That is: If I want to buy a new car, I'll go do my research. I'll ask around online. I'll go to an auto shop and test-drive the more interesting ones. I'll check with the old blue book.
The advertisement, at this point, does nothing for me...
STOP RIGHT THERE!!! Sounds like a great plan...for you. There are other people in the world however. Some people will buy a car based on the brochure (a form of advertisement), tv commercial, magazine endorsement (usually a form of advertisemtn) or billboard. So while ads may do nothing for *you*, they certainly have a role in society.
For the record, I think asking around online is the WORST way to research. People are either blind in love or absolutely hate their product/service. Have you ever looked at Doctor reviews online? Nobody likes their doctor. Do you think you'll get an accurate review of some shitty boring Chevy car on a Chevy car enthusiast page? Just check CNet review discussion boards when determining the value of random stranger's opinion.
and for some reason society has allowed them to get away with it.
Advertisers would not advertise if they couldn't demonstrate increased sales BECAUSE of the advertising. "Allowing them to get away with it" = "keep buying shit they see in ads".
I tend to agree with your "freeloader" assessment. I used to be interested in adblocker, but the prevailing attitude around this place is those who use adblocker seem to think they are somehow intellecutally superior to people like me--just too lazy to install a plug-in. It reminds me of my snob friends in the mid 90s who thought they where the shit because they had the little app that blocked the blink tag and animated GIFs.
I'm not sure an all-or-nothing methodology for scoring the browswers is very accurate for my purposes. I'd take a browser that got second place in each test over the others (if there were one), but it would have scored last place.
No see, you are name calling and making statements that aren't true because you really, really hate DRM.
What happens if your old computer no longer boots? Or is stolen? Or you can't hook it up to the net to deauthorize anymore?
You can deauthorize computers associated with your iTunes login on ANY computer, not just the ones that were authorized. Direct from the Apple help files:
Choose Store > View My Account, and then click Deauthorize All. If you donâ(TM)t see this option, itâ(TM)s because you donâ(TM)t have five authorized computers.
You can also call Apple. So yeah, I've had more than 10 computers in the past several years...big deal? That lends nothing to your credibility. Neither does calling me a troll when I'm not trolling. Here's a hint: if you disagree with somebody, especially when you have your facts wrong, the other guy isn't always trolling. There *might* just be one person right and the other wrong. You are simply wrong.
Let's try this one more time. Let's say all your doomsday scenarios come true. Your computer is stolen. You get a new computer, you fire up iTunes, you authorize iTunes. You then put your iTunes library on your 50 iPods and your friends 300 iPods. Ok, you get to your fifth computer and suddenly all five are stolen. You buy a new computer and it says, "You have already authorized five computers." Your options now are to deauthorize one of your five. Since you can't physically do that, you go to Choose Store > View My Account > Deauthorize All. It takes all of 25 seconds to do something that probably less than 5% of the populace will ever do.
In short, in NO scenario presented thus far will Fairplay DRM render anybody's music obsolete. More importantly, it doesn't mess with your computer or make life difficult when trying to setup and play songs. It is fair to say that two issues with Apple DRM is the inability to play songs on non-iPods, and the rare chance that Apple goes out of business (to which I say they'd disable the DRM before the closed up shop anyway). In a real world, we'd continue a conversation about the pros and cons and the tradeoffs that this model introduces and debate what is worth what. But you'll probably just call me a troll, and insinuate that I don't know anything because I have money to burn, or some other nonsense. Thanks for playing.
You're allowed to put the music on so many computers. Once they die you have no way of transfering that music to a new iPod. It may take you 10 years or more to go through 5 computers, but you will do so.
Nope. Sorry, but you are wrong. I'm not being dismissive, I'm just being factually correct. For the last time...you can play DRM songs purchased from iTunes on ANY NUMBER OF iPODs. You are limited to 5 computers. The error you are making is you are assuming that you can only PUT songs on 5 computers when that's not true. You can only PLAY songs on 5 computers, but you can put them on any number of computers you wish. So again, if your scenario WERE correct, I'd say that would be a bad thing, but it isn't, which kind of highlights the problem I have with cynical anti-DRM types on slashdot.
I've gone through 10 computers since the DRM has been around. You deauthorize your old computers and authorize the new one. It isn't that hard, and won't hardly affect anyone. Even if you forget to deauthorize one, you can always call Apple and have your iTunes reset to zero authorized machines and you can start over. It takes about 5 seconds to click the "OK" button, which is hardly intrusive as far as DRM goes.
Ok, so we are getting back to civility a bit. Let me address your concerns.
Restricting the number of computers effectively restricts the number of iPods too.
How so? I fail to follow your logic. You either don't own an iPod and don't use iTunes, or you just misunderstand the Apple Fairplay DRM. It is clearly stated that there is NO restriction on the number of iPods that DRM-laden songs can be played on. Do you really need me to cite that (hint: apple.com/iTunes) That means if you want to buy a song, you can give it to a million friends who have iPods, without playback restriction. What it does limit is the number of computers you can play it on, undoubtedly because computers can rapidly replicate and deliver content. You can authorize FIVE personal computers per DRM-laden track. This is why most people consider Fairplay to be one of the least evil...it is very transparent. Don't forget to de-authorize an old computer before you sell it though.
What you are actually saying is that you DON'T CARE about the restrictions that Apple Fairplay DRM places on you.
Well you are finally listening! You are right. What you failed to note is that I am openly soliciting feedback from people who most certainly DO have a problem with it, because I want to know what is so bad about it. Other than the inability to play music on other mp3 players (not to diminish that, because it is a glaring problem), all I get is, "DRM IS BAD!!!" without justification. Note: YOU jump to conclusions. Just because I don't care about my particular situation doesn't mean I don't care about others'. Hence the whole me asking for examples from other people. You blow me off as a troll, then make your own assumptions about what you think I say instead of what I'm actually saying.
Now you throw me the bone "what if Apple goes out of business"? Am I being trolled, or are you just hyper-cynical? If they do, I suppose I'll suck it up and start with a new media, just like I've done with 8-tracks to reel-to-reel, to vinyl, to cassettes to DVD to mp3... I'm fine with that, especially since I have no concern for the health of Apple, Inc.
I've got a more current working version of the abstact (i.e. the one used in the actual thesis) here on my computer somewhere that focuses more on integrated/interdisciplinary curriculum (using computers to teach), but I'm not finding it at the moment.
If you wanna post your email address I can point you to my.mac account where I can post some of my materials. Unfortunately I'm not comfortable releasing my thesis (the data reveals school, teacher, and student names and I never got DoD approval to use them "officially", and thus the study was never "published"...but hey, it sufficed to finish my degree, so that's all I care). I can post a lot of my presentations, outlines, references and papers there though. I think you might find a lot of the technology integration stuff to be very interesting.
Here's one of the many working abstracts that I worked with:
This study aims to improve the quality of education at REDACTED School, England by providing strategies to implement technology into secondary school classes. This study identifies the ideological beliefs and the technology proficiency levels of teachers in order to group like-minded and skilled teachers for further staff development. By identifying teachersâ(TM) computing skill-levels, teaching field, and epistemological beliefs, this study can group teachers and provide training to help teachers develop higher order thinking skills in students.
Yeah, we've sorted that out now. I know it's hard to believe but expecting snarky, cynical comments from random slashdot guy has kind have become my norm.
You clearly only wanted to hear my concerns so you could dismiss them in an off hand manner.
Not true. I'm still very much interested in hearing examples of DRM gone wild as pertaining to iPods and iTunes.
What are you talking about? I have 5.25" floppy disks in Apple II format that have copy protection on them.
I can't find any definitive source, but the term DRM is a relatively new one, most likely spawned from the Digital Millenium Act. Sure it may be a euphemism for "copyright protection" but the oldest example of "DRM" I can find on the web is Digital River's Software Passport in 1997. I'm sure there's more, and I'm sure you'll tell me all about it.
Yet I've given you plenty of examples of DRM getting in my way for software I've legitimately bought and you've dismissed them as "just the way it is".
No, what you mean to say is that I've dismissed them as not being relevant to a question about how DRM affects iPods. And no, I haven't accepted anything being "just the way it is". That's why I am asking the question, so I can make an informed decision about it.
One guy responded to my post saying that he couldn't transfer his music to his phone (which plays mp3s) when his iPod broke. Therefore he had to go buy an iPod to get his fairplay music working (or circumvent the protection).
You simply refuse to accept that DRM is causing problems.
Halleluja, we have an answer. Ok, got it. There's one very bad aspect of DRM music..you have to buy an iPod to keep playing it. Got it. Next point. I'm not refusing anything. I simply didn't read that post correctly (if even at all..it was yesterday after all).
You've also refused to even acknowledge let alone respond to what I've said regarding DRM being a slippery slope and that just because computer game DRM doesn't affect you today, it doesn't mean we should accept it, otherwise DRM will appear in some form that affects you.
I'm not saying anything of the sort. I'm also not going to accept it is a slippery slope just because you say so. I'm not convinced. I could be wrong. This is why we should have a discussion about it, because imagine that, not everybody agrees with you (or me, for that matter). I'm simply saying that as of this moment, bringing examples of the negative effects of DRM on software to the discussion is not relevant to me, if at all. Sure it could be a slippery slope, but I prefer to leave those assumptions up to the more skeptical people of the world.
Either you concede a point in an argument or you don't. Taking it back is bullshit, and shows that clearly you don't want an honest argument.
Issues much? You are right. I don't seek an argument, I seek a discussion. I didn't take anything back. In my first post, I used the subjunctive case of if something "WERE" (as opposed to something "IS" or "WAS"). Subjunctive case infers that I don't accept it as truth, but for the sake of CONVERSATION and DISCUSSION, I'll entertain that logic, even though using the subjunctive case clearly indicates that I don't agree. So no, I'm not trolling or taking anything back. I'm rather consistent in my stance that examples of DRM in video game software do not apply to my question as framed.
I've met your kind before on/. - couldn't have an honest logical discussion if your life depended on it. Moving goal posts (as AC says). Conceding a point then taking it back with some pedantic pretext that your grammar should have told me you weren't conceding the point. Refusing to acknowledge or respond to my strongest arguments and instead focusing on continual misdirection.
I'm glad you can typecast me based on your weak grasp of English grammar.
Now that's just plain BULLSHIT.
- Fairplay encoded files only work on Apple portable music playe
I'm with you there. Germany has a great system in that they have three tiers. Kids not bound for college go on to learn welding or some other trade, while others do a sort of work-study internship. The top tier go to college. The UK has a similar setup with their A-levels. This sort of sweeping education reform will never happen in America though, because we are too conservative and too reluctant to change. Most American's couldn't fathom being told that their little Johnny isn't really cut-out to be a college student and he should enroll in a welding internship with the local Metalworkers' Union.
You clearly have never attempted to teach a group of people anything.
You clearly have no idea of what you speak. True, I no longer teach 20-30 military trainees using 20-30 computer systems WHILE I teach, but that doesn't mean I didn't do it for 10 years previously. It also doesn't mean I didn't teach a high school technology class for two years with the same layout (because I most certainly did). It certainly doesn't mean I don't frequently go out to our Defense customers and teach them how to use our software. It also doesn't mean I don't teach technical communications at our local community college either. In short, no, I don't teach public high school, but "never attempted to teach anything" is a bit harsh.
But, other than that, if you'd like to discuss the merits/disadvantages of teaching in a lab, then I'm all ears. Come to think of it, now that I feel so dirty having responded to your personal attack, allow me to add something of substance. In this horseshoe formation, you can only keep their attention by NOT LETTING THEM PUTZ AROUND on the computer while you are teaching, unless that is a required part of the teaching. I really simple trick (requires no locking down/configuration of anything) is to have all the students turn off their monitors when not in use. Also, have them turn around and face the center. If your layout can allow it, have two seats--one in front of the computer and one to the side, where they can put materials. Have them sit in the seat NOT in front of the computer. Then, when the task requires introducing the technology, they work happily at their terminals, without the distraction of their dear teacher blabbing away. You walk around from terminal-to-terminal, taking an ACTIVE INTEREST in the activities of your students..you know..teaching--supervising. Unfortunately, most teachers just cut them loose and let them do whatever.
I can't say I disagree with anything you say. You are actually kind of supporting my point, in that there is far too much emphasis on teaching kids HOW to use computers instead of teaching how to use computers to do something. That's my entire point--by requiring some sort of product that commissions the use of a computer, they demonstrate mastery of the tool without having to dwell on the "how-to" steps. It's also hugely motivating for kids to have fun while doing school work. Producing a Podcast is much more motivating than reciting a report because it is fun (not to all kids, but most, especially if you don't dwell on the nuts-and-bolts of the tech). Studies also show that project based learning, incorporating technology, also promotes deeper understanding and more accurate recall of a topic. It also emulates real life after school, as I find it hard to believe that anyone can do any job without using some sort of computer-assisted process along the way.
I guess you all haven't considered the layout of your classrooms. Imagine, if you will, the teacher desk in the middle of a horse shoe. The student positions are the horseshoe with all positions facing outward (students' backs to the center). Every single screen is visible from the center of the room with a modest head turn.
Well, right here on my hard drive, of course. You might(?) be able to get it in the (insert name of large online university known for the Masters in Education program here)'s library as well, but since I can't even find it there, I doubt you'll have much luck either.
While I appreciate--err, expect-- your cynicism (this is slashdot after all), I've been on slashdot record for well over two years offering my advice in my area of expertise (Computer Education). I apologize in advanced if you are seriously inquiring about my thesis and I just assumed you are mocking me.
I'm no fan of NCLB, but the Act doesn't do anything to make it impossible to fail a student. If anything, it is holding previously failing students more accountable, and more importantly, identifying them so they can get extra help more easily. I guess if giving a poorly performing student extra help so they pass a standardized test counts as "unable to fail" him or her, then I'm all for it.
The kids know how to make things 'look nice' but they dont have anything worth saying.
Is that any worse than having something worth saying but not being able to present it in any form that is meaningful? What's more important? Process or Product? Perhaps the emphasis on presentation isn't as short-sighted as you think?
Slashdot Mirror
That is: If I want to buy a new car, I'll go do my research. I'll ask around online. I'll go to an auto shop and test-drive the more interesting ones. I'll check with the old blue book. The advertisement, at this point, does nothing for me...
STOP RIGHT THERE!!! Sounds like a great plan...for you. There are other people in the world however. Some people will buy a car based on the brochure (a form of advertisement), tv commercial, magazine endorsement (usually a form of advertisemtn) or billboard. So while ads may do nothing for *you*, they certainly have a role in society.
For the record, I think asking around online is the WORST way to research. People are either blind in love or absolutely hate their product/service. Have you ever looked at Doctor reviews online? Nobody likes their doctor. Do you think you'll get an accurate review of some shitty boring Chevy car on a Chevy car enthusiast page? Just check CNet review discussion boards when determining the value of random stranger's opinion.
and for some reason society has allowed them to get away with it.
Advertisers would not advertise if they couldn't demonstrate increased sales BECAUSE of the advertising. "Allowing them to get away with it" = "keep buying shit they see in ads".
I tend to agree with your "freeloader" assessment. I used to be interested in adblocker, but the prevailing attitude around this place is those who use adblocker seem to think they are somehow intellecutally superior to people like me--just too lazy to install a plug-in. It reminds me of my snob friends in the mid 90s who thought they where the shit because they had the little app that blocked the blink tag and animated GIFs.
I'm not sure an all-or-nothing methodology for scoring the browswers is very accurate for my purposes. I'd take a browser that got second place in each test over the others (if there were one), but it would have scored last place.
Oh yeah? Well you're a dick.
What happens if your old computer no longer boots? Or is stolen? Or you can't hook it up to the net to deauthorize anymore?
You can deauthorize computers associated with your iTunes login on ANY computer, not just the ones that were authorized. Direct from the Apple help files:
Choose Store > View My Account, and then click Deauthorize All. If you donâ(TM)t see this option, itâ(TM)s because you donâ(TM)t have five authorized computers.
You can also call Apple. So yeah, I've had more than 10 computers in the past several years...big deal? That lends nothing to your credibility. Neither does calling me a troll when I'm not trolling. Here's a hint: if you disagree with somebody, especially when you have your facts wrong, the other guy isn't always trolling. There *might* just be one person right and the other wrong. You are simply wrong.
Let's try this one more time. Let's say all your doomsday scenarios come true. Your computer is stolen. You get a new computer, you fire up iTunes, you authorize iTunes. You then put your iTunes library on your 50 iPods and your friends 300 iPods. Ok, you get to your fifth computer and suddenly all five are stolen. You buy a new computer and it says, "You have already authorized five computers." Your options now are to deauthorize one of your five. Since you can't physically do that, you go to Choose Store > View My Account > Deauthorize All. It takes all of 25 seconds to do something that probably less than 5% of the populace will ever do.
In short, in NO scenario presented thus far will Fairplay DRM render anybody's music obsolete. More importantly, it doesn't mess with your computer or make life difficult when trying to setup and play songs. It is fair to say that two issues with Apple DRM is the inability to play songs on non-iPods, and the rare chance that Apple goes out of business (to which I say they'd disable the DRM before the closed up shop anyway). In a real world, we'd continue a conversation about the pros and cons and the tradeoffs that this model introduces and debate what is worth what. But you'll probably just call me a troll, and insinuate that I don't know anything because I have money to burn, or some other nonsense. Thanks for playing.
You're allowed to put the music on so many computers. Once they die you have no way of transfering that music to a new iPod. It may take you 10 years or more to go through 5 computers, but you will do so.
Nope. Sorry, but you are wrong. I'm not being dismissive, I'm just being factually correct. For the last time...you can play DRM songs purchased from iTunes on ANY NUMBER OF iPODs. You are limited to 5 computers. The error you are making is you are assuming that you can only PUT songs on 5 computers when that's not true. You can only PLAY songs on 5 computers, but you can put them on any number of computers you wish. So again, if your scenario WERE correct, I'd say that would be a bad thing, but it isn't, which kind of highlights the problem I have with cynical anti-DRM types on slashdot.
I've gone through 10 computers since the DRM has been around. You deauthorize your old computers and authorize the new one. It isn't that hard, and won't hardly affect anyone. Even if you forget to deauthorize one, you can always call Apple and have your iTunes reset to zero authorized machines and you can start over. It takes about 5 seconds to click the "OK" button, which is hardly intrusive as far as DRM goes.
Ok, so we are getting back to civility a bit. Let me address your concerns.
Restricting the number of computers effectively restricts the number of iPods too.
How so? I fail to follow your logic. You either don't own an iPod and don't use iTunes, or you just misunderstand the Apple Fairplay DRM. It is clearly stated that there is NO restriction on the number of iPods that DRM-laden songs can be played on. Do you really need me to cite that (hint: apple.com/iTunes) That means if you want to buy a song, you can give it to a million friends who have iPods, without playback restriction. What it does limit is the number of computers you can play it on, undoubtedly because computers can rapidly replicate and deliver content. You can authorize FIVE personal computers per DRM-laden track. This is why most people consider Fairplay to be one of the least evil...it is very transparent. Don't forget to de-authorize an old computer before you sell it though.
What you are actually saying is that you DON'T CARE about the restrictions that Apple Fairplay DRM places on you.
Well you are finally listening! You are right. What you failed to note is that I am openly soliciting feedback from people who most certainly DO have a problem with it, because I want to know what is so bad about it. Other than the inability to play music on other mp3 players (not to diminish that, because it is a glaring problem), all I get is, "DRM IS BAD!!!" without justification. Note: YOU jump to conclusions. Just because I don't care about my particular situation doesn't mean I don't care about others'. Hence the whole me asking for examples from other people. You blow me off as a troll, then make your own assumptions about what you think I say instead of what I'm actually saying.
Now you throw me the bone "what if Apple goes out of business"? Am I being trolled, or are you just hyper-cynical? If they do, I suppose I'll suck it up and start with a new media, just like I've done with 8-tracks to reel-to-reel, to vinyl, to cassettes to DVD to mp3... I'm fine with that, especially since I have no concern for the health of Apple, Inc.
I've got a more current working version of the abstact (i.e. the one used in the actual thesis) here on my computer somewhere that focuses more on integrated/interdisciplinary curriculum (using computers to teach), but I'm not finding it at the moment.
If you wanna post your email address I can point you to my .mac account where I can post some of my materials. Unfortunately I'm not comfortable releasing my thesis (the data reveals school, teacher, and student names and I never got DoD approval to use them "officially", and thus the study was never "published"...but hey, it sufficed to finish my degree, so that's all I care). I can post a lot of my presentations, outlines, references and papers there though. I think you might find a lot of the technology integration stuff to be very interesting.
Here's one of the many working abstracts that I worked with:
This study aims to improve the quality of education at REDACTED School, England by providing strategies to implement technology into secondary school classes. This study identifies the ideological beliefs and the technology proficiency levels of teachers in order to group like-minded and skilled teachers for further staff development. By identifying teachersâ(TM) computing skill-levels, teaching field, and epistemological beliefs, this study can group teachers and provide training to help teachers develop higher order thinking skills in students.
Yeah, we've sorted that out now. I know it's hard to believe but expecting snarky, cynical comments from random slashdot guy has kind have become my norm.
By conservative, I mean "reluctant to change". I have nothing against private and home schools, nor do I feel I've said anything to infer that I do.
You clearly only wanted to hear my concerns so you could dismiss them in an off hand manner.
Not true. I'm still very much interested in hearing examples of DRM gone wild as pertaining to iPods and iTunes.
What are you talking about? I have 5.25" floppy disks in Apple II format that have copy protection on them.
I can't find any definitive source, but the term DRM is a relatively new one, most likely spawned from the Digital Millenium Act. Sure it may be a euphemism for "copyright protection" but the oldest example of "DRM" I can find on the web is Digital River's Software Passport in 1997. I'm sure there's more, and I'm sure you'll tell me all about it.
Yet I've given you plenty of examples of DRM getting in my way for software I've legitimately bought and you've dismissed them as "just the way it is".
No, what you mean to say is that I've dismissed them as not being relevant to a question about how DRM affects iPods. And no, I haven't accepted anything being "just the way it is". That's why I am asking the question, so I can make an informed decision about it.
One guy responded to my post saying that he couldn't transfer his music to his phone (which plays mp3s) when his iPod broke. Therefore he had to go buy an iPod to get his fairplay music working (or circumvent the protection).
You simply refuse to accept that DRM is causing problems.
Halleluja, we have an answer. Ok, got it. There's one very bad aspect of DRM music..you have to buy an iPod to keep playing it. Got it. Next point. I'm not refusing anything. I simply didn't read that post correctly (if even at all..it was yesterday after all).
You've also refused to even acknowledge let alone respond to what I've said regarding DRM being a slippery slope and that just because computer game DRM doesn't affect you today, it doesn't mean we should accept it, otherwise DRM will appear in some form that affects you.
I'm not saying anything of the sort. I'm also not going to accept it is a slippery slope just because you say so. I'm not convinced. I could be wrong. This is why we should have a discussion about it, because imagine that, not everybody agrees with you (or me, for that matter). I'm simply saying that as of this moment, bringing examples of the negative effects of DRM on software to the discussion is not relevant to me, if at all. Sure it could be a slippery slope, but I prefer to leave those assumptions up to the more skeptical people of the world.
Either you concede a point in an argument or you don't. Taking it back is bullshit, and shows that clearly you don't want an honest argument.
Issues much? You are right. I don't seek an argument, I seek a discussion. I didn't take anything back. In my first post, I used the subjunctive case of if something "WERE" (as opposed to something "IS" or "WAS"). Subjunctive case infers that I don't accept it as truth, but for the sake of CONVERSATION and DISCUSSION, I'll entertain that logic, even though using the subjunctive case clearly indicates that I don't agree. So no, I'm not trolling or taking anything back. I'm rather consistent in my stance that examples of DRM in video game software do not apply to my question as framed.
I've met your kind before on /. - couldn't have an honest logical discussion if your life depended on it. Moving goal posts (as AC says). Conceding a point then taking it back with some pedantic pretext that your grammar should have told me you weren't conceding the point. Refusing to acknowledge or respond to my strongest arguments and instead focusing on continual misdirection.
I'm glad you can typecast me based on your weak grasp of English grammar.
Now that's just plain BULLSHIT.
- Fairplay encoded files only work on Apple portable music playe
You forgot the "embedded video frequently doesn't play even though it's a Microsoft codec" bit.
I'm with you there. Germany has a great system in that they have three tiers. Kids not bound for college go on to learn welding or some other trade, while others do a sort of work-study internship. The top tier go to college. The UK has a similar setup with their A-levels. This sort of sweeping education reform will never happen in America though, because we are too conservative and too reluctant to change. Most American's couldn't fathom being told that their little Johnny isn't really cut-out to be a college student and he should enroll in a welding internship with the local Metalworkers' Union.
You clearly have never attempted to teach a group of people anything.
You clearly have no idea of what you speak. True, I no longer teach 20-30 military trainees using 20-30 computer systems WHILE I teach, but that doesn't mean I didn't do it for 10 years previously. It also doesn't mean I didn't teach a high school technology class for two years with the same layout (because I most certainly did). It certainly doesn't mean I don't frequently go out to our Defense customers and teach them how to use our software. It also doesn't mean I don't teach technical communications at our local community college either. In short, no, I don't teach public high school, but "never attempted to teach anything" is a bit harsh.
But, other than that, if you'd like to discuss the merits/disadvantages of teaching in a lab, then I'm all ears. Come to think of it, now that I feel so dirty having responded to your personal attack, allow me to add something of substance. In this horseshoe formation, you can only keep their attention by NOT LETTING THEM PUTZ AROUND on the computer while you are teaching, unless that is a required part of the teaching. I really simple trick (requires no locking down/configuration of anything) is to have all the students turn off their monitors when not in use. Also, have them turn around and face the center. If your layout can allow it, have two seats--one in front of the computer and one to the side, where they can put materials. Have them sit in the seat NOT in front of the computer. Then, when the task requires introducing the technology, they work happily at their terminals, without the distraction of their dear teacher blabbing away. You walk around from terminal-to-terminal, taking an ACTIVE INTEREST in the activities of your students..you know..teaching--supervising. Unfortunately, most teachers just cut them loose and let them do whatever.
Lemme get home tonight and see what I can drum up. I'm looking in my online courseware, but the research classes are no longer posted.
How is putting education back into the hands of families helpful when many families don't care about education?
I can't say I disagree with anything you say. You are actually kind of supporting my point, in that there is far too much emphasis on teaching kids HOW to use computers instead of teaching how to use computers to do something. That's my entire point--by requiring some sort of product that commissions the use of a computer, they demonstrate mastery of the tool without having to dwell on the "how-to" steps. It's also hugely motivating for kids to have fun while doing school work. Producing a Podcast is much more motivating than reciting a report because it is fun (not to all kids, but most, especially if you don't dwell on the nuts-and-bolts of the tech). Studies also show that project based learning, incorporating technology, also promotes deeper understanding and more accurate recall of a topic. It also emulates real life after school, as I find it hard to believe that anyone can do any job without using some sort of computer-assisted process along the way.
I guess you all haven't considered the layout of your classrooms. Imagine, if you will, the teacher desk in the middle of a horse shoe. The student positions are the horseshoe with all positions facing outward (students' backs to the center). Every single screen is visible from the center of the room with a modest head turn.
2. Diatribe on the bad products and business practices of Microsoft
As of your post, YOU are the only person in this entire thread to even mention Microsoft. EPIC TROLL FAIL.
Diatribe is a noun. Using it as a verb is an EPIC GRAMMAR FAIL.
While I appreciate--err, expect-- your cynicism (this is slashdot after all), I've been on slashdot record for well over two years offering my advice in my area of expertise (Computer Education). I apologize in advanced if you are seriously inquiring about my thesis and I just assumed you are mocking me.
I'm no fan of NCLB, but the Act doesn't do anything to make it impossible to fail a student. If anything, it is holding previously failing students more accountable, and more importantly, identifying them so they can get extra help more easily. I guess if giving a poorly performing student extra help so they pass a standardized test counts as "unable to fail" him or her, then I'm all for it.
The kids know how to make things 'look nice' but they dont have anything worth saying.
Is that any worse than having something worth saying but not being able to present it in any form that is meaningful? What's more important? Process or Product? Perhaps the emphasis on presentation isn't as short-sighted as you think?
You need access and internet controls from day 1.
I like to call that supervision--a skill teachers are supposed to have.