Computers in prison (Advice for novice programmers thread)

[SpyderTL]

Heh, I'm pretty sure that 95% of the people that I work with have Asperger's. They're all socially awkward, quirky, quiet, and can sit at a desk in front of a computer screen for 10+ hours a day.

Nah, most people don't like to communicate with others. That's why no one wants to be sales manager or something similar.
When learning programming you have to do only one thing - keep yourself away from any distractions. It happens with me all the time. I think that I've read page and then BANG - at the end of the page I can't understand what I've just read. It's really hard, because distractions are everywhere - music, TV, phone, cars in the street... Gosh. I think it's better to learn coding in the closet with your laptop.

That's funny, because I've actually thought about people that are sitting in jail for 20+ years, with a small bit of envy, thinking "Man... think of all of the code I could write if I could sit in one room and work for 18 hours a day, with no distractions..."

[Muazzam]

Heh, I'm pretty sure that 95% of the people that I work with have Asperger's. They're all socially awkward, quirky, quiet, and can sit at a desk in front of a computer screen for 10+ hours a day.

Nah, most people don't like to communicate with others. That's why no one wants to be sales manager or something similar.
When learning programming you have to do only one thing - keep yourself away from any distractions. It happens with me all the time. I think that I've read page and then BANG - at the end of the page I can't understand what I've just read. It's really hard, because distractions are everywhere - music, TV, phone, cars in the street... Gosh. I think it's better to learn coding in the closet with your laptop.

That's funny, because I've actually thought about people that are sitting in jail for 20+ years, with a small bit of envy, thinking "Man... think of all of the code I could write if I could sit in one room and work for 18 hours a day, with no distractions..."

Prisoners are not allowed to use laptops, etc., I think, do they?

[Nutterts]

Prisoners are not allowed to use laptops, etc., I think, do they?

Nope, they can't use a computer in the cell for personal use. There are exceptions so if someone happens to study CS and has to develop an OS for it then maybe. But that's a big maybe. But certainly not for general personal use like programming for fun.

[SWGDev]

It depends on country. I think that you are allowed to use PC in prison if you live in Norway. And, tbh, I think that it's pretty cool in cases when your crime isn't that serious. You can do learn many useful things instead of degrading.

[Solar]

For Germany:

An inmate has a right to have objects for training or leisure activity.

This right is limited in that it may not endanger safety and order of the penal institution, or require undue activity on behalf of the institution to ensure this safety.

A computer is considered endangering that safety, due to its capabilities to record, store, and / or transmit information (let's say, about guards, facility security etc.).

This can be judged for the individual case, if there is some extraordinary need on behalf of the inmate, but generally speaking, you won't get a computer in your cell. No mobile, either.

You can use a shared computer, under supervision, the same way you can use e.g. a phone.

(ref. Federal Constitutional Court, 2 BvR 1848/02.)

[alexfru]

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

[Brendan]

Hi,

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

Smash the screen to get shards of glass. Use the glass on the computer's power cord (or it's battery charger's power cord) to bare the wires. Now use power cord to electrocute people until the power is cut off, then switch to slashing people's throats with the shards of glass and/or strangling people with the power cord and/or using the computer as a club to bash people.

This is just what happens at my house when I lose the Internet connection. I'd hate to see what would happen in a prison..


Cheers,

Brendan

[onlyonemac]

Hi,

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

Smash the screen to get shards of glass. Use the glass on the computer's power cord (or it's battery charger's power cord) to bare the wires. Now use power cord to electrocute people until the power is cut off, then switch to slashing people's throats with the shards of glass and/or strangling people with the power cord and/or using the computer as a club to bash people.

This is just what happens at my house when I lose the Internet connection. I'd hate to see what would happen in a prison..


Cheers,

Brendan

If someone did that in prison they would only get their sentence extended and/or moved to a stricter prison. If they genuinely want to get out of there, then they would behave themselves; if they didn't care about getting out of there, then they would probably be denied the computer in the first place because they don't have the right attitude to get a computer while they are in prison.

[embryo2]

Smash the screen to get shards of glass...

Well kids, that's how dangerous an ordinary computer can be! Beware!

[SWGDev]

Hi,

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

Smash the screen to get shards of glass. Use the glass on the computer's power cord (or it's battery charger's power cord) to bare the wires. Now use power cord to electrocute people until the power is cut off, then switch to slashing people's throats with the shards of glass and/or strangling people with the power cord and/or using the computer as a club to bash people.

This is just what happens at my house when I lose the Internet connection. I'd hate to see what would happen in a prison..


Cheers,

Brendan

Reminds me of Hitman or Punisher. You can also crash motherboard to get VERY sharp pieces of fiberglass. Also, if they're using old 4:3 monitors - that's even more dangerous. Those things are like huge cannonballs.

[Solar]

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

And how do you enforce that?

A computer is bloody difficult to smuggle in, or hide.

A wireless internet USB stick, on the other hand? You want to inflict a full body search (including rectal) on every visitor?

[SWGDev]

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

And how do you enforce that?

A computer is bloody difficult to smuggle in, or hide.

A wireless internet USB stick, on the other hand? You want to inflict a full body search (including rectal) on every visitor?

He still needs a password for local wi-fi.
But if we're talking about 3G/LTE sticks with sim-cards, I guess you can shield the cell. But I guess it's too expensive, especially when we are talking about prisoners.

[sleephacker]

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

And how do you enforce that?

A computer is bloody difficult to smuggle in, or hide.

A wireless internet USB stick, on the other hand? You want to inflict a full body search (including rectal) on every visitor?

A metal detector should do just fine, or they could monitor you while using the computer.

[alexfru]

How about the computer simply disconnected from the network/internet?

And how do you enforce that?

A computer is bloody difficult to smuggle in, or hide.

A wireless internet USB stick, on the other hand? You want to inflict a full body search (including rectal) on every visitor?

Disable network devices, CD/DVD drive and I/O ports (perhaps, including the sound card as it can work as a modem), don't give admin privileges, lock the BIOS, use Bitlocker or similar, use chasis opening detection, lock the chasis too. You can monitor/record usage as well.

[Solar]

...and all the above would require just that "undue effort" the federal judges were talking about, payed for by taxes, so that people doing jail time can have a computer...?!?

Remember we're not talking petty thieves here, or someone who's been driving a bit too fast.

They can get a block of paper and a pen if they want to write something.

...or they could monitor you while using the computer.

They actually do that. There are public computers you can use for a short time, under supervision, just like there are phones. You just won't get a computer in your cell.