1 million dollars???

These must be the same people that estimate the street value of seized drugs.

I want to be part of that union. How hard is it to go down the line and hit uninstall on each in parallel? It isn't like this is malware that resists being uninstalled.

Better yet, leave it be, what difference does it make?

Lumox: Because I'm sure it costs $1,000,000 to write a batch script to search for and uninstall SETI@home, and change the login scripts for every computer to run the batch file once.

Jesus these people are f*cking helpless.

I came to say this. What in holy shiat? Hell one of the students could probably do it.

I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

FriarReb98: I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

wat

Proving, once again, that school boards across the country are staffed by the dumbest people on the face of the earth.

FriarReb98: I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

See, if I could spew forth technobabble BS like this to a customer with a straight face I'd have probably make a lot more money when I was fixing computers. I just can't lie to my customers like that, though.

FriarReb98: I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

You're joking... right?

furiousxgeorge: Uhh yeah, and this problem can't be solved without 500 solid gold IBM Model-M keyboards either.

And those are worthless without the gold plated power plug couplings and the upgraded gold contacts on the wall plates and fuse box.

FriarReb98: I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

You might be doing it wrong.

Sounds like they need a program that'll search for some terrestrial intelligence.

dj_bigbird: FriarReb98: I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

wat

I thought that was sarcasm...at least I'm praying it was sarcasm.

TaVaMaN: You're joking... right?

My answer is this:
unlikely: See, if I could spew forth technobabble BS like this to a customer with a straight face I'd have probably make a lot more money when I was fixing computers. I just can't lie to my customers like that, though.

and this:ne2d: You better get the extended warranty for those.

School systems + computer technology = DERRRP. And no, I'm not making that hourly charge for computer tech support up.

District Superintendent Denise Birdwell said it will take about a year and more than $1 million in estimated costs to fix the problem.

The million dollar part is completely outrageous, but don't forget that they said it will take "about a year." Really? A year?

/Also, she's not hot, I checked

Eddie Adams from Torrance: Sounds like they need a program that'll search for some terrestrial intelligence.

/golfclap

These are the people charged with forming our future business leaders.

FriarReb98: TaVaMaN: You're joking... right?

My answer is this:
unlikely: See, if I could spew forth technobabble BS like this to a customer with a straight face I'd have probably make a lot more money when I was fixing computers. I just can't lie to my customers like that, though.

and this:ne2d: You better get the extended warranty for those.

School systems + computer technology = DERRRP. And no, I'm not making that hourly charge for computer tech support up.

We used to have a co-op agreement with the local school district before they hired on a dedicated Net Admin. My company also had a contract to come in and do classes for the teachers and help desk personnel, usually male teacher who did minor stuff before calling us. We stopped when they decided to hire their own staff.

Then about a year later we connected the schools, hospitals, county government, and city government to one big happy network of fiber and out through our ISP. I swear to god the power trips I had to deal with every day made me want to shoot people. I have to agree that school systems + computer technology = DERRRP.

Does anybody want to start a company that just scours the news for people like this and just lowballs their outrageous idea on what things like this cost? If you kept up on it you could probably make some serious cash if you presented yourself right. Instead of $1 million and a year you could do $750,000 and a week. Right? Why wouldn't this work? The military would do it, etc. You would need someone with security clearance, 3 IT specialists, and someone who is good with people. That's it.

Biggs: FriarReb98: I'd guess the million is probably a high number, but think about the actual cost: You have the cost of replacing all the computers (or at least the hard drives), re-buying all the district's software and corresponding licenses once said old hard drives are wiped, labor involved with spending a few hours each on each computer at least (when most companies charge at least $100-150/hour for labor), on top of eventually hiring a new IT guy that's not looking for Vulcans and Klingons. For a big enough district, a few hundred computers at a thousand bucks a computer (between parts, labor, licensing gouges from Broderbund/Microsoft/etc), you're looking at some serious cash.

You might be doing it wrong.

We, my friend, may very well be doing it wrong.

I hate government workers more than almost anything else.

How can you biatch and moan about your budget and then trot out nonsense like this?

SnakeLee: Does anybody want to start a company that just scours the news for people like this and just lowballs their outrageous idea on what things like this cost? If you kept up on it you could probably make some serious cash if you presented yourself right. Instead of $1 million and a year you could do $750,000 and a week. Right? Why wouldn't this work? The military would do it, etc. You would need someone with security clearance, 3 IT specialists, and someone who is good with people. That's it.

Where do I sign up? It sounds like a great way to get some of my money back...

i hope every computer nerd in the country is emailing the school board right now.

Just get some of the tech school kids to do it.

IrateShadow: The real issue is that there's no real way to lowball it. Every time a number gets thrown out like this the bids are either already in or it will have no effect on the bids that are actually thrown in.

The idea would be to present yourself as an "Emergency IT Department" for big projects. Their local IT department is probably handling this, as would be all of the groups I'd be targeting. You could probably submit bids for projects too but the idea would be to poach projects from places that already have existing IT depts. as like a consultant agency.

1) Why does this software have to be removed?

2) Whenever teachers or district employees weren't using their computers, the software kicked in and used the computer's power, space and bandwidth for its space search.

Used the computers "space"? WTF does that mean?

"Okay kids. Today in the Computer Lab, we're going to learn how to uninstall unwanted programs. You assignment is to uninstall SETI@Home. Instructions are on the board."

Bam. Problem solved.

impaler: 1) Why does this software have to be removed?

2) Whenever teachers or district employees weren't using their computers, the software kicked in and used the computer's power, space and bandwidth for its space search.

Used the computers "space"? WTF does that mean?

The answer to number 1 is connected to your comment on number 2. Power and bandwidth both cost money. You a single SETI@Home user that might not bee that big of a deal. But when you take into consideration thousands of PC's, those numbers really add up.

Also, "space", I'm sure, is referring to HDD space. SETI@Home doesn't take up that much space, but if these are bottom of the barrel standard issued ISD PC's then there isn't a lot of space to begin with.

Sgt Otter: "Okay kids. Today in the Computer Lab, we're going to learn how to uninstall unwanted programs. You assignment is to uninstall SETI@Home. Instructions are on the board."

Bam. Problem solved.

This may or may not work. Most schools use software to keep people from installing software onto computers to prevent spyware/malware/crap from building up on them. Giving the students the passwords to uninstall stuff would just let other crap get installed on the computers.

This wouldn't cost us a dime, though. We reimage every classroom and every computer lab between semesters anyway. It's the best way to keep everything current and in a known good condition. Just remove the offending program from the master images and the next time you reimage a room, the offending program is gone. Ta Da! It's like magic

/manages computer labs/classrooms

TaVaMaN: 1 million dollars???

These must be the same people that estimate the street value of seized drugs.

yeah - whomever told them it'll cost a million dollars is lying to them.

If I remember other article on this correctly, the $1m figure was the estimated costs of hardware lifetime loss and power consumed by the computers over however long she was doing this, not the uninstall costs. I think this article got the facts wrong.

GAT_00: If I remember other article on this correctly, the $1m figure was the estimated costs of hardware lifetime loss and power consumed by the computers over however long she was doing this, not the uninstall costs. I think this article got the facts wrong.

so did the school district.

That is nothing compared to the $10m operation to remove their heads from their asses.

These clowns better not be moaning & wailing about a budget crisis next year & want yet another tax levy to spend/blow. Someone who lives there needs to do a follow up for us if they have the balls to ask for more money in the next few years.

Any idiot who was involved in the approval process (if they actually spend that amount of $) should be summarily shot before they infect any more of our kids with their stupidity (perhaps a lifetime ban from employment in any public sector if you want to be soft on them). It's scary that we entrust the education of our kids to idiots like this.

Sadly though, I'm sure that when all is said & done the total cost will probably be a significant chunk of that $1 million.

TaVaMaN: impaler: 1) Why does this software have to be removed?

2) Whenever teachers or district employees weren't using their computers, the software kicked in and used the computer's power, space and bandwidth for its space search.

Used the computers "space"? WTF does that mean?

The answer to number 1 is connected to your comment on number 2. Power and bandwidth both cost money. You a single SETI@Home user that might not bee that big of a deal. But when you take into consideration thousands of PC's, those numbers really add up.

Also, "space", I'm sure, is referring to HDD space. SETI@Home doesn't take up that much space, but if these are bottom of the barrel standard issued ISD PC's then there isn't a lot of space to begin with.

If they were that concerned about power then why were they leaving the PCs powered on at night anyway?

labman: Sgt Otter: "Okay kids. Today in the Computer Lab, we're going to learn how to uninstall unwanted programs. You assignment is to uninstall SETI@Home. Instructions are on the board."

Bam. Problem solved.

This may or may not work. Most schools use software to keep people from installing software onto computers to prevent spyware/malware/crap from building up on them. Giving the students the passwords to uninstall stuff would just let other crap get installed on the computers.

This wouldn't cost us a dime, though. We reimage every classroom and every computer lab between semesters anyway. It's the best way to keep everything current and in a known good condition. Just remove the offending program from the master images and the next time you reimage a room, the offending program is gone. Ta Da! It's like magic

/manages computer labs/classrooms

This is the way we did it when I was working as campus IT support in college. Then again, we had various departments competing in folding@home stats.