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The Dangers of the iPad?
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I teach in a k-12 school and am trying to purchase a classroom set of iPads for student use. Our IT coordinator is fighting this purchase, citing “potential threats to the network…” including things students could do that they wouldn’t even be aware of that would potentially harm the districtwide network.
I am not aware of such power on an iPad. I am trying to persuade our superintendent to view the potential benefits over the possible risks (whatever they are) of using this technology.
What risks are there? What would students be able to do via the iPad that they couldn’t do from the iPod touch - or from a PC?
How would you address this issue with the administration?
thanks
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How is the iPad any more threat than an iPhone or laptop? Is it a bandwidth issue? Is it the fact that it enables so many to use bandwidth at once? Is it exposing the weaknesses of the networks?
The responses or reasons posed are nebulous at best so far.
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There several ways to approach this.
If the worry is Malware, point out how much more locked down the iPad is than a PC or most other devices. Students can’t download and install any old freeware on it. It does not run Flash so it doesn’t have those vulnerabilities. It is a very controlled and restricted environment
If the worry is bandwidth, point out that you are looking at a classroom set of something. There will be increased demands on the network one way or the other. If that is the worry it might be a way to get IT on board for a WiFi upgrade. You support the upgrade if they stop opposing the iPads.
If the problem really is that they don’t want to deal with another different device, point out how the iPad is really a closed system and they won’t have to run updates, patches, virus scans, reformatting etc.
You didn’t mention if the rest of the school was Mac or PC. If they aren’t using Macs now they might just not understand or for that matter just don’t want to learn anything Apple. I’ve seen those kinds over the years. Win=good Mac=bad neanderthals are really hard to deal with.
The important thing is to make sure they tell you WHY they don’t want them. “Potential threats” is not an answer. Find out exactly what they are worried about. You don’t want to go into a meeting with Administration and have IT blindside you with a reason out of left field.
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Anti-Mac IT admins have been pulling this stunt for decades. “The Mac is a threat to the network” but they never specify how. It pays to know more than the IT guy about network issues.
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I wonder if the IT person has ever even handled an iPad. Maybe letting him try one would assuage his fear.
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“Works of art, in my opinion, are the only objects in the material universe to possess internal order, and that is why, though I don’t believe that only art matters, I do believe in Art for Art’s sake.” E. M. Forster
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I hear this many times emanating from school IT administrators. They simply want to keep the status-quo and preserve complete control over the types of computers used. It’s simply misguided.
The iPad is no more a “threat” than a standalone desktop or laptop computer. “Netbooks” can be included in this pool as well.
You can explain the concern in a much more proactive way in emphasizing the “closed” nature of the iPad as more an “appliance” than a computer.
With so many avenues of obtaining rogue and dangerous components closed due to the “App Store” walled-garden nature that Apple employs, users (and networks) are actually better protected than the standard PC paradigm. Obtaining viruses has never been reported on the iPhone/iPad OS system. For an administrator, this means they would not have to worry about iPads introducing viruses, trojans, etc. into their network. It simply does not happen.
In addition, users would not be able to tweak/configure their systems and introduce instabilities due to the closed nature of the OS.
Network bandwidth / resource issues is actually less of an issue when compared to a PC/Notebook model. Given the more linear, single-use nature of the applications (not multitasking like a PC), bandwidth should be less than a dedicated PC which always has background processes that use up bandwidth regardless of user input.
Also, with the iPad you get instant-on, instant-off. Just like a toaster. No boot-up times. No anti-virus programs to deal with. If anything, an iPad is so much less of a “burden” to maintain/administer than a PC could ever be.
The IT administrator could spend more of their valuable time on other issues and less on operating-system issues.
btw, I am an IT administrator for several companies that maintains both Apple and Windows machines and devices. I highly recommend the use of an iPad where it serves its purpose well over a laptop/PC anytime, even if those PC/laptops are from Apple. iPads/iPhones/iPod Touches are so much simpler to use.
I find (especially school IT administrators) base they decisions on these devices out of fear of the unknown, or refusal to try new technology. Try one iPad for a few weeks and see how it goes.
Hope this helps.
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Network bandwidth / resource issues is actually less of an issue when compared to a PC/Notebook model. Given the more linear, single-use nature of the applications (not multitasking like a PC), bandwidth should be less than a dedicated PC which always has background processes that use up bandwidth regardless of user input.
That’s a very good point. A PC can be processing a file on the server, fetching a web page, updating antivirus definitions, running a twitter client, doing VPN to another system and who knows what else at the same time. This is how so much malware stays hidden, it runs in the background. An iPad only does what the user is doing (plus a very limited number of background tasks) so the minute to minute network traffic is likely to be be much less than with a PC or NetBook.
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Millions if not billions of people use computers and the Internet.
I build computers and fix the internet.
I Win. -
That’s a very good point. A PC can be processing a file on the server, fetching a web page, updating antivirus definitions, running a twitter client, doing VPN to another system and who knows what else at the same time. This is how so much malware stays hidden, it runs in the background. An iPad only does what the user is doing (plus a very limited number of background tasks) so the minute to minute network traffic is likely to be be much less than with a PC or NetBook.
Since PC / Notebooks do run background processes outside of the user’s knowledge, those same background processes can (and maliciously do) install other components that could jeopardize a network. By design, the iPad/iPhone OS is not allowed to do that.
How many times has Windows Update automatically downloaded some patches that ruined a PC network? Remember the recent McAfee Anti-virus definition download from a few weeks ago that corrupted PC’s? Impossible to happen using the iPad / iPhone model.
Suddenly, using iPads is looking better and better for schools.
I think I’m going to buy one as a gift to my K-1 schoolteacher friend. She wants to do the exact same thing with her class of first-graders. Hearing myself explain the advantages convinces even myself. And I’m a hard-sell!!! -
The IT guy may be more concerned about job security. With a device that is so trouble-free he probably sees his value potentially diminishing!
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Charlie Osborn
http://www.charlieosborn.com -
The IT guy may be more concerned about job security. With a device that is so trouble-free he probably sees his value potentially diminishing!
Sadly, I come across that all the time with school IT administrators. However, I would value an IT admin not by how busy they are fighting fires every day, but by how smooth everything is running.
An IT admin at a school in northern California convinced them to remove all Apple iMacs and go with Windows machines because he was unfamiliar with OSX, and the perception was that the machines were “cheaper”. Before the “upgrade”, they never had issues (or very little) with the Apple equipment. Since the “upgrade”, it’s been never-ending problems with viruses, trojans, system-corruptions, anti-virus issues, etc. But hey, it keeps him employed and the perception is that he is indispensable. The teachers protested the plan.
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No surprises there. Northern California, wasn’t Chico Unified by chance?!
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Charlie Osborn
http://www.charlieosborn.com -
No surprises there. Northern California, wasn’t Chico Unified by chance?!
No it was not.
However it is a common issue with many school districts. -
I hope the person who started this topic succeeds in convincing his/her administration to change their approach. I strongly believe one of the areas of greatest potential for the iPad is in the education markets, K through college. I read the other day some mid-western college, I believe it was, is giving all incoming freshman an iPad. That is a very good precedent for Apple!
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Charlie Osborn
http://www.charlieosborn.com -
Seton Hill.
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Mac switchers see my profile for switching help…
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I’ve seen some astonishing arguments from school IT admins. At my daughter’s school, the most recently hired IT teacher has fought a campaign against the Macs because “there’s so much more I can do with a PC”.
He’s the square peg in the round hole but somehow everybody else is to blame for his inadequacy. He’s not willing to explore Mac alternatives - for instance, he refuses to accept an SSH solution on Mac - and he constantly crows the benefits of PC land.
Seems to me the only mistake that was made here was hiring someone who didn’t fit in.
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Karate ni sente nashi
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Just in case you’re still interested, these links may provide useful context:
The big nasty rumors circled around this sort of thing:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/04/16/ipad-banned-from-several-american-universities-over-security-concerns/And were soon clarified in pages such as:
http://cornellsun.com/section/news/content/2010/04/22/cornell-will-not-place-ban-ipadGoogle a few similar reports for the full story on these, particularly the misconceptions surrounding GWU, Princeton, and Cornell. That’ll give you a significant edge up on the gossipers. Your awareness of the issues should appeal to any IT person who genuinely sees a need to protect the system from some (misplaced) concerns. Good luck.
If the IT dismisses the full story, well, there’s your answer. Facts don’t matter.
