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This document is what is commonaly called a FAQ. Dont know what that
is? Read on, but be warned, this is not for those people who
are easly offended. This is a very blunt and honest document.
If you get your feelings hurt, go crawl back into your little cave and get
out of the real world. It ain't always cute and wonderfull out here
and the grocery store don't care how many "warm fuzzies" you have.
What is a FAQ?
It is one on those many acromims that we computer people use. It stands
for Frequently Asked Questions. (some people say it stans for Fool Asked
a Question) We will often take time out of our busy schedule to write them
so that You, the user can look up your question here and get off of our backs.
So you did this on company time?
No, it's 1:10 in the afternoon on Sunday. My day off. But I still
get people calling me at home asking questions that are foolish.
Is the Server Down?
What server? We currently have over 25 in the district. This does not
include small servers that often run only one application.
I can't get on the Internet. Is the server down?
The internet consist of several million servers. It is safe to say
that at any time some of them are down. We have a proxy server that
should keep you from going to web sites that may not be proper for school
use. If you try to go to one of those, you will get a messge that it
is blocked. If it is down, you can go anywhere on the internet, just ask the kids.
Can you unblock the website Ebay.com and also I need to get to LandsEnd.com
We have a form to fill out before a website can be unblocked. If must
be signed by the principal or other approrate staff member. This is
to ensure that the use if for school use and not for teacher to wildly "surf
the net" when they should be teaching a class or preparing to for their classes
You are being very rude in your answers, Why?
Most of these questions are based on true events. We are often shocked
by how people who think they know so much about computers really know so little.
To put it in a nutshell. We are often amazed at how some people can
not graps simple concepts of life, much less the simple concepts of basic
computers.
Every time I go to this web site, I get something called a Java Script
error. Why wont you people fix it?
Java Scrips are located on the web site your are looking at. If you
see a java script error then it could be caused by several things.
1) The person who did the web site did not know how to do java scrips
2) The person who did the wbe site did not write the web site so that all common
browsers can view it. Try using another browser.
3) Unless it's one we wrote, we ain't going to fix it. Complain to
the web site.
I often get several e-mails a week. I have not gotten any in three
days. Is the e-mail down?
Unless you are getting some kind of error message, The most common reason
for not getting e-mail is that no one wants to talk to you. I suggest you
try to find someone who is local and willing to talk to you and have them
send you and e-mail. Give it at least 30 minutes and try again.
If that does not work, try sending them an e-mail and see if they get your
message. After all, thay may not like you as much as you thought.
Every time I try to shutdown windows, it hangs up on message "Please
wait while windows shuts down" I have told several people from the
department about this and no one has done anything.
This problem orginal showed up in the pre-release versions of windows '95.
Yep, over 7 years ago. Microsoft has only now admited that this is very
common, so common in fact we are tired of hearing about it. Just turn
the computer off. One day when you have a real problem we will see
if we can do anything to help it shut down, right now it's not that big of a problem.
I have to give a presation Tommorow morning at 9:00 am. Can I
get a Laptop and a projector setup for this.
We only have a limmited number of Laptops and projectors. Everyone
seems to think that we have so many that they can just wait untill the last
minute to call and get one. So your answer is Not likely, Unless you are very
and I do mean VERY lucky they are have already been checked out. We
are not Wal-Mart, you can't just come over and grab what you need at the
last minute. I would suggest at least 3 weeks notice the next time
you want one.
That's ok. I will have Mrs Keasley call and get one.
Dont count on that working, She already knows you need to call
in advance.
My computer at home is doing strange things, can I get someone to
look at it?
Sure, we checked service call prices at several places in Aiken and Augusta.
We can do if for about the same price, less in some cases. $75.00 per
hours based on the time we leave the district office, Plus .35 cents a mile
for travel. Of cousre parts will be extra. Get the idea that this is a real stupid question?
The civic orgnization that I belong to has asked me to do their web
page. Can I get a copy of Front Page loaded on my computer?
Sure, Provideing of cousre that they are willing to buy a copy for you.
And make sure that it will run on the computer you currently have. AT HOME! I
am sure you understand that it would be foolish to expect us to pay for the
tools for you to do work for someone else, and are you going to do this web
page durring school hours when you should be doing work to help your students?
I have herd that there will be a technology course given at the start
of the summer. Will we really learn anything or will it be a waist
of time?
Several people last year came into the class thinking that they had no ablity
to do anything with computers and less than a year latter are finding that
proper use is saveing them a great deal of time and effort in preparing for
a class. It will be a great help to anyone who has the ablity to behave and
pay attention in class.
I already know a lot about computers, why should I take the class?
Simple, about 1 1/2 years ago the school district relized that it needed two more
people to work in the technology dept. We looked over all persons in
the district to see if anyone could fill these positions. You were
not hired, so you must not know as much as you think you do. Go to
the class, keep your mouth shut and you will learn.
I am wanting to buy a computer for my home, What do you suggest?
It is not so much the computer that you pay for as it is the service.
The last computer I bought cost me around $450. dollars and was equal to
the systems we were putting into the schools for $1200. Why the price
diffrence? I did not get a 3 year warenty with onsite service with
mine. That is the major consideration you should have. If you
dont want to have to deal with problems and have trouble getting service
then you need to go with a name brand such as Dell or Gateway. I suggest
Dell over Gateway only for the service, Dell will send someone to your home
to fix your computer. With Gateway, you must take it into their shop.
If you buy from a local business, you have no assurance that thay will be
in business in the next year. I STRONGLY do not suggest buying a computer
from somone who put them together as a part time business. If they
were good at it, then it would not be a part time business. And before you
ask if I would be willing to build you one, Do you really think that I want
you calling me up on Saturday morning telling me that something is wrong
with it? What software should be loaded on my computer at school
That greatly depends on your school and what you teach. We support
the basic operating system that can range from Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows
M.E. Some very rare exceptions will have a diffrent operatinng system, these
execptions are made only on an as needed basis.
I have a computer with Windows 95 in my room. My laptop runs
Windows M.E.. My computer at home has Windows XP on it. Can I get Windows
X.P. on my computer in the class room and my Laptop?
In short, NO. Each computer comes with a license for the operating
system it has. To change will require an upgrade license, We buy
these only when we have to. And if you have a desktop that runs Windows
95, it may not have enought memory, disk space, or processor speed to run
any other operating system. Please note that this is one of the many
questions we get that we consider so foolish.
Can I get a copy of the software I use at school for my home computer
Sure, Comp-USA seems to have very good prices. Now there are some things we have that due to
the ablity of the school to purchuce software in volumne, we can get it for
you at a lower cost, but face it. Nothing in the world that is of real
value is free.
I bought some software for use at school, another teacher liked it
and we loaded it on her computer, now we are going to load it on our home
computers, Is there anything wrong with this?
Well, most people call it stealing. The Goverment calls it a feloly
and it is punishable by not only a fine but also jail time.
The Laptops that the teachers have, Can I get one?
The laptops were bought over a 3 year time frame. One for each teacher
when the program started. By the start of the third year the district
had added more teachers. Thatnks to the efforts of those responsible
for the laptops, we did manage to buy a few extra for these teachers. As
more teachers are added and as the older laptops begin to fail, we are constantly
finding that more people want them then we can afford. If you really
need one for a special project or class contact us well in advance and we
may can help you out. We can not make any assurances that we can, but
we will try.
I have a laptop from you, what am I suspose to do with it.
It was our error, please put it back in the bag and return it to the District Office.
What can I not do with it?
It is school property, just like the
Computer in the class rooms, or like the TV's in the class rooms. Or
the desk and chairs. If your child, spouse, or other relitive, is wanting
a computer, TV or Desk and Chair. You (I hope) would not take
them from the school and give to your child, or spouse, or whoever. Don't
be foolish and think the laptop is any diffrent. It is for your use.
let me repeat that. It is for YOUR use to do your work and inprove
your ablities at school.
I got a letter telling me to bring the laptop into school on day next
week, why?
Well First of all remember, it does belong to the school.
We on occasion will have the laptops returned to be serviced. The
warrenty with DELL requires that they be repaired properly and kept in repair.
Besides, it's a good way to find out if you still have it.
Are you looking to see what web sites I have been to or will you be
checking my e-mail
Do this little test. Send Me or one of the other staff memebers
an e-mail. See how long it takes us to respond. We barely have
time to read our own e-mail. We are not intrested in you chitt-chatting
with uncle Bob and aunt Bea. However, Stuff like your spouses daily
reports where for where they work or the "Special" Pictures you downloaded
are easy to see. Dont think you will get away with it. Others
have not.
