Chinese Unies ban computers to fight online gaming addiction

[HEXUS]

According to China.org.cn, several Universities have banned computers for first year students in an attempt to combat MMO addiction... and yes, that does include computer science students.

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[TooNice]

That is utter madness. I guess skilled programmers are not something they plan to export in the future.

[Lucio]

Seems crazy! Why not just give them computers that are so dire they have no hope of playing any of the games.

Heck, there's a Dell factory around that neck of the woods they could use

[capt_cornflake]

I'm not sure I understand what's wrong with this.

The article only mentions that they are banned from owning their own computers and connecting them to the uni network (particularly in halls).

Presumably there would still be access to some kind of lab machines, which would allow them to do anything course related...

I know uni's are a bit different, but most work networks wouldn't allow you to hook up your own computers, I don't see how this is significantly different.

[Blademrk]

I'm not sure I understand what's wrong with this.

The article only mentions that they are banned from owning their own computers and connecting them to the uni network (particularly in halls).

Presumably there would still be access to some kind of lab machines, which would allow them to do anything course related...

I've highlighted the key words. If the students are banned from owning their own computers, it means their restricted to using the computers in the uiversity.
When I was in university (about 8 years ago), the computer workshops were nearly always booked for lessons and the one computer room which was supposed to be for common use (i.e. not a room that lessons were held in) was always full, and then in my final year this got worse as they started holding lessons in that room as well.

If the students are restricted to these computers, I can't see many getting through their coursework.

[usxhe190]

Chinese government trying to fight game addiction is good (better than UK government trying to fight game related violence..which is totally off the mark)

But Chinese government's way of fighting this is just so so typical of them. So ignorant

[vinnyT]

It may have nothing to do with gaming adiction, but, the regimes obsession with censoring the populations access to outside news/influence.

Uni's are often a hotbed of political activity (prob worldwide) and maybe the Chinese goverment sees this ban as the best way not to give them a voice.

[usxhe190]

It may have nothing to do with gaming adiction, but, the regimes obsession with censoring the populations access to outside news/influence.

Uni's are often a hotbed of political activity (prob worldwide) and maybe the Chinese goverment sees this ban as the best way not to give them a voice.

Maybe, but then they already went to the heart of banning outside news/influence...they just banned and restricted all those outside news/influence websites

[TooNice]

The problem is that it's not particularly enforceable, and I doubt a one year ban would do much. Student can still play games off-campus as mentioned in the article. Incidentally, I did self-impose a first year ban in first year, it did work, but it did not put me off gaming for life.

[capt_cornflake]

I've highlighted the key words. If the students are banned from owning their own computers, it means their restricted to using the computers in the uiversity.
When I was in university (about 8 years ago), the computer workshops were nearly always booked for lessons and the one computer room which was supposed to be for common use (i.e. not a room that lessons were held in) was always full, and then in my final year this got worse as they started holding lessons in that room as well.

If the students are restricted to these computers, I can't see many getting through their coursework.

Maybe I was just lucky. Back when I was at uni (95-99) I never had any problems getting onto a machine in the labs (just as well as I didn't have one of my own), and back then connecting your own machines to the network wasn't an option, even in halls.

I know the world has moved on since then, but any respectable university should provide sufficient resources for this sort of thing, if it's required for the course.

I agree entirely that banning them from even owning computers is rather draconian, but I for one have absolutely no problems with not providing network access in halls, which is mostly what this story seems to boil down to.

[moogle]

shouldn't it be Uni's instead of Unies?
anyhoo its alright i suppose if they ban them, but pointless like the others said that they can easily play off campus. although it does make it more of a nuiscance/harder for them i suppose.