Ref: Lab Assignment
Class: ITSC 1405m03
Newsgroup: Microsoft Communities - "microsoft.public.windows.vista.mail"
Dear Mr. Moore (LCC IT Department Chair),
Please advise your IT faculty that it is inappropriate to have students
submit "lab assignments" and "test" newsgroup posts to public Microsoft
newsgroups. These newsgroups are used by the public to troubleshoot and
research issues with their PC's and software. Illegitimate posts make it
more difficult for the inexperienced public to find qualified answers for
their very real problems. They use up server space, contribute to
additional unnecessary posts by unattended minors, and set a bad example for
the proper use of these groups. Additionally, having students post using
their real names, email addresses and a traceable location can be dangerous,
submitting them to internet crime, the least of which is SPAM, malware, and
viruses.
Should your students have actual errors with their systems they are
encouraged to seek assistance via these newsgroups - this particular one
supports Vista's Windows Mail. There are many other newsgroups as well,
from which they can gain experience by reading and searching through posts.
I might suggest the instructors have them research solutions to particular
issues such as how to set up an email account, trouble deleting email,
messages becoming "stuck" in the Outbox, or unable to send / receive email.
However, simply asking them to post "what they like about Vista" is
inappropriate because that is not the intended use of newsgroups, and
frankly, it is not teaching them much since this newsgroup has nothing to do
with Vista itself.
Imagine if every IT instructor in the world had their students submitting
posts to these newsgroups - they would become useless "junk" to anyone
seeking real problem solving. Now, imagine if everyone who utilizes the
newsgroups for assistance sent you a letter of complaint as I have?
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
