Today is the day before Thanksgiving. Typically, this would be a day when teachers are busy with activities that do not involve technology. I guess you could call today atypical. I spent a good hour or more trying to help a group of teachers view a DVD over the in-school cable system. When I was enlisted to help, I based my quick "yes" answer on my experiences at my previous schools. Showing a DVD was easy to do. Little did I know that our in-school cable system is hooked up to a VCR-only machine. No problem, we also have a laptop connected to this system, so my next thought was to pop it in the DVD drive. Unfortunately, the video was snowy, and the sound was hardly audible. No problem, we do have DVD players around the school, so my next thought was to replace the VCR with a DVD player. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it to show in classrooms. Everything was hooked up correctly, and we even made an emergency call to James, our go-to guy. Eventually, we gave up.
As an afterthought, we reconnected the VCR and tried a VHS tape to see if it would work. It did! So using a little scientific methodology, we determined that either the DVD player could not broadcast or there was a setting we were missing. I don't mind spending an hour troubleshooting a problem, but I'd prefer if in the end, the problem was solved.
My next major task was setting up the storage area for our 21 new iPads. We already had a pretty sweet set-up for our first 30 devices, but we ran into a mechanical hiccup. Actually, it was more carpentry than mechanical. I needed a hole drilled in the side of the shelves. I figured out a work-around, but my solution is not going to cut it for the long term. This adventure was symbolic of my recurring nightmare of the year: iPads. I/we have spent literally dozens and dozens of hours configuring and reconfiguring devices, distributing them, organizing them, storing them, etc. Unless you want your ear bent, don't get me started on Apple's Configurator program.
Anyway, it's been a good year so far, and I have a lot to be thankful for. My wife and I are hosting Thanksgiving lunch tomorrow. We're doing lunch because Zack, my son the chef, has to work later in the day. It's been a few months since we've all been together, so I'm looking forward to cooking, relaxing, eating, drinking, and having some quality family time. The staff at the Laptop Reporter (that would be me) wishes all of you a HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Be safe. Be smart. Be tolerant. Be thankful.
