People are idiots - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

okyoureabeast · #1 07-20-2010, 01:25 PM

I just received a request from up high saying that "god forbid" playboy.com works on our k-12 school network.

Well, https://www.playboy.com works. Apparently they've set up a secure https server. Conventionally blocking SSL doesn't work as easily as putting it into a filter.

I explain what SSL is and why it isn't that easy to block. Nope, a parent complained. Block SSL at the firewall.

So added port 443 to the firewall page. Gmail, Blackboard, collegeboard, all banking, most state websites, and a bunch of other educational log in pages are blocked. I'm waiting for the call back complaining as to why they can't get on

Any tips would be appreciated, but I've been battling this for awhile. I know this is a "checkmate" type of situation.

Edit: hehe 10 minutes! Reverted the settings

pj67coll · #2 07-20-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okyoureabeast

Edit: hehe 10 minutes! Reverted the settings

Do you mean you were told to revert the settings from on high? I sympathise with your situation as we have a similar problem. Though I don't deal with that aspect of our operation. I think we use Lightspeed as a filter which seems to be pretty effective.

By the way you are right. People can be real idiots.

- Peter.

The Clk Man · #3 07-20-2010, 02:08 PM

I've been called an Idiot Savant before.

cmbdiesel · #4 07-20-2010, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Clk Man

I've been called an Idiot Savant before.

Well, Swamp Yankee has been called "Idiot Sauvignon".....

okyoureabeast · #5 07-20-2010, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Do you mean you were told to revert the settings from on high? I sympathise with your situation as we have a similar problem. Though I don't deal with that aspect of our operation. I think we use Lightspeed as a filter which seems to be pretty effective.

By the way you are right. People can be real idiots.

- Peter.

It took 10 minutes for a complaint to come in from a secretary and a little bit longer for the superintendent to realize he can't get onto any PA state website.

It's a problem inherent with SSL. Personally I would rather have a secured browsing session then block facebook or playboy. I'm pretty sure CIPA has a best effort clause and this is the best we can do.

tbomachines · #6 07-20-2010, 03:04 PM

I love it when techologically challenged people try and request things like that...I remember this one coworker who believed everything was "downloaded". When she bought her son an ipod, she "downloaded an ipod" and naturally all of us normal people had NO clue what she meant!

TylerH860 · #7 07-20-2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbomachines

I love it when techologically challenged people try and request things like that...I remember this one coworker who believed everything was "downloaded". When she bought her son an ipod, she "downloaded an ipod" and naturally all of us normal people had NO clue what she meant!

someone like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoBzhV5ehLA

jcyuhn · #8 07-20-2010, 03:17 PM

You can't really expect joe public to understand how the Internet works. What's the phrase regarding sufficiently advanced technologies and black magic.

Does playboy.com resolve to a sufficiently small set of IP addresses to simply block it at the IP address level? Won't matter what protocol is used then, it won't be accessable, and your SSL/TLS access to state sites will work fine.

Hatterasguy · #9 07-20-2010, 03:19 PM

You can't block it on the school computers! Now the kids will be stuck looking it up on their iphones and the resolution isn't as good!

Ghoti · #10 07-20-2010, 03:26 PM

I use my host file to block certain websites.

Here's an article on how to do it. The only problem is that it must be done on each computer...but it should only take about 1 minute per computer:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

I downloaded their suggested host file and rarely ever see an advertisement online.

NINJA EDIT: I see that they have updated their host file. There is a LOT of stuff on there. I am going to update mine!!

Ghoti · #11 07-20-2010, 03:35 PM

To block certain sites that are not blocked by that host file, in any line after the "127.0.0.1"'s start, type a line like this:

127.0.0.1 peachparts.com

Simply adding that line would block this site.

dannym · #12 07-20-2010, 05:11 PM

is it possible to block keywords?

Ghoti · #13 07-20-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

is it possible to block keywords?

If you mean that you want to block a site or page that uses certain words...I am not aware of any way to do that.

If you use Firefox, you can use a certain add-on that replaces words for you: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6510/

Do either of these answer that question?

dannym · #14 07-20-2010, 07:28 PM

My Linksys router has a place in the firmware where you can put keywords that the router blocks.
I was wondering if there was any way you could do that.

Ghoti · #15 07-20-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

My Linksys router has a place in the firmware where you can put keywords that the router blocks.
I was wondering if there was any way you could do that.

I don't know of any. I am no expert on that stuff, though.

The Firefox add-on is a lot of fun, too. I don't like reading cuss words, and I've substituted many words with softer, even whimpy words and it becomes funny. Especially when someone is trying to emphasize his point with vulgarity.

For instance: I am not a fan of soccer. I got sick of ESPN.com always talking about the World Cup. So I substituted "soccer sucks" for "soccer". So now, when I open ESPN.com (or any site that mentions soccer), it says "soccer sucks" and I get a laugh instead of being annoyed.