Slow startups, long passwords, and sluggish internet are just a few of the problems students are experiencing with the latest upgrade to school computers.
Just before fall break, Perry’s computers were updated to Window’s latest operating system: Windows 7. This is a significant leap in technology since the previous operating system the computers used was Windows XP (which came out 11 years ago in 2001).
Windows 7 promises a wide array of new features, such as a newer edition of Microsoft Office and faster all-around use. However, students are experiencing problems with these new features.
Students, like Keegan McDonald, have had problems with Windows 7 on school computers. He stated, “I have experienced slow boot ups and slow internet while using the computers since the update.” These problems could be the aftermath of adding new security to the computers or because the campus computers are pretty outdated. “Sometimes the security systems are the first to take precedent when updating the system,” Kevin Ames, assistant principal, stated, “I think [outdated computers] are probably a factor.”
However, slow computers are not the only problem students are having. Students have always had a personal password that they used to access the school computers, but prior to the update, the passwords were much shorter. The new passwords consist of an array of letters and numbers, and to top it off, the passwords are case sensitive. “I think the longer passwords are a hassle and not needed,” McDonald commented. “No one would care or even take the time to get into someone else’s personal school information for no reason.”
While there is no doubt that the new passwords are more secure, students still believe it is a hassle to have to remember such a password. When asked why the district assigned students new passwords, Ames replied, “The last thing we want is for someone to get into our system and mess with anything based on old passwords.”
But there is hope in the horizon for students. There is a team of technology specialists at Perry working around the clock to fix these issues. “We have three people assigned to our campus working on it,” Ames explained.
Even with the team of “tech wizards” working around the clock trying to repair these issues, the district may just have to purchase newer, better computers. While the students attending Perry may not be in school long enough to see these changes, Ames ensures that sooner or later, an upgrade is inevitable.
For the sake of students all over campus, hopefully the computer issues are resolved sooner rather than later.
