Lakehead is stupid...
Students are being punished in the name of poltitical correctness.
The students and professors at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont., won't have wireless Internet access for their computers any time soon. The institution, citing both health concerns and security reasons, has decided against installing the popular technology.This all relates back to the precautionary principle, which states that you cannot use new technology unless it is 100% safe. Which is usually impossible. The plain fact of the matter is that these wireless devices are safe....and if students were allowed to choose, they would choose to use them.
Lakehead is believed to be the only major educational institution in Canada to have taken such a strong step against the technology.
Wireless allows computer users to hook up to networks or the Internet without having to use cables or telephone lines, making access easier in public spaces and homes.
Lakehead's decision affects 7,400 students, 1,600 professors and other staff at the university in the Northern Ontario city.
posted by GayandRight @ 10:32 AM
2 Comments:
I work at Lakehead and I can tell you that despite this news story, there are numerous hotspots on campus.
The administration doesn't know about them though. Its the campus clubs, and other organizations within the university that have bought wireless routers and plugged them into the hardwired connections, thus providing hotspots.
...but the administration is correct that there are literally thousands of hard connections on campus already. We have buildings where every desk has a connection.
As a tech professional with decades of experience I challenge your implication that the school is wrong in this. The institiution has a responsibility to manage its resources effectively. The majority of institutional wireless networks have been deployed to avoid the cost of installing and maintaining wired solutions. This is not allways a valid choice especially when large investments have been made in wired infrastructure. Security concerns are also a BIG issue and in spite of the arguments made by vendors and other wireless proponents security is not easily or cheeply attained.
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