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Username Post: Trying to Stop Network Screensaver        (Topic#22715)
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

Re: Trying to Stop Network Screensaver
03-25-08 08:15 AM - Post#162690    
    In response to Logan 5

Logan, you may have made a critical mistake.

If you had kept it to yourself, nobody would have been any the wiser. Now that you've shared it, I'll guarantee that news will at some point get back to the IT department. As I said before, I'm sure this is in violation of the rules and regs.

Good luck!
-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


 
Danial.Beta 

Danial.Beta
Loc: The Internet
Registered on 01-16-08

03-25-08 08:21 AM - Post#162691    
    In response to Logan 5

Seems like the simple solution would be to use AutoIt or AutoHotKey to move the mouse in a random direction by 1px once every 10 minutes. It would take me maybe five minutes to wip up a script to do with, and it could be made into a .exe easily enough.

 
Danial.Beta 

Danial.Beta
Loc: The Internet
Registered on 01-16-08

03-25-08 08:27 AM - Post#162692    
    In response to Danial.Beta

Sly: You are right, he really should have just talked to the IT department first. Our systems lock after 15 minutes to prevent other users from messing with computers that aren't theirs, or to prevent clients from gaining access to any un-manned machines. It is a nice security feature, and I would frown upon anyone trying to break it.

The simple solution is to just make sure you move the mouse from time to time. I do this on my home machine while watching long videos online, and it isn't that hard. And if you wanted a truly crazy/IT Friendly/fun way of doing it, you could create a hardware device to roll the ball in the mouse or slide the surface over the light so that there is movement. It would be awesomely complicated.

 
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

03-25-08 12:42 PM - Post#162712    
    In response to Danial.Beta

Out of curiosity, how do you stop this little program from functioning? Is the only option a reboot?

-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


 
Average Midget 


Registered on 03-04-08

03-25-08 03:01 PM - Post#162727    
    In response to SlyFerret

Out of curiosity, how do you stop this little program from functioning? Is the only option a reboot?


I'm not sure what you mean. The "lean" version has an option to disable or enable the screen saver, right from the interface, you can also just close the program and it'll revert right back to your normal screen saver settings. The GUI version has several ways to enable or disable the screen saver (you can also enable and disable from the notification tray, when it's minimized). It, too, will revert back to the standard screen saver settings, when the program is closed.

Actually, that's a little misleading, it never changes your settings, at all. It only calculates, based on the screen saver timeout, when it should move the mouse and does so with a value of zero pixels.

I'm not really sure where you got the notion that you would have to reboot. The program is not malicious.

 
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

03-25-08 03:03 PM - Post#162728    
    In response to Average Midget

I didn't download it.

I was under the impression it was just a little .exe that you run to stop the screen saver. I was wondering how to make it stop running. I didn't realize there was a UI.

-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


 
Logan 5 

Logan 5
Loc: California
Registered on 03-10-08

03-25-08 06:38 PM - Post#162745    
    In response to Danial.Beta

You and SlyFerret obviously don't get it.
Yes, if I worked someplace where other people could get to my computer while I was away, then I would wrong in looking for a way to stop the screensaver without talking to IT first.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. No one can get access to my pc without my knowing it, except when I leave my room which I lock. Remember, I teach in a classroom in which I'm always present. Now, I know it's hard to imagine for someone who is probably only responsible for themselves or maybe a few others colleagues at work, but I teach between 30-45 students each class (over 170 between 5 classes) and have a ton of other priorities during that class time to worry about without having to remember to move the damn mouse every 19 minutes. And no, even with that many students in each class, no one touches my pc - not even my aides.

And why not ask IT to change it? We have... Countless times by numerous teachers. Our District's IT motto is basically: "do what's best and easiest for IT and who cares how it affects the teachers or their job". Apparently, teachers only exist to keep IT busy.

And lastly, your assumption that I told the whole school about this program is comical. Why would I get this and then shoot myself in the foot? Teachers (plural) just means more than 1; I'm keeping this within the small group of people I know and who would actually benefit from it. Only a small faction use a pc/LCD combo so far.

I'll get off my soapbox now...
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.


 
HAL 9000 

HAL 9000
Loc: Chicago Illinois
Registered on 04-04-05

Trying to Stop Network Screensaver
03-25-08 07:00 PM - Post#162748    
    In response to Logan 5

You'll find out soon what IT thinks of it...
"I'm completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly"

HAL 9000 Shutdown Sequence




 
Average Midget 


Registered on 03-04-08

03-25-08 10:07 PM - Post#162766    
    In response to HAL 9000

There is a fundamental problem with this whole system. It's become a "Me or them" situation, and I'm not sure it needs to be. I can respect that it might be overwhelming to treat every request on a case-by-case basis, when you're administering hundreds of users, but for smaller networks, I think there could be some "give" under special circumstances. Like a teacher who just wants to teach his students and wants to shut off the screen saver while the video is playing. If you're an IT person, and you take such a "hard-nosed" approach, you can not be surprised when someone goes around it. Teaching has got to be hard enough, it doesn't need obstacles, making it harder.

Anyway, Logan, I'm glad it helps you and whomever you passed it on to. I've always been a proponent of teachers getting more respect (and pay...that's a crime).

 
Average Midget 


Registered on 03-04-08

03-25-08 10:33 PM - Post#162772    
    In response to Danial.Beta

Danial.Beta, I will look beyond the fact that you apparently didn't read the whole thread because you state to contact the IT department first, when Logan 5 clearly said, in their second post, that they did contact IT...I'll just quote it.

"We talked to Admin when we first heard they were going to implement this "feature". They said we would just get used to it and that was that."

I don't, however, understand this statement...

"And if you wanted a truly crazy/IT Friendly/fun way of doing it..."

How is that anymore "IT Friendly" than temporarily keeping the screen saver from coming on, programmatically. It's doing the same thing, only in a more elegant way.

 
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

03-26-08 06:00 AM - Post#162784    
    In response to Logan 5

Logan, I do get it.

First: You're a teacher. You work with a room full of kids all day and you think that the people you told won't tell anyone else, or that those people won't tell others? At some point, word will get back to the IT department.

Second: How on earth would a screen saver do anything to preserve IT jobs during budget cuts? That's just a silly statement. It's a cheap tactic frequently used when making an argument. It is an opinion stated as fact to assist in supporting your position. I'm sure you wouldn't let your students get away with that in an essay.

When the screen saver kicks on, does it require a password in order to get back to what you were doing?

-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


 
Average Midget 


Registered on 03-04-08

03-26-08 09:09 AM - Post#162794    
    In response to SlyFerret

Once again, I will quote Logan's second post (I seem to be doing that a lot...I'm wondering if anyone besides Logan and I have read it.)

"when was the last time you showed a 21+ minute video to a class and had the login screensaver come up"

"login" being the key word. I will add that, at my place of employment, I have to enter my username and password every time the screen saver comes on. Goes off, to be more accurate.

If you want to get all mathy on it, say it takes me 5 seconds to enter my username and password. That doesn't sound totally outrageous. Since I'm constantly away from my desk (I do physical work, as well) we'll say I do this 10 times a day. That's 50 seconds a day. 22 days a month, comes out to 18.333 minutes a month. Take that out to a year and it's 3.666 hours a year I spend typing in my username and password, just so I can turn off the screen saver (I won't even get into all of the other usernames and passwords I have to, not only remember, but use daily. There are four total). It's a very unproductive thing. I know I can be accused of trying rationalizing it, but its the truth.

I'm not saying it should be completely done away with, but maybe give the user some option to bypass it, under special conditions. I would even be up for saying, if the user is abusive of that privilege, take it away.

 
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

Trying to Stop Network Screensaver
03-26-08 10:31 AM - Post#162800    
    In response to Average Midget

The problem is that login screen saver is there for a reason (and that reason is not to save IT jobs during budget cuts). It is there to require a password to access the machine. It is there to control access. It is there to protect the network and the data stored on the network.

If this program is used, and accidently left running so that the screen saver never comes on, and the teacher leaves the room, or the building (for the day or the weekend), that computer will be left accessible.

One issue is that the janitors have access to classrooms when teachers are not present. My mothers school district had a severe problem about 5 years ago with custodians using classroom computers at night while on the clock.

In addition to custodians goofing off on the job...

This is a serious breech of security policy, and if the IT department finds out about it through the grapevine, they would not be doing their job if they did not seek disciplinary action against Logan. They would not have a choice. If they turn a blind eye, their own jobs may be in jeopardy.

While most people might not give it much thought, there is a lot of sensitive data on that school network that needs to be protected. Students grades are only one example. Another example might be school financial/accounting information. A third type of sensitive information on the network would be information that the guidance counselors might have on specific students regarding issues they have in their lives that may be linked to drug/alcohol use, abuse, legal trouble, etc... Of course, these are only a few examples.

Here's where I'm torn, as an IT guy:
Logan had a problem, and sought help from the community here. Nothing wrong with that, that's why we're here. AverageMidget (if that is your real name...) stepped up and coded up a solution to the problem. Fantastic! I wish more people in this world were willing to help each other out like that. The solution seems to be a good one.

I'm glad to see people get the help they seek here, but I'm concerned about the ramifications that might come about when the IT department discovers it.

But... I was being completely serious in my previous post about making a mistake by sharing this tool. The cat is out of the bag, and Logan no longer has control over who uses it, shares it, or talks about it.

It only takes one (dumb) person to hear about it and go ask the IT department if they can have a copy of the program that disables the screen saver.

Only time will tell. I hope it doesn't end badly.

-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


Edited by SlyFerret on 03-26-08 10:31 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
Danial.Beta 

Danial.Beta
Loc: The Internet
Registered on 01-16-08

03-26-08 12:24 PM - Post#162817    
    In response to SlyFerret

Sorry, I was only glancing over the posts, but by asking the IT staff I meant more along the lines of asking them if it was OK to run the program.

As for Sly's question on how to end it, it would be a hotkey If I created it. It would be a background proccess so you would hardly know it was running, but hitting a button combo at any point would end it.

I have made plenty of little applets like that, not specifically to keep the screensaver gone, but it would take seconds to change them to make them do the job(Basically disabling everything but a mouse move and putting in a delay).

 
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

03-26-08 12:30 PM - Post#162818    
    In response to Danial.Beta

It's not a bad solution at all. I'm actually impressed that AM put it together so quickly.

I'm just worried about what may come about on Logan's end.

-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


 
Danial.Beta 

Danial.Beta
Loc: The Internet
Registered on 01-16-08

03-26-08 12:43 PM - Post#162821    
    In response to SlyFerret

Look up AutoIt to see how simple it really is. It's a scripting language specifically made to make automating installers easy. Basically you can simulate any user input and even pick out form IDs and have them automatically filled in. It's really handy, but also really simple. It speeds up deployment of software right before tax season.

 
Average Midget 


Registered on 03-04-08

03-26-08 01:11 PM - Post#162826    
    In response to Danial.Beta

SlyFerret, I'm not trying to speak for Logan, but one way that it could be seen as "trying to save IT jobs" is in the fact that this is a new implementation. That, to me, sounds like the IT department suddenly throws in some new requirements and tells the school board that they need to maintain these security standards...the ones they never had before. I'm going to take your being impressed as a compliment, so thank you!

Danial.Beta, AutoIt, while it might be a great program, looks like it needs to be installed. Being an IT person (I'm assuming so, by what you've said) you should know that the average user doesn't have install rights. Imagine if you had a user come to you and ask if you would let them install AutoIt.

As far as a global hotkey, that is definitely a way to do it, but that also means your program has to request all Windows messages (usually by a system wide hook) and, unless your hotkey combination is completely unique, you run the risk of changing your screen saver settings if the user hits that same hotkey in a different program. The chances are good that the user wouldn't even know they changed the settings and then walk away, leaving the computer wide open.

 
SlyFerret 

SlyFerret
Loc: Delaware, Ohio
Registered on 12-19-06

03-26-08 01:21 PM - Post#162829    
    In response to Average Midget

  • Average Midget Said:
I'm going to take your being impressed as a compliment, so thank you!



Please do.

I'm just hoping Logan doesn't get into trouble.

-SF
Had this been an actual emergency, we would have fled in terror, and you would not have been notified.


 
Danial.Beta 

Danial.Beta
Loc: The Internet
Registered on 01-16-08

03-26-08 02:08 PM - Post#162837    
    In response to SlyFerret

Actually, an AutoIt script can be packed in with all the required stuff into one .exe. Pretty simple. I only have it installed on one machine at work, but I make it into an exe for the rest of the machines to use. I hear a lot of people singing the praises of AutoHotKey too, but I don't know if it has the same feature.

 
Logan 5 

Logan 5
Loc: California
Registered on 03-10-08

03-26-08 09:15 PM - Post#162860    
    In response to SlyFerret

Yes, the screensaver requires a password.

I forgot to mention the other problem this brings up: I ended up typing in my password in front of students between 1-3 times each class period. An observant student could probably guess my password after just a few days of watching me type it it. Just last week one of my aides, who I trust, told me what the first 3 characters I my password were; he was just casually observing my as I typed it in (needless to say I have changed it).
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.


 
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