Cable tampering

[pete]

I did find some of them in my search... about £12 a go though and that was for the dummy ones...

 

(that was via Google)

 

I think you think I mean dome cameras? I mean a computer trackball (a bit bigger than a cricket ball*) that's recessed into a metal plate alongside vandal-proof switches acting as mouse buttons. You used to find them in shopping centres (early 90's?) that were too pikey to use touchscreens.

 

However.........

 

*ponders the usefulness of having an Imperial interrogation droid lookalike attached to the ceiling*

 

*admittedly "beachball" was a bit of an exaggeration.

[ChrisC]

I can't touchtype in the litteral sence of index left finger rests on f or g or whatever it is, but I can type without looking at a keyboard that I'm familiar with, and luckily at school, most of the keyboards are the same.

 

But as soon as i hit an unfamiliar keyboard I need to get my bearings again, much the same as norphy said.

 

Chris

[Andrew_C]

But as soon as i hit an unfamiliar keyboard I need to get my bearings again, much the same as norphy said.

Oh the fun of working on student's laptops when you find that they have French or German layouts. Fine if you hunt 'n' peck, but if you type... 8O

[ChrisC]

lol, can imagine the sorta lines you get out of that!

 

well, if you type

"hello, how are you?"

i guess on a french layout it would come out as

"bonjour, comment allez-vous ?"

 

 

I am aware that it wouldn't but it sounded funny in my mind...

 

Chris

[Richie1972]

We've had the cable tampering issue for a long time.

Mice/keyboards unplugged, stolen, mouse balls pinched, keys ripped out, etc.

We're now swapping over to optical mice and cable tying everything - kids have started ripping mice out by force and snapping cables.

We are also geting cameras throughout school... however, only a couple of classrooms are getting them (and that was a struggle due to leftie teachers wittering on about being watched and judged... surely only the crap teachers would worry about that if it were to happen!!!)

Unfortunately the same rooms seem to get "done" and it seems to be that teachers just don't care - rooms that staff are given responsibility over tend to fare better, but the teachers who do look after the rooms aren't in all the time or teach elsewhere at times, so the rooms do occasionally suffer.

The problems are also confounded by the fact that there is an open school policy forced on us - i'm gradually trying to wear them down on that so that kids are only in classrooms for lessons... and only when a teacher is present.

Most of the problems would also be solved if the government returned to the good old days where teachers could discipline kids and the kids had no rights - the "little darlings" can get away with anything these days and "joke" staff called Behavioural Support merely offer the junior thugs a "coffee and a talk"

 

At the end of the day, though, the only solution to prevention of damage to IT equipment is discipline, something sadly lacking in the whole of society. Until this changes, we are just going to have to keep replacing equipment and costing the school money (thankfully, not my department, as we now charge every department for any replacement IT equipment)

[webman]

Perhaps one angle to look at is to discuss with the teacher who is usually in the classroom that has most damage and explain that you are planning to install CCTV to catch the culprits. If the teacher doesn't agree, perhaps they will look after them more. If not, get an IP camera and catch the little b*gg...darlings

[ChrisC]

Behavioural Support merely offer the junior thugs a "coffee and a talk"

 

So, they give distructive kids, that are potentially hyperactive etc etc coffee???

 

Does anyone else see the problem with that???.......

[Geoff]

Yeah, I don't know what it's like at your school but coffee is a precious commodity in the staffroom here.

[ChrisC]

We just chip in with the ICT teachers, we keep a big tin of coffee, mini fridge and a sink with running cold water (don't ask about the hot), so we pretty much stick in our own area, our office is basically an old storage cupboard on the other end of an attached ict room. (not sure how much sence that makes.......

 

Our Office>ICT Room>Faculty Office>Another ICT Room.

 

Chris

[john]

if you want a proper fridge, the justification is its for storing Fibre Optic Epoxy resinus glues and solvents, works everytime especially when you say its £150 for 5mls the finance people normally say ok have a fridge :D

[GrumbleDook]

We've got a fridge in our upstairs workshop, but it is hardly used now ... we tend to go to the staff room for breaks and actually mingle with people.

 

We are even occassionally seen as being human ... a failing I am trying to fix.

 

We should be seen as GODS of course ;-)

[john]

I do that, but in the jollies its good for sarnie keeping, and in mid summer with office temps of 30+ keeping drinks cool and having ice cubes on tap

[MkII]

So, they give distructive kids, that are potentially hyperactive etc etc coffee???

 

Does anyone else see the problem with that???.......

 

Chilled water and protien bars here - were trying to 'get an edge' I believe!

[ChrisC]

At one point a load of kids were put on a vitamin trial, where they had all their pills to pop each day of everything they needed (supposedly).

 

After we got the publicity of all the positive stuff in the news, nothing was heard of it ever again.......

 

Chris