Gripe IT Courses without free WiFi Internet

[Melbosa]

So I've been on 4 different courses since early December and I can say I am very disappointed... actually I have a truthful gripe about not offering free wireless internet while on these courses.  Especially when they are IT based, most people in the course really need some ties to the office, and that may need internet access.  On these 4 courses I have had to use my phone for internet, which works but shouldn't be needed.

I know there  something to be said about paying attention, distractions and being non-disruptive, but in this age of bandwidth in Edmonton proper why should I need to use my phone?  Most $200 routers offer guest nets that can be locked down so your customers are the only ones that have access.

What do you guys think?  I know most of you aren't in the infrastructure and support side so maybe it isn't as big of a deal to you, maybe?

[Mr. Analog]

I don't understand the problem, is wireless required for coursework?

EDIT: Just re-read the post.

I think the main thing is just stay calm and know that work will continue without you being there, they know where you are, they have your phone number, you don't have to read every e-mail sent to you as soon as it is sent.

Believe me I know how hard it is to let go, at the same time I shake my head at co-workers who check e-mail while they are on vacation or otherwise out of office.

As well it doesn't serve the course provider in any way to make a wireless available to students unless it's part of the course.

[Thorin]

Your on course.  Others are supposed to cover for you.  If they can't, that's management's fault for not ensuring there are enough people with enough skills to cover for each other.

Look at it in another light - your wife is in the hospital trying to deliver a baby; are you going to be checking in with work in case they need you?  Or how about you get in a car accident and have to go sit in the ER for ten hours.  Is the shop going to come to a grinding halt without you?  If yes, then there is a problem that management needs to fix.

[Melbosa]

LOL this thread went a little bit like High School and Parental Guidence.  Your example of wife in labour had me laughing.  During moments like those I don't even have my phone on me .

So the fault maybe with Management, but in this case Management is me.  Most of the times I needed wireless was for my clients.  NAIT did call me during one as well but that was during Vacation Season in December and I was the coverage.  Either way bad things go wrong, and sometimes you need to react.

I've been on many courses where wireless access was available, event events and conferences.  At NAIT we offer free wireless to anyone in range (it times out quickly), so does UofA, so does GMCC.  As an Educational Institution we have your money already, so if your distracted by wireless access then its the student's issue.

I don't know - might be biast I guess, working for a EDU myself.

[Mr. Analog]

Don't forget that Thorin and I work for a company that makes assessment software, one of the more interesting aspects of such is seeing education from the meta game aspect where it goes beyond the content being taught andinto how iit's taught, collected and interpreted

There may actually be a good reason why some services are made available in a particular learning environment overaanother.  Thorin's points still stand however,  sometimes you don't need to be connected.

[Lazybones]

3G is more than enough for me to stay in touch with the office between breaks.

[Thorin]

Oh wait, so your complaint was that while at a course for one job you weren't able to do work for a different job?

[Melbosa]

Oh wait, so your complaint was that while at a course for one job you weren't able to do work for a different job?

I was on course for NAIT and could fix either NAIT or other client issues. So Yes and No.

The other client issues were over my lunch break on course I still had to use my phone for wireless internet access.  And during the course I had one issue I had to fix for NAIT because the other guy for coverage was at the dentist.

I guess I have my answer what you guys think.  Good discussion.

[Lazybones]

Well the last coarse I took for Video conferencing was on the NAIT campus and there wasn't even any cellphone coverage, let alone WiFi.

[Thorin]

I guess I have my answer what you guys think.  Good discussion.

Yeah, I think this falls under "first world problem"   I mean, really, you had connectivity just not the free-est, highest-speed.

...

Remember 300 baud modems?

http://scm-l3.technorati.com/11/05/22/34913/acoustic-modem.jpg

Average typists could out-type the connection speed...

[Melbosa]

Well the last coarse I took for Video conferencing was on the NAIT campus and there wasn't even any cellphone coverage, let alone WiFi.

Yeah that was how long ago ?

[Melbosa]

I guess I have my answer what you guys think.  Good discussion.

Yeah, I think this falls under "first world problem"   I mean, really, you had connectivity just not the free-est, highest-speed.

...

Remember 300 baud modems?

http://scm-l3.technorati.com/11/05/22/34913/acoustic-modem.jpg

Average typists could out-type the connection speed...

Is that picture from my dad's desk?  I had one of those, even with the black phone.

[Tom]

I guess I have my answer what you guys think.  Good discussion.

Yeah, I think this falls under "first world problem"   I mean, really, you had connectivity just not the free-est, highest-speed.

...

Remember 300 baud modems?

http://scm-l3.technorati.com/11/05/22/34913/acoustic-modem.jpg

Average typists could out-type the connection speed...

Is that picture from my dad's desk?  I had one of those, even with the black phone.

I have a very similar black phone beside me right now \o/