Damage to PC's

[CHIT]

We are having an excessive amount of damage to mice and keyboards - is this a general problem and if so do you find it getting worse.
CHIT

[Geoff]

Yes. Generally happens when kids are left alone (eg, you have rooms open over break/lunch or after school). Or when lessons are being covered by supply teachers.

CCTV+billing parents for damage seems to be the only bullet proof counter measure.

[SteveB_NI]

You could always do what was threatened in my previous school (not by me - but by other members of staff who had a blinkered view on things) - refuse to replace the mice, and keyboards and just leave them broken until the pupils get the idea.

In my current school the pupils are fantastic and treat our equipment with respect.... all girls secondary school too.

[Geoff]

refuse to replace the mice, and keyboards and just leave them broken until the pupils get the idea

That didn't work round here. The kids found out who was doing it and start scrapping in the school yard.

While I appreciate the intention, vigilante justice is prohibited by our anti-bullying policy.

[localzuk]

We have this problem so are looking at securing things as much as possible with our next room refurbishments.

We are going to be using thin clients which either mount in the wall or are all-in-one style that are mounted on a vesa wall mount. The only things left to break will be the keyboard and mouse...

[woody]

I remember my first major computer installation 4 years ago in this job. 60 PCs - 2 rooms. Got it all set up and it looked swish! The cases had this nice blue hue plastic front on them.

Within the first half term, the kids had found out that a short sharp stab at the case front would crack the plastic. I'd say at least 80% received this treatment before we finally bought 60 more robust cases and I painstakingly rehoused all components into these new cases. A hard lesson learned indeed.

[tom_newton]

Someone needs to develop peripherals that squeal (over IP) when damaged - little pop-up "Clue bat to room 5 please, keyboard on Workstation 3 damaged"

[maniac]

We get constant damage to mice and keyboards and PC cases. We just buy in the cheapest keyboards and mice we can find for replacements. The PC cases are more tricky, we just make sure we buy the most robust ones we can when we order new PCs. We've found newer Dell machines to have fairly robust cases. Providing we secure the easy access clip that opens the side of the case we get very little trouble with these.

Mike.

[budgester]

Someone needs to develop peripherals that squeal (over IP) when damaged - little pop-up "Clue bat to room 5 please, keyboard on Workstation 3 damaged"

I'd prefer an electric shock to the teacher who is supposed to be managing the room.

[localzuk]

I'd settle for mice with leads that don't break when a kid breathes on them. It seems they have a tendency to pull the mouse too much and end up yanking the cable from the inside out.

[woody]

I'd settle for mice with leads that don't break when a kid breathes on them. It seems they have a tendency to pull the mouse too much and end up yanking the cable from the inside out.

Another weak point with mice, is when the kids get their fingertips underneath the buttons and PULL. One of our ICT teachers reckons they don't realise they are doing this - that it starts of as a little habbit, flicking the buttons. Yeah right!

[Geoff]

I'd prefer an electric shock to the teacher who is supposed to be managing the room.

Leaving the teachers PC ungrounded will do this for you.

[mark]

If we leave PCs dead at all we find somebody always scavenges the rest of the PC, presumably with supervising staff blessing.

[GrumbleDook]

We bill the department that look after that room. In rooms that are shared you can bet that other departments are more than happy to point the finger at which department left it in a state, and then we can pin it down to an individual lesson.

If we know the student who did it we then bill the student, explaining to them and the parent that they pay the bill ... no arguements. Those that do arguement then get told that if they are not happy to pay the bill then we are more than happy to treat it as criminal damage and file either a criminal complaint or a civil claim.

We have an 80% success rate in getting the money back ... and those who don't we do not chase for a variety of reasons. Either way it rarely comes out of the Technical Support budget.

[gwendes]

While I appreciate the intention, vigilante justice is prohibited by our anti-bullying policy.

Damn. I'd slip a clause in there somewhere if I was you

Someone needs to develop peripherals that squeal (over IP) when damaged - little pop-up "Clue bat to room 5 please, keyboard on Workstation 3 damaged"

True, true genius. I'd buy some (and keep some as pets)