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Priolester

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 16, 2011
5
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Hi. My school requires everyone to have Macs. This is great but they take our computers and installed JSS, SSH and Faronics Insight. Insight watches our screen when we are on the network and JSS and SSH stalks what programs we use. For example I jus found the blacklist (hidden file) that blocks specific games. I found a way to change it but I still don't have what I want. i have searched forums and looked for a way to become an admin. The major problem is that no one else has these problems. I have tried Single User mode with different ways but it wont even start up in single user mode. Also sudo doesn't work. Right now I am stuck not being an Admin and nothing seems to work. This makes me not even able to delete stubborn files. It really is a pain. If anyone knows how to get around this please tell me. (I am able to see hidden files so that isn't an issue.)
Thanks if anyone figures out how. It would really help me have my freedom on my computer back.
 
If it`s your Mac, rather than the schools then I would regard this as a massive invasion of your privacy/rights.
If the school bought/supplied the machine then you have little choice but to accept it really.

Still sucks tho...
 
The mac was baught by me but we had to sign this thing so they could put all of the stuff in.
 
Priolester said:
The mac was baught by me but we had to sign this thing so they could put all of the stuff in.
Click to expand...

Then you have the restore DVDs. Just use them to reset the Admin password and do what you want. But be aware that if you remove or in any way alter the software they put there you should probably not connect to their network as you will almost certainly be breaking their policies that you have signed up to.
 
THANKS. That could work. The main problem about that is like what you said. Dont connect. The program insight is used to see our screens. The teachers make us go on their channel. They would notice then the tech guys will re-image my computer to what it was before. This is one way but is there any other way? Thanks for your reply though.
 
This all just sounds like madness to me! They want to install this stuff on your own computer and will wipe it again to get their way?

You could get around it by installing Mac OS twice on two different partitions. One could have all of the restrictions your school have imposed, the other can be regular OS X. Use one at school and the other at home.
 
This sounds like an outrageous breach of privacy to me. Use the install disks, wipe the disk (after backing up your files), reclaim your computer. Viva La Resistance!
 
And said:
This sounds like an outrageous breach of privacy to me.
Click to expand...
No, not at all. While I don't condone it. The school has complete say on what computers are allowed on their network. If they require those apps that the OP mentioned and block certain games, they're completely within their rights.

your alternative, is to disagree with the terms and not load the software, but the consequence is you'll not be allowed to join the network
 
If it is your Mac and you are able to protest against it and leave the school network, I would if I were you. I'd buy my own contract or payasyougo dongle and use that instead of the school network.
 
yeah it is outrageous, get your files, reinstall, and get out of this totalitarian backward garbage, this world has had enough fascism already.
 
blow45 said:
yeah it is outrageous, get your files, reinstall, and get out of this totalitarian backward garbage, this world has had enough fascism already.
Click to expand...


"Fascism is a radical, authoritarian nationalist political ideology". In what way is the school requiring specific software to connect to a network they own and are responsible for in any way nationalistic?
 
robbieduncan said:
"Fascism is a radical, authoritarian nationalist political ideology". In what way is the school requiring specific software to connect to a network they own and are responsible for in any way nationalistic?
Click to expand...

oh yeah?

check your apple dictionary (which unlike wikipedia is edited by professional linguists):

fascism |ˈfa sh ˌizəm| (also Fascism)
noun
an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.
• (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.

you are the first adult person I have come across that seems not to be aware of that other sense of the word fascism. Now that you know it will be easier to spot it too. :) And yes what this school is doing is fascist to the hilt.

(p.s. also note the two "or"s in the definition)
 
blow45 said:
fascism |ˈfa sh ˌizəm| (also Fascism)
noun
an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.
• (in general use) extreme right-wing, authoritarian, or intolerant views or practice.

you are the first adult person I have come across that seems not to be aware of that other sense of the word fascism. Now that you know it will be easier to spot it too. :) And yes what this school is doing is fascist to the hilt.
Click to expand...

...and you are not the first adolescent I have come across that uses words like "fascism" without any sort of real-life perspective on what authoritarian government or rule actually means. Last I checked, citizens under Fascist regimes don't usually sign a sheet of paper authorizing their rulers to do what they want...unlike the OP.
 
miles01110 said:
...and you are not the first adolescent I have come across that uses words like "fascism" without any sort of real-life perspective on what authoritarian government or rule actually means. Last I checked, citizens under Fascist regimes don't usually sign a sheet of paper authorizing their rulers to do what they want...unlike the OP.
Click to expand...

don't push it with the backhanded compliments ("adolescent") because you are embarrassing yourself, and of course I won't stoop to reply to you, I am sorry, but I 've learned enough in forums to not be tempted (as much as I used to that is...) to respond to taunts of what I consider to be inane comments with people who don't seem capable of engaging in a certain level of rational discussion and preface their posts with thinly veiled jabs.
 
blow45 said:
don't push it with the backhanded compliments ("adolescent") because you are embarrassing yourself, and of course I won't stoop to reply to you, I am sorry, but I 've learned enough in forums to not be tempted (as much as I used to that is...) to respond to taunts of what I consider to be inane comments with people who don't seem capable of engaging in a certain level of rational discussion and preface their posts with thinly veiled jabs.
Click to expand...

It wasn't a compliment, and it wasn't backhanded. You clearly have no idea what you are talking about; I was merely pointing out the obvious. Network policies that you sign in agreement with ≠ Fascism. If you don't agree with the policy, don't sign the paper. If you have a principled legal argument on why your rights are being infringed upon, use the legal system. Neither of those options are usually available in a Fascist regime.
 
How about posting a 'cleansed' version of the agreement you signed, willingly.

Then the rest of us can see what punishment might be in store for you. :rolleyes:
 
yeah because the school coerces students to willingly sign...:rolleyes:

I am sure you think excluding you from their network (which is suppose to be part of the service they offer) and making you use a dongle to get some semblance of privacy is not punishing enough.

I mean what punishment would it take before you can allow us to call this fascist, hanging? shooting? :confused: Surely if no Gulag is involved it can't be fascist...tststststst

jesus.....
 
blow45 said:
yeah it is outrageous, get your files, reinstall, and get out of this totalitarian backward garbage, this world has had enough fascism already.
Click to expand...

Your little rant would make sense if the OP had not admitted to willingly signing a contract that allowed the school to install said programs on his/ her machine.

Your argument is moot.
 
NathanMuir said:
Your little rant would make sense if the OP had not admitted to willingly signing a contract that allowed the school to install said programs on his/ her machine.

Your argument is moot.
Click to expand...

first of all it's not a rant cause you say so, so next time you 'd like to engage in discussion with me you might as well try being polite. You might also want to understand the meaning of coercion, cause I am not going to repeat ad nauseum what I said about it and free will. Even if there is no coercion, and in this case there is, willingly signing a contract out of need or for whatever other reason does not mean that said contract does not have a fascist rationale or fascist clauses. It's simple logic that free will is irrelevant here, people choose to be oppressed willingly a lot of the time, their willingness to subject themselves to authoritarian practices, does not obviously mean that since it's their will then said practices are not authoritarian.

Say I am train operator, and as contract I require the users of my trains to accept sitting absolutely still and having body searches at every stop, and say some people do agree with that, cause well I am the only train service to their town (this is the coercion bit), but even if they do it willingly and not out of lack of choice, and I do find a few poor souls to impose upon, does their willingness to subject themselves to my authoritarian practices, make these practices any less authoritarian? Of course not. It's absolutely deluded and stupid to think otherwise, but that's what you claim. Just cause the op is in a school were a bunch of .... decide they like to breach his privacy, and out of need or ease, or in any case for whatever reason he (she) have agreed to them, then the school is not actually breaking his privacy, that they are not being fascists in their controlling, privacy/rights breaching approach?

You seem old enough to know this, but you also seem reactionary enough to blatantly ignore it. I hope such fascist logic doesn't influence kids in these forums and that they ll be able to see through your poor rhetoric, because as I said the world has had enough in terms of backward reactionary practices and it's propagators.
 
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If this is a deal-breaker for the OP, he is free to go to another school.

Perhaps a more Liberal party school, with credits for basket weaving.

I am unconcerned about his current plight.
 
@OP

I also recommend dual booting. Have one partition with all of the tracking crap thats required by your school, and have the other clean partition to use at your leisure. Just make sure not to use the "clean" partition on your school's network. ;)
 
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r0n1n said:
@OP

I also recommend dual booting. Have one partition with all of the tracking crap thats required by your school, and have the other clean partition to use at your leisure. Just make sure not to use the "clean" partition on your school's network. ;)
Click to expand...

How would you make a partition without the admin password? Is that possible
 
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