“The degree that the [Henrico County Apple iBook plan] has positively affected student education has yet to be determined. About $27.9 million has been spent on the laptops in the past four years,” Olympia Meola reports for The Richmond Tmes-Dispatch. “Internet filtering became a controversial element of the program several years ago when students were caught downloading pornography at school.”
“‘We’ve been using the best piece of software we can find,’ said Dave Myers, the county’s assistant superintendent for finance. Bidders are being asked to supply larger bandwidth to the laptops’ wireless card so the county could grant teachers the option to view all students’ computer screens electronically. School officials are also considering a filter system that works when students leave school, said Lloyd Brown, Henrico’s assistant director of technology and information services,” Meola reports.
“[Parent Steven Bass] and other parents see the omission of specific filtering requirements as a sign that school officials are trying to steer the contract to Apple, the current provider. Bass suggests that the request should be retracted and redesigned to seem less Apple-specific,” Meola reports. “‘It’s a very slanted proposal,’ Bass said. If school officials would like to go with Apple again, Bass thinks they should demand that Apple come up with the solutions. That’s not the case, county officials maintain. Brown denied any attempt to again sole-source the contract to Apple. Superintendent Fred Morton IV has repeatedly said the same. In fact, the county recently tweaked a hardware requirement in their request that made it easier for more laptop manufacturers to bid. ‘Whoever comes out with the best response will win the [contract],’ Brown said.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We hope officials take the total cost of ownership into account when reviewing the contracts and don’t act like Joe Six Pack at the local Wal-Mart and shortsightedly fixate on the sticker price alone. Besides, to go backwards from Mac OS X to Windows XP would be cruel and unusual punishment for Henrico students and teachers. Here are just a handful of articles (we have many more) that Henrico officials should keep in mind when making their decision:
Cybersecurity advisor Clarke questions why anybody would buy from Microsoft – February 18, 2005
Security expert: Don’t use Microsoft Windows, Office, Outlook, Internet Explorer – December 09, 2004
Cyber-security adviser uses Apple Macintosh to avoid Windows’ security woes – September 27, 2004
Information Security Investigator says switch from Windows to Mac OS X for security – September 24, 2004
Windows XP Service Pack 2 causing major headaches on college campuses – August 24, 2004
Scientists use Mac OS X for better performance, security – February 12, 2004
Pennsylvania school district’s PCs infected with virus; their Macs unaffected – October 01, 2003
Single Mac keeps company running while Windows machines fail due to Blaster worm – August 13, 2003
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Survey shows support for Henrico iBook program with ‘lukewarm support’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – March 07, 2005
Henrico poll finds students are using iBooks successfully – February 11, 2005
Henrico iBooks raise concerns among some parents – May 28, 2004
Henrico high school laptop program to continue, but will it still feature Apple Macs? – February 24, 2005
tru that
wish my school had that problem when i was in high school
If memory serves me correctly, didn’t Apple once have a service like this? Back when .mac was very new (and very free), I seem to remember them offering some type of “safe web site registery” and filtering features for children. What happened to it?
Anyway, the schools would be crazy to go back to Windoze for all of the million other obvious reasons, but we can’t ignore this important oversight by Apple.
I’m not sure how successful the schools/students would be in filtering porn with any of the pc systems anyway. Do they actually work?? But even if they don’t, the fact that Apple is again targetting the school systems as possible users of their computers means they need to offer a solution.
This won’t be the last school system to raise this issue and they need to be able to address it at least as completely (or incompletely) as is done on the pc platform… and hopefully better!
“bidders are being asked to supply larger bandwidth to the laptops’ wireless card so the county could grant teachers the option to view all students’ computer screens electronically.” from article above.
“Screen-sharing in Apple Remote Desktop 2 works not just with Macs but with any Virtual Network Computing (VNC)-enabled computer, including Windows, Linux and UNIX systems.
Apple Remote Desktop allows you to observe up to 50 screens simultaneously in a single window, so you can stay right on top of what’s happening in your network and offer your users the best remote assistance possible. You choose how many screens you want to view in the Multi-Observe window. If you’re monitoring more screens than the number you have displayed in the window, Apple Remote Desktop 2 pages through all of the screens — you can set it to page automatically at a time interval that you specify or you can control the paging manually. You can control the size of the Multi-Observe window and the color depth of the screens you’re observing — perfect for when you have limited bandwidth and want to optimize screen-sharing performance.
You can take control of any remote computer screen. If you need to open or quit an application for a user, for example, you can do that right from your desktop. Your users can have a say in the matter, of course — you can configure your client systems to always allow screen control or to prompt the users to explicitly grant access to the administrator. With full screen mode in Apple Remote Desktop 2.1, you now control and observe remote computers on the entire screen of your display.” from the Apple website for RDC.
DId Apple go cheap on the software side and not include this app, or are they just not using it?
1 P2P file sharing and online gaming can easily be locked at the Server when the kids are at school through Apple Mac OS X Server software. What happens at home is up to the parents.
2 Websites can be blocked at the server with a little set up.
This stuff is very easy to deal with. Were I at Apple, I would have proposed that the school system become the ISP as well, putting in appropriate routers, servers, etc. The school system could manage all the filtering.
If ‘larger bandwidth’ and ‘internet filtering’ is the summation of the worst of the problems they’re been having, then the project must have been a massive success! No problems with the OS, interface, compatibility, reliability, usability, education purposes fulfilled, etc.
Just back from the local bookshop and every Windows XP magazine seems titled “How to fix your PC problems” whereas every Mac magazine is entitled “Get the most out of XYZ software” as if the OS and applications don’t (in general) have problems.
I wonder what are the normal issues in proposals for PC contract renewals?
Computers in schools are for education not problem fixing!
Why is America always so uptight about pornography? I mean we know that all our parents did it or we wouldn’t be here, right? Not really that big a deal if you ask me. My wife (who is Japanese) is always kinda amazed at the values expressed in America. She is like, let me get this straight – They can show people getting shot and murdered by guns on TV but no breasts? And anybody can walk in and buy a gun but no breasts on TV? I mean, when you are comparing breasts and guns, isn’t one of these just a wee little bit more dangerous than the other?
Filtering at the schools should not be a problem. Most of that can be controlled at the server end and they should work reasonably well. They tend to make the “surfing” a little slower and as long as some it’s configured properly, they should only block unwanted sites. But, as for “home” use or connecting to the internet at home or elsewhere, this is a home problem. If parents don’t take this seriously and prevent it at home, why should this be the schools or Apple’s problem?
It starts at home doesn’t it?
Whatever, whatever, whatever. I use Macs. My ex-wife is a frightened PC user. So is the High School that my kids attend.
So my kids are exposed to both systems, and they prefer Mac, BUT they can deal with Windows. Sometimes you’ve got to leave home just to see how good you’ve really got it (visited the 3rd world lately?)
Bottom line: If they can handle Windoze, then Mac is a breeze for them.
If they never knew anything but Mac, they’d never know how good they have it.
Bottom line 1: If a school wants to use Windoze, doesn’t bother me.
Bottom line 2: When you’re feeling cynical and depressed about the society you live in, go travelling to Africa or Asia. Don’t stay in a resort–go see how the rest of the world lives.
Perspective is everything.
Jack A:
Nothing personal, but you’re a dope. Give me a break.
Our school, who adopted laptops for every teacher, student, staff, and administrator, back in 1996, has been doing fine with this sort of situation. We simply route all traffic through a series of firewall filters. However, “inappropriate” content always finds a way to sneak through, so we implemented a simple solution. Disciplinary action. The next kid who is found to have porn on his computer needs to be made an example of. Embararss the hell out of him by making the disciplinary actions both public and strict. Some might say “well, they will just hide it better”, but if these OS X client laptops are setup correctly, the student will not be able “hide” anything in any place other than their home folder, which makes it easy for random content checks on students’ computers. Now, some might say “random checks are a violation of privacy”. That is complete BS, because our policy is that you are using the school’s network, and the computers are the school’s property (in our case, the kids lease from us). And overall, it’s really up to the educators and parents to keep an eye on what the student is doing. It is absolute crap to place this “filtering” responsibility solely on technology. If you require students to use the computer for academics, then you have an explicit responsibility to make sure they are not abusing the tools they are issued. It’s time for parents and teachers to start being a part of their kids lives again. The computer is the not the “magic tool” that doesn’t need oversight. If anything, by giving the student the “privilege” of using such a great tool, the role of the teachers, administrators and parents increase.
OK Kate, I take from your comment that it is much more acceptable for you to have your children see people people shot and murdered on various TV shows than for them to see naked breasts. This seems to be the prevalent feeling in America. Just look at the uproar over the Janet Jackson incident during the super bowl. And “I” am the dope? OoooooooKay.
You can say you don’t want them to see either but that does not reflect the actuality of TV in America today – which is: shooting and murdering OK, Breasts NO.
Jack A:
I agree with you, to a point. I think banning *anything* only drives it underground if there’s a desire for it. Especially it today’s world of increasing limitations, the inner child is rebelling. Ban porn and it only makes the problem worse. With increased risk of STDs, people are turning to porn to get their jollies off.. and to me, that’s fine, but there is a point where it becomes unhealthy, and that’s where the focus needs to be.
I think this is an opportunity for Apple add yet another reason why Macs are better than Windows PCs… “smarter” filtering, but should include an educational component.
On this particular computer I’m using, the government blocks all porn-related web pages and displays a nasty bright red page. It’s scary when you stumble upon a forbidden page. haha.
My son is in sixth grade and Dell laptops were purchased for the entire middle school. They implemented security and a keylogger but the kids immediately figured out that if they logged in as a guest, they still have full access. Needless to say, porn is a big problem. My son is 12 years old. Children that age should not pollute their minds with pornography. We’re taken the necessary steps for the district to fix the security issues.
We have a Mac network at home and have never had a problem with him viewing porn.
With a Mac, if need be, you can restrict access to certain applications and add the web browser, BumperCar to control internet access. The OS will not allow them to launch any application the administrator has not approved.
So far, I’m trusting my kids but checking the history every so often. It’s just frustrating that the school’s laptop program was the vector that got my 12 year old looking at hardcore porn.
Dear Jack A
You are so right.
Americans, in general, seem to think violence and hatred are somehow pioneering values to be admired, whereas sex, sexyness and physical admiration are taboo. Their genes have long memories, after all they were Puritans eschewing joy, beauty and love in favour of self righteousness and moral indignation! The NRA are the high priests of American culture.
Quote “Why is America always so uptight about pornography? I mean we know that all our parents did it or we wouldn’t be here, right? Not really that big a deal if you ask me. My wife (who is Japanese) is always kinda amazed at the values expressed in America. She is like, let me get this straight – They can show people getting shot and murdered by guns on TV but no breasts? And anybody can walk in and buy a gun but no breasts on TV? I mean, when you are comparing breasts and guns, isn’t one of these just a wee little bit more dangerous than the other?”End Quote
Because they are “Ultra conservative god fearing christians” who believe it is more important to maintain the right to bare arms (read concealed weapons/guns) so that you can shoot/maim/kill another human which is totally unnatural, than see a small amount of natural exposed human flesh and create a national uproar about what is good a decent to be seen during family prime time TV….Go Figure!?
A computer is not a replacement for a brain…
Einstein didn’t have a computer…
Nor did Kepler, Euclid, Newton, Copernicus, Galileo, Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell… and on and on…
The idea that a computer is necessary for anything other than basic word processing, email, and graphics manipulation as part of the school experience is laughable…
Are you really learning on that computer, or just screwing around? Look at all the kids on IM… are they learning? l33t Grammar yo…
Computers have no place in school where the potential for misuse is high. What a waste.
“The idea that a computer is necessary for anything other than basic word processing, email, and graphics manipulation as part of the school experience is laughable… Are you really learning on that computer, or just screwing around? Look at all the kids on IM… are they learning? l33t Grammar yo…”
Spoken like a true adult. All things must be serious.
Way back in my youth–the 1970s–I used “conference programs” on mainframe computers to talk to people. One astonishing thing happened from all of this–I learned to type. And not by sitting at a keyboard and typing rows and rows of “yrvn uecm” over and over like I was instructed to do in typing class (actually, after about a week of that in typing class, I wrote a program to print it out and turned that in).
There were plenty of others I knew who had the same experience–once they started using chat-type programs, they actually felt a lot more comfortable with a keyboard. It also made some realize that they could actually use a computer to do yucky work stuff (“What, you mean I can use this to do my term papers, too? Far out…”).
Nowadays, I have nieces and nephews who use chat programs. While I occasionally get “yo d00d” messages from them, when I reply using proper grammar, they tend to get the message and do the same.
As for the “part of the school experience”, I tend to agree. I’m sure there’s some great software out there that allows students a better understanding of a particular subject matter and I won’t say there isn’t. But I also point out that most of the advantage of computers is in the drudge-work of presenting your ideas.
Remember the good ol’ days of school? Back in fifth and sixth grade, I remember having two write two or three drafts of a paper (and turn in each draft to be corrected). This was all done long-hand. Later on, in junior high, you would do two drafts–but the second one had to be typed.
Imagine how much more time could have been devoted to research if you didn’t have to go back and rewrite entire sections that the teacher had said were fine? If all you had to do is go back and make the spelling/grammar corrections that the teacher had asked for. And when the paper called for better justification of a particular point you were making in the paper, you would have more time to research because you had to spend less time reproducing your work.
That, to me, is where computers excel in the educational environment–much like in the business environment. They make the presentation of ideas–whether on paper, through images, or now-a-days, through video (something that was pretty much impossible back in my days of school) vastly easier. This allows the student to spend more time on research, on more interesting ways of presentation (say, an animated graphic or a video showing the physics of two billiard balls colliding), or–dare I say it–more time on extra-curricular activities outside of school. A kid may now have time to not only carry a full load of advanced class but to play on the soccer team and still have time to hang-out with friends on a Sunday afternoon!
Dear Kath Day-Knight,
Yawn…..
While your lazy generalization does provide a wonderful example of your intellectual superiority, I was hoping you could provide a few examples of how most americans admire hatred.
Also, knowing your country of origin would provide some context that I’m sure everyone would appreciate.
Your friend,
Poptart
It all depends on the teacher quality whether there is value or not.
I have done some some substitute teaching, and I know that there are a number of teachers who, if they have no adequate lesson plan, will just plant a number of students on the computers and just tell them to research something, anything on the internet. Often, they are troublesome students, and the computer is used as a babysitting device. (and please don’t download porn or music, pretty please?)
On the elementary level, I did see some decent reading and math tutorials.
So, my opinion is that, just as it has always been, good teachers will use computers well, and bad teachers won’t. Just like when all they used was books.
Worth the money? Maybe.
Jack A and Kath: I agree with you totally. I’ve lived in a number of countries including Sweden and the USA and the moral values generally expressed are totally opposite: in the USA violence is OK but sex is taboo, and in Sweden it is the reverse. Sadly, Oz may be heading down the USA path to some extent, though we are sufficiently non-prudish that it may take some time to reach that level of extremism. It is amusing (but sad) to hear what many less informed folk thing about Swedish moral values. A balanced perspective is probably the most valuable and hardest thing to cultivate.
While pornography (especially hard core) has no place in most educational institutions (e.g. schools) perhaps (while filtering it out) an educational initiative can be formulated based on how we relate to each other (e.g. extreme examples being the desensitized view formed in cases of violence) and aim for the positive values; where people are taught to value each other as human beings.
If a laptop program can help to do that (or guide such an iniative) that would be one of the better uses.
european MDN forum template:
Americans are just so <insert derogatory adj.>! In <insert country>, we have much more mature and nuanced attitudes about <insert non-mac-related, off-topic nonsense>. I can’t believe they still <insert any of various vague insults about guns, religious beliefs, TV, McDonald’s, etc.>. I hate them so! Ewwwww…
All things need not be serious…
The question is… are they learning, or as another put it… is it a babysitting device? The thing about computers is that it’s possible to look busy and not actually be doing anything.
I’m all for the improved efficiencies that computers offer. But there’s a clear demarcation where the learning ends and the screwing around begins. If not managed properly, kids in school will spend hours aimlessly surfing the internet or in chatrooms.
I’m afraid that’s already in higher proportions than is being admitted. But it’s PC to give everyone computers, especially if the “haves” already have it… can’t have a digital divide now can we?
MDN word: “air”… as in, we’ll wind up with a bunch of air-heads who are really good at websurfing but can’t explain the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution.
UHH if parents are concerned about what the kids do with the laptops and where they surf on the internet, then perhaps they should teach their chldren morals and supervise their activities.
Jack,
If all people want to download are breasts, then that would not be much of a problem. But where do you draw the line? At Playboy level? Hustler? Crazy women doing it with donkeys? Snuff? Where do we draw the line?
Kids don’t need to be exposed to sexually explicit information. Period. How can we be so outraged at pedophilia and not see that pornography is one of their main tools to lure children into illicit activity? And if you say we’re too uptight about kids and adults having sex, then you need to be jailed. But I’m sure that’s not what you meant.