Bringing Files home from School

[mikes63737]

My school has a bunch of ridiculous computer rules and policies. We're not allowed to use flash drives (the computer asks for an administrator password), e-mail (most services are blocked completely, and if they catch you on one they'll block it), or burn CDs because we don't have CD burners. We used to have (gasp) floppy drives, but we don't have them anymore.

I've tried writing a PHP upload script for my website, which worked for about a week and they've blocked my site completely since then. I've also tried asking the "lab helpers" about what I can do and they refuse to even talk to me.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can bring files home from school? This is a serious problem for me because I'm wasting my time working on documents at school and not being able to bring them home.

It seems like I'm stuck on this one.

BTW We're running 2000, XP Pro or Vista Business.

 

[mactastic]

Probably best to try and go through the school administration. Make your concerns known, let them air their concerns about what you are proposing, and see if you can come to some agreement. If you're having this problem, most likely plenty of other people are too. Maybe try and organize some of them and show the administration that it's not just one kid. The squeaky wheel often gets the grease.

However; I can guarantee you that attempting to hack or otherwise subvert their protection will not endear you to them, and may result in disciplinary action.

 

[7on]

I second mactastic's solution

 

[desenso]

Web based storage of some sort?

Clearly they don't want you to be transferring files off of those computers, though. There must be a reason for their extremely harsh stance. You could plead with them, but we all know how effective that tends to be.

Maybe you could convince them to unblock Google Documents?

 

[mikes63737]

Maybe you could convince them to unblock Google Documents?

I never thought of even trying that... maybe it's not blocked. Probably is, though.

Those of you who suggested talking to the administration - we've done that for other things, but they really honestly don't care about the students. We have a principal who does nothing but speak for the school to the media, and our other administration members are either complete jerks or have no power.

That would be the best approach, though.

 

[TimJim]

You school doesnt use a mail service within the Student Body? Like FirstClass or something?

If they do just email yourself the files.

 

[7on]

I never thought of even trying that... maybe it's not blocked. Probably is, though.

Those of you who suggested talking to the administration - we've done that for other things, but they really honestly don't care about the students. We have a principal who does nothing but speak for the school to the media, and our other administration members are either complete jerks or have no power.

That would be the best approach, though.

See if you can get your parents to complain. Have them tell the school board that their child can't bring his homework home.

 

[mactastic]

I never thought of even trying that... maybe it's not blocked. Probably is, though.

Those of you who suggested talking to the administration - we've done that for other things, but they really honestly don't care about the students. We have a principal who does nothing but speak for the school to the media, and our other administration members are either complete jerks or have no power.

That would be the best approach, though.

I've met plenty of administrators, and not one of them "honestly doesn't care about the students". Sorry, but that's just lame hyperbole.

They may have overarching security concerns that trump your need for document portability. Or they may be being overly cautious for some reason. But it's not because "they really honestly don't care about the students".

Face it, you may just have to play by their rules until you graduate. Of course, then you'll have to play by the rules of your college network admins. And after that, the rules of your employer's network admins.

Or you could start your own school system, and set up your own rules...

 

[MLeepson]

Does your school use BlackBoard? if they do, you should be able to upload files to that and then take them off at home.

At my school, we're not allowed to burn CDs or use flash drives. I'll end up emailing it to myself or putting it on my iDisk. I have a PowerBook, but we're not allowed use our own laptops/computers. It's ridiculous, because the network is down half the time.