[K12OSN] Mass remote login to computer lab systems

["Terrell Prudé Jr."]

James P. Kinney III wrote:
> On Fri, 2008-02-01 at 16:18 -0800, Hung Phan wrote:
>   
>> WOL is something we are working on too for the lab but the current
>> issue is to send the login credential to 40 remote systems. The
>> teacher wants to log into 40 systems at the beginning of every testing
>> period to save time. We accomplish something like this on the Mac by
>> scripting but not sure about Linux. May be someone have a better
>> solution? We are open to all solution: open source, script, or
>> commercial.
>>
>>     
> <rant>
> At the risk of sounding like a jerk, why are the teachers incapable of
> instructing the students on how to log into the machines. It takes all
> of 15 seconds and is a valuable part of the learning process. I've seen
> first graders happily logging into their own account using a username
> and password. I've also seen teachers unable to access their email
> because they can't remember to look at the caps-lock key.
> </rant>
>
>   

Gotta agree there.  Remember, folks, kids today are growing up with
computers the same way that my generation grew up with televisions and
VCR's.  Even the youngest of schoolchildren today have no problem
putting in a username and password.

> If the teachers can't make that work just setup the machines for
> autologin and do a wake on LAN startup. Now they are always running and
> ready for use by anyone who sits down.
>
> If the schools are going to be able to effectively use this tremendous
> technology upgrade to Linux thin clients (or Linux at all) the
> technologists who make it happen have to raise the bar on the knowledge
> expectations of the teachers. The kids will generally be running circles
> around the teachers in a week on new tech in the classroom. The teachers
> MUST step up and gain at the barest minimum a functional foundation of
> computers. Linux systems are extremely powerful tools and training of
> teachers of good practices and habits is mandatory.
>   

It never ceases to amaze me how teachers preen themselves with their
pedigrees, but then will nearly-violently refuse to learn to use a new
tool, claiming, "waaah, it's too hard!"  Then their "uneducated" kids
walk up to it and use it with aplomb....

Case in point.  Just last month I popped a 12-year-old kid in front of a
CentOS 5 box.  He had never even *heard* of Linux or GNU before.  Within
seconds, he had Firefox up and was otherwise moving around the computer
like there was nothing to it.

Here's another:  I know a high school kid whose English teacher was
getting all upset and bent out of shape because "THE COMPUTER'S NOT
WORKING!"  She was all set to take this up the chain of command.  Well,
without saying a word, this kid walked up to the computer, pressed the
button marked "POWER", and the computer magically started working.  Did
she thank him?  Nope.  On the contrary, she gave him what he described
to me as a most baleful, nearly hateful, look.  Right then, he lost all
respect for her, and I don't blame him.

--TP
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