Re: [Dfey-nw-discuss] How to deal with an nasty and vague Acceptable Use Policy ?

[Tim Dobson]

Lucy wrote:
> 2008/11/5 Tim Dobson <address@hidden>:
> > You can see the document here:
> > [~700KB] http://files.tdobson.net/camsfc/camsfcstudentaup.jpg
> > [~7MB] http://files.tdobson.net/camsfc/camsfcstudentaup.png
>
> I've only had a quick look but it sounds pretty standard and fairly
> reasonable to me.

At face value there is nothing outrageous, but there are quite a few 
things that seem a bit silly and unclear to me.

> Things I would get clarification on are:
>
> * Email limited to one hour - since you are not allowed to use the
> computers for personal activities I assume they must mean college
> email, I would find this a bit limited myself.

We don't have a college email account, but access to *popular* webmail 
providers is blocked after one hour.
Considering we are only meant to be using the computers for Educational 
purposes it seems a bit silly really.

> * Being unable to download, install or copy software - this could pose
> a problem if doing a programming course! 

Indeed. Do some of the cool Javascript effects libraries count as 
software? In my opinion they do. So using Lightbox (or slimbox as I 
think I used) in my work could prove problematic!
(I don't do Computing, but I imagine they might have similar problems)

> It would be great if some
> free software (and other resources) could be put onto a college server
> for use by students, so that they can play with GNU/Linux distros or
> take a copy of college software (like openoffice) home with them.
> Being on a college server it would avoid problems with licensing and
> bandwidth.

Oh please! I agree :)
I dream of things like this (figuratively speaking).

If I could use even Firefox or OO.o I would be loads happier... But at 
the moment my course requires me to use MS Access, MS Project and 
Macromedia Director (No free software alternatives can read their binary 
file formats reliably)

The college seems set to move to MS Office 2007/8 at the next 
opportunity whilst there is no free software *at all* I can use on the 
college computer systems.

Small steps are needed...




Tim

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