JJonas Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 Can anyone help me with this one? I want a program that runs on startup fills the screen and cant be exited until certain conditions are met. We have a problem with students not returning their library books. We have been restricting internet access(allowed white list) for students with very overdue books and this has resulted in books being returned. It is the only thing that has worked. The trouble is this works fine for most things but when they have to do independent research it comes unstuck as they cannot access most of the sites as they are not in the white list. So we have been asked to stop restricting internet access for overdue books. I am reluctant to remove the only thing that works so I want to put something else in place. After they log on I want them to have to type something like "I really must get around to returning my overdue library books as soon as possible" before they get access to the computer. So anybody know of an app that will do this or feel like writing me one? Specs Needs to run on Windows XP (would be nice if it worked on Vista/Win 7 as well) Will need to run from a network location so we can put it in a logon script Not be exit-able until the correct text has been entered. should allow incorrect text to be typed but not accepted as a valid answer. should not quit with alt+f4 or any other combination of keys should not be able to be minimised or moved out of the way. What they have to type should be editable so we can set different messages.
JJonas Posted November 25, 2009 Author Posted November 25, 2009 In a way that is what we have already done by restricting their internet but not having full internet access is impairing their results and we cant have that.
RabbieBurns Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 set up a marquee screensaver to run straight after login with the text set to the message and a password of the text you want them to type to unlock the screen?
Edu-IT Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 How about AUP informant with a message about books displaying each time they logon? Could become annoying enough to make them return the books.
maniac Posted November 25, 2009 Posted November 25, 2009 It might be possible with the use of VBscript and scheduled tasks to get a popup message to appear every 5 minutes or something, that would probably start to irritate them enough to return the books. :D
plexer Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 Can AUP informant not dispay different aup's depending on groups they belong to? just create an overdue group and assign a specific aup to that for it to display. Ben 1
JJonas Posted November 26, 2009 Author Posted November 26, 2009 I've got a hta file that runs full screen with a nice message that auto closes after a set time. Can't be closed via alt-f4. Only way round is that ctrl-esc / windows key still invoke the start menu. Can make it available if you like? I would be interested in that
m0nty Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 I would slow down their Internet access, if you have the option to do that. Depends on your proxy server but I've done something similar with squid. Also, block Facebook, etc for those users? I bet they talk about "research" but they really mean check their social networking sites.
Edu-IT Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 I would slow down their Internet access, if you have the option to do that. Depends on your proxy server but I've done something similar with squid. Also, block Facebook, etc for those users? I bet they talk about "research" but they really mean check their social networking sites. I imagine these are already blocked at LA level. How about setting their homepage to something uncool? Barbie is a personal favourite for that.
m0nty Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 I imagine these are already blocked at LA level. How about setting their homepage to something uncool? Barbie is a personal favourite for that. I admire the cut of your gib :-) I suppose also Bee Gees wallpaper (set via GPO) or something might get the message across.
Edu-IT Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 I admire the cut of your gib :-) I suppose also Bee Gees wallpaper (set via GPO) or something might get the message across. Or Jedward. Boom tish!
m0nty Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 Or Jedward. Boom tish! I was gonna say: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01531/Jedward_1531117c.jpg Just how much of that could you take?
JJonas Posted November 26, 2009 Author Posted November 26, 2009 I imagine these are already blocked at LA level. How about setting their homepage to something uncool? Barbie is a personal favourite for that. We already set their webpage to a page telling they have overdue library books. i want to force them to have to type something inconvenient every time they want to use a machine. Facebook etc is already blocked but blocking websites is not the answer as it impairs independent research, but then so does having a library without its books.
Edu-IT Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 We already set their webpage to a page telling they have overdue library books. i want to force them to have to type something inconvenient every time they want to use a machine. Facebook etc is already blocked but blocking websites is not the answer as it impairs independent research, but then so does having a library without its books. Jedward it is then. Problem solved. On a more serious note, I'd definately look at AUP informant. It has so many uses other than displaying AUP's. You can get notices out about special days, such as charity days, etc.
JJonas Posted November 26, 2009 Author Posted November 26, 2009 Jedward it is then. Problem solved. On a more serious note, I'd definately look at AUP informant. It has so many uses other than displaying AUP's. You can get notices out about special days, such as charity days, etc. I am having a look at this as we need to replace our Securus AUP as the Securus box keeps crashing and the AUP keeps popping up at strange times, but I still like the idea of making them type something long to gain access.
Edu-IT Posted November 26, 2009 Posted November 26, 2009 The Securus AUP is pretty naff, to be honest, in comparison. I enabled it and soon disabled it. It's awful! type something long to gain accesstype something long to gain access How about making an asp script which you can host on IIS which is set to their homepage. "Are you aware that you need to return library books?" With a type in box for "Yes I am aware and I am going to return them."
JJonas Posted November 26, 2009 Author Posted November 26, 2009 The Securus AUP is pretty naff, to be honest, in comparison. I enabled it and soon disabled it. It's awful! How about making an asp script which you can host on IIS which is set to their homepage. "Are you aware that you need to return library books?" With a type in box for "Yes I am aware and I am going to return them." Thats what I want to do but I dont know how do do that. I can do the IIS bit just dont know about the coding bit.
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