HIT: TECH: AT EASE ON NETWORK

["Jane Perry/ George O'Connor" <perocon@MINT.NET>]

Wow, you people are just super! Yesterday I requested opinions about my
situation involving our tech person at school installing AT EASE on
library computers and then discovering that I could not access the
library computers' hard drives. I have since met with our principal and
we are working to resolve the problem. I was told that the problem
wasn't so much the AT EASE setup but another piece of administrative
software which he uses that allows him to make changes to the network
from his server. If I have access to my hard drives I will have access
to ALL hard drives on the network, because of the way this software
works. But we will arrive at a solution, and your responses confirmed my
stand. Many thanks. Here's the hit :

We have a "teacher" button on our networked AtEase (password access
only,
of course)  and there I can access the hard drive and the chooser,
neither
of which students can access from their folders.

Yes, you should have access.

In our district the computers are "protected" with Foolproof and yes,
regular staff may not install or alter software.  The safeguard has
saved
several major mishaps from people who "thought they knew" what would
happen
and indeed did not.  The theory is every piece of software changes how
other things react -- and unless one knows the particulars things could
get
troublesome.  In our schools (there are 40+ in the district) we do not
have
a "tech" person but a system of "first responders" who will help out and
troubleshoot problems.  However, we have district support of a tech
department (not staffed adequately) and that does present some time gaps
between what needs to be done and what does get done.  Thinking there
should be more than one person in a building I have instituted a "first
responder" system to establish one for our K/1 team, 2/3 team, and our
4/5
team - I take care of the suppport staff and the lab.  In a pinch anyone
of
us could install, troubleshoot etc.  In my considered opinion it would
seem
that more than one person should be able to install, troubleshoot etc.
Perhaps you could approach the tech person/administration with your
needs
to be able to respond in your environment and obtain access to your
library
computers.  JMHO.

Not have access to your own hard drive?  that is simply stupid.  Maybe
for
a classroom teacher, but you have to be able to update and add software.
He may not understand that you really do know what you are doing and
would
even be able to help him if he showed you a few things.  I only have a
computer tech person 1/2 time, so if I didn't know how to trouble shoot
the small things our computers would never work.

This guy sounds like a control freak...go after him.  One person
should not control everything...what if he leaves? What if he's sick?
What if he's busy?   He just wnats to feel important, I think.   You are
a
professional and need access to the harddrive.  He can easily give you
access privileges and a password all your own.  That's the way we do it
and have never had any problems.  Good Luck!

We also use At Ease on our Mac computers throughout the building  but as
for
the one in the media center, I have a different password &
administrative
password.  There are times when I have to be able to get to the hard
drive
to install cd rom software on the machines.  Unless your tech person
wants
to be in the library on call I would suggest that he give you the
password
or allow you to change it on the machines in the media center.

Jane, I think it is common practice to limit student AND teacher access
when you are networked. I am at a Gr. 1-5 school, and our MACs are
running
AT Ease. Even though our LAN isn't up and running yet, I am the only
person
in the building with the administrator's password. If teachers were
given
the administrator's password to install software, they would also be
able
to make changes (and mistakes) that would effect the whole network. So
far,
it seems to be working fine. Someone in your building needs to have the
administrator's password - but not everyone.

Jane -- This is not "common practice" and is yet another example of
another
tech person confusing his position with that of god.  I say go after him
--
they are supposed to be working to help make a better educational
environment, not make it a testosterone issue

Yes, it is common practice.  Unfortunately, there are numerous teachers
who don't
understand copyright with regard  to computer software and will purchase
for home use
and plunk a copy on their school machine.  Kids like to install games.
It helps to protect
the hard drives from viruses and other abuses.  Yes, it's a pain, but a
necessary step in
most instances.

My subjective feeling on this is that a computer that kids have routine
access to is often (but certainly not universally) protected in this
way,
but equipment that is used primarily by faculty is not.
Have similar problems here, and you have my sympathy.  We all need
network
administration skills these days, but especially the access to the
network
setup.

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