What are schools comming too?

[bobaxos]

I took an online easy as hell class it was titled "Technology as the Future" or some crap. Basically it was a history on technology, (TV, radio, computers and so on.) with a little look on where its headed. I just finished taking the final and well here was a question that had no right being there considering there was never any talk about security or even the term "hacker"

here is the question in its pure unedited form:
<question>
44. (2 point(s))
A person who utilizes computers and computer networksto illegally gather information from other computersor
computer networks is known as a:

1. novice
2. beavis
3. slacker
4. hacker
5. al gore
Save Answer

</question>
I picked al gore and emailed the teacher about this question, still no response.

[TheCotMan]

A person who utilizes computers and computer networks to illegally gather information from other computersor
computer networks is known as a:

1. novice
2. beavis
3. slacker
4. hacker
5. al gore

Hmm. A novice might do this. Is a "script kiddie" a novice? Maybe download a port scanner to their windows box and click 'scan' ?

Beavis? Hmmmm...
---
Heh-heh. Heh-heh. Hrm. Ummm yeah, like this would rock and stuff, but a computer just goes, "booboopeeebooobootreetree" and I-would-be-like ,"give me the robot women boobs" but the computer like suck and stuff and just go, "booboopeeebooobootreetree" which would suck! And I would like have to kick it in the nads! ... Ohh hoh hoh hoh Um. Yeah! That would be cool. Heh-hrm.
---
Except Beavis has never been shown to use a computer and... um... oh yeah, Beavis is a _fictional character_. :-)

A slacker might do this... naww, too much effort. Even starting up an instant messenger would be too much work.

A hacker ? Hm. Well, I know I am not a hacker and none of those I consider hackers would confess to doing something illegal, so 100% of my small sample data says it is not this.

Al Gore? Oh yes! It must be him, after all, he did invent the Internet, and there must have been some early work where he needed to scan the network he was building.

I picked al gore and emailed the teacher about this question, still no response.

I still prefer the name "Computer Criminal" or "Alleged Computer Criminal" since "Hacker" is ambiguous with the media's attempts to re-define it and the word "cracker" doubles as a racist term for abusive white people often used in exchange for "white trailer park trash" and is probaby one reason why the media avoids that name too.

Good luck in this. I can't claim to speak for others of the forum, but I'd like to hear how this is resolved.

[drdank]

Except Beavis has never been shown to use a computer and... um... oh yeah, Beavis is a _fictional character_. :-)

As an old school fan of B&B, I can say there actually were a few episodes where Beavis was using a computer.

[TheCotMan]

As an old school fan of B&B, I can say there actually were a few episodes where Beavis was using a computer.

Closest one I could recall was the one when they did the Star Trek The Next Generation parody. If you have episode names, I'd appreciate it-- images of Beavis on a computer could be handy as I occasionally do the BOFH thing. ]:>

TIA

[drdank]

Closest one I could recall was the one when they did the Star Trek The Next Generation parody. If you have episode names, I'd appreciate it-- images of Beavis on a computer could be handy as I occasionally do the BOFH thing. ]:>

TIA

From the top of my head, there were two episodes that involved computers, but only one that I can clearly remember Beavis at a computer. It was the episode where they're doing temp work at an insurance agency. Butt-head is on the phone and Beavis is randomly mashing keys.

If I can find a screencap, i'll let you know.

Edit: The name of the episode is Temporary Insanity.

[TheCotMan]

From the top of my head, there were two episodes that involved computers, but only one that I can clearly remember Beavis at a computer. It was the episode where they're doing temp work at an insurance agency. Butt-head is on the phone and Beavis is randomly mashing keys.

If I can find a screencap, i'll let you know.

Edit: The name of the episode is Temporary Insanity.

Excellent. I forgot about that episode but can get that. I have a Win-TV-PVR-350 so screen capture is a breeze.

[phobal]

gore gore gore!

[pezz]

I took an online easy as hell class it was titled "Technology as the Future" or some crap. Basically it was a history on technology, (TV, radio, computers and so on.) with a little look on where its headed. I just finished taking the final and well here was a question that had no right being there considering there was never any talk about security or even the term "hacker"

here is the question in its pure unedited form:
<question>
44. (2 point(s))
A person who utilizes computers and computer networksto illegally gather information from other computersor
computer networks is known as a:

1. novice
2. beavis
3. slacker
4. hacker
5. al gore
Save Answer

</question>
I picked al gore and emailed the teacher about this question, still no response.

Ah the joys of webct. This type of question is normally created to lighten the stress on a student. Any one taking this type of course should have even the slightest inkling as to the correct answer. In my experience, it's commonly the coasting students who bitch about questions like these. Flexible professors learn the hard way that going the extra mile to help students out commonly comes back to bite them in the end.
This question, though embedded into the exam, may actually be a "throw". Which means it was added to allow extra points, thus improving your score. Of course, if that's the case, you have pretty much destroyed the possibility of it happening again.

Or, seeing as how it was #44, it could be that the instructor, over worked, and paid $300 above the state poverty level, just didn't give a damn while writing the exam at 1am.

BTW, if its in the middle of the summer, don't expect a reply back any time soon. Most instructors have the summers off. :D

[bobaxos]

interesting enough he has responded. I will post the whole email conversation later this week.

[spahkle]

Meanwhile.. later that week...

[bobaxos]

here it is the email conversation:

FIRST EMAIL:
Subject: Question on the final exam
Sent: June 8, 2004 2:36 PM

This question is inaccurate. Someone shouldnt slander the word hacker just because the media says too. Bill
Gates, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were all hackers and maybe still are but that doesnt mean what they did or
do is illegal. You are implying that they are the same as identity theives. Because of my feelings on this i
chose al gore as my answer. No i dont feel he fits the description but its the most blatently wrong answer.
[Question ommited see first post]

RESPONSE:
Subject: RE: Question on the final exam
Sent: June 8, 2004 2:52 PM
Well, since you obviously knew what the intended answer was, you should have chosen that
and then protested the question:) However, if it really bothers you, I'll be happy to give you
the two points.

SECOND EMAIL:
Subject: RE: Question on the final exam
Sent: June 9, 2004 10:54 PM
Its not a matter of 2 points, its the principal. I would be going against my principals by picking the
"correct" answer even though I know better. What you suggest is the same as an animal rights activist
protesting the butchering of cows while eating a hamburger. My question to you is why is that question in
there and what are you going to do about it?


and that was the last i have heard from him, and i dont expect any further responses.

[TheCotMan]

and that was the last i have heard from him, and i dont expect any further responses.

You said your piece and he offered you point. I would have taken the points and maybe suggested the professor alter the question or remove it in the future.

It is good that you offered us a followup on this, as I did want to see how it turned out. It is also good to encourage this, but not to excess or loss.

TAoW (paraphrased): Fighting to exhaustion leaves you too weak to defend. Choose objectives you can take and only fight if you have somehting to gain. Do not fight for the sake of fighting. Wisdom is placed in higher reguard than courage. (Reason suggested is the wise person will know when continuing to fight for the sake of courage may lead to death but instead choose to override courage with a different strategy through wisdom, which may prove to be more effective.)

[zero]

TAoW (paraphrased): Fighting to exhaustion leaves you too .....

Severly paraphrased version: choose your battles wisely

[astcell]

My grades improved dramatically when I started to answer what the teacher wanted to hear as opposed to what was right.

[phobal]

My grades improved dramatically when I started to answer what the teacher wanted to hear as opposed to what was right.

i <3 the real world.