even screenshare in Live Messenger or Skype.

[SYNACK]

Even VLC for a livestream:
how to use VLC to stream your desktop live (windows) with audio (or stream a DVD) « Roger's woze
you caneven stream it to anetworked tv
Stream computer desktop to TV using DLNA, TVersity and VLC « alen’s blog
Watch ANY Online Videos/TV (PPStream, PPLive etc) on TV via DLNA « alen’s blog

[AButters]

Any of the Educational Tutor / Classroom Management based software will do what you need.

iTalc is a free version you could try I would suggest having a play with that first. Or if you want to pay for more features you could try RM Tutor, AB Tutor Control, Impero. Of the pay ones I would say AB Tutor is the best value.

[Jamman960]

I'd definatly avoid sharing the whole screen, the last thing you want is for a teacher to freeze the screen via the projector to check their email and still have pupils able to view it

You'd want something that only shares what you want to share - I know webex does this but haven't looked at the software mentioned above

[reggiep]

Or Lanschool is an option we are looking at right now.

[cpjitservices]

VNC is easy to install on domain machines just use Skeep VNC works great and really easy, loads of extra stuff to configure.

[joethebummer]

If you secure it with something like VNCScan, it's actually a very effective tool for school admins. I'm not going to be a spammer and post a link so if you want to check it out, you can Google VNCscan or Bozteck. :-)

[plexer]

Not tried it but this allows you to share specific windows.

SharedAppVNC

Ben

[MatthewL]

If you have a Sharp MFP you can use VNC to control it. There is a setting that needs changing, if anyone is interested PM me.

[IanT]

(Slighly off topic to the orginal post, sorry!)

I'm a little confused why some people can get a bit touchy with VNC........I've used it my last 2 places and works great if you configure it correctly, firstly down the VNC Deployment Tool:

RealVNC - VNC® Deployment Tool

Create your config with the deployment tool (encryption, password etc etc) and then download VNC software and install only the server part on a workstation remotely

RealVNC - Download VNC® software

I think its a great little tool and saved my legs walking everywhere!

[glennda]

It's a great tool - just not for use by students!