Tim, it's both. To get connected - as a top priority now<br>(and probably easiest to achieve). And then - looking into the mess with the policies there.<br>One particular problem in communications remains though. It is that they don't let you<br>
contact anyone else (who, let's say could be inventing the rules, etc). The only port of<br>call is their email. They even wouldn't really listen to you when you come down to the <br>support desk. They tell you to send them an email, that they will pass to someone.<br>
So far I made one attempt (3 days ago I think) - wrote a polite email to them asking to remove<br>two pdf guides found at the uni website, that contain a misleading information. And you know<br>what happened? Absolutely nothing! No reply, no automated reply, nothing. <br>
<br><br>.v<br><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/12/18 Tim Dobson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:lists@tdobson.net">lists@tdobson.net</a>></span><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Ah, ok, I misinterpreted your primary aim.<br>
<br>
I had assumed it was "get connected" but I see now it is change the<br>
TOS/the way they work.<br>
<br>
I still stand by my comments with regards to how best to achieve this;<br>
try and become their friend.<br>
<br>
The people who implement the policy, are probably not the people who<br>
wrote it. The best route is to find those who wrote it and those who<br>
have the power to change it, and see if they can see where you're coming<br>
from.<br>
<br>
Again, I'd recommend a "softly, softly" approach with short, concise,<br>
friendly emails with offers of talk on the phone or meeting face to face.<br>
<br>
Policy won't change fast, and don't expect it to, but it is possible to<br>
change through friendly correspondence with the right person.<br>
<br>
Tim<br>
<div class="im"><br>
Vladimir wrote:<br>
> You see, Tim, as the person who used to admin a network myself, I do<br>
> understand the<br>
> magic of the crate of beer. The problem here is that after I will get my<br>
> linux laptop<br>
> connected, the rest is not about me and the BOFH. It's about /policy/.<br>
> That policy they<br>
> seem use as a magic get-out wand. As soon as they are pointed to what is<br>
> not right<br>
> in their actions they shout /policy/! So I can't buy a crate of beer to<br>
> the policy, do I?<br>
> The problem is that there's no access to see what this policy is. Maybe<br>
> Dave could<br>
> enlighten me on this matter? And seeing the TOS would be nice too. As<br>
> for them -<br>
> I think that the TOS are simply non-existant. What I know for sure is<br>
> that refusing<br>
> to connect my Linux system on the basis that it is on the hardware they<br>
> don't like<br>
> or that it had an operating system of a wrong type in the past violates<br>
> my student rights,<br>
> as their wages are paid from my pocket.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
</div>> 2009/12/18 Tim Dobson <<a href="mailto:lists@tdobson.net">lists@tdobson.net</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:lists@tdobson.net">lists@tdobson.net</a>>><br>
<div class="im">><br>
> Dave Love wrote:<br>
> > Vladimir <<a href="mailto:vladimir.jakubovskij@gmail.com">vladimir.jakubovskij@gmail.com</a><br>
</div><div><div></div><div class="h5">> <mailto:<a href="mailto:vladimir.jakubovskij@gmail.com">vladimir.jakubovskij@gmail.com</a>>> writes:<br>
> ><br>
> >> But I want to teach them a lesson.<br>
> >> I need a laptop of any sort for a couple of days - to change the<br>
> mac addr so it matches the<br>
> >> hw addr of my macbook, to walk in there, register, close the lid<br>
> of the Linux laptop,<br>
> >> open the macbook, and say - Hello, you've been framed :D<br>
> ><br>
> > You might be more careful what you say in public, no matter how stupid<br>
> > you think people in Computing Services and their rules are -- just a<br>
> > suggestion. Merely annoying your BOFH is rarely a good idea, let<br>
> alone<br>
> > posting something like that potentially in front of them, and I assure<br>
> > you they don't need lessons on MAC addresses. If nothing else,<br>
> consider<br>
> > that this sort of thing (archived) may not give a good impression<br>
> of the<br>
> > group, and doesn't help any effort to improve support for non-Windows<br>
> > users in the university in case everyone is tarred with the same<br>
> brush.<br>
><br>
> +1<br>
><br>
> From [painful and unpleasant] experience, it's generally a case of the<br>
> Sun and the Wind[1] with Sysadmins, or anyone for that matter. Be<br>
> aggressive in your manner, you'll not easily get a cooperative response,<br>
> be understanding<br>
><br>
> Teaching people lessons is often tempting but it often makes your<br>
> primary objective - getting xyz done, less likely.<br>
><br>
> The end user who gives them a crate of beer for all the help and<br>
> assistance they've given him over the semester probably stands a much<br>
> greater chance of establishing cooperation than someone who writes<br>
> emails to them telling them they are wrong.<br>
><br>
> Well, anyway, that's my opinion anyway.<br>
><br>
> Tim<br>
><br>
> [1] <a href="http://www.rickwalton.com/folktale/bryant21.htm" target="_blank">http://www.rickwalton.com/folktale/bryant21.htm</a><br>
><br>
><br>
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