Why is this forum banned?

[ericmark]

Having seen some really good images on this site I thought I could use some to show what other artists have done and explain what I liked about the images and how I wanted to emulate them.
However when I tried to assess this site from the college a big red banner came up saying my attempt to access this banned site had been logged.
So what has happened on this site in past to get it banned?
Facebook and Windows Live are also banned did not try any more.

[Iguanasan]

Hard to say for sure. We'd have to know more about the software that was doing the banning and what criteria it uses. This is a discussion board and it has user submitted photos. Any one of these may have been of questionable taste or language used which is considered offensive.

Some banning software can be triggered by the smallest mis-placed word. For instance, some banning software have banned the American Cancer Society because they were talking about "breast" cancer.

[Michaelaw]

Iggy's got it right and I was going to post something to the same effect. That being said, the pure ****e disturber in me would ultimately have me fighting the people responsible for initiating the parameters. If there were any arts programs in the college, I'd fight twice as hard. If there were a photography course offered in this educational facility...I'd win!

[casil403]

There is tasteful nudity...not pornography within this website.
That may be the reason....although a stupid one if you ask me especially if it is an educational facility....mind you I don't think a security net-minder/blocker can distinguish between either.

[ericmark]

Considering the college does have nude modelling the inclusion of the odd nude on this site would not really count.
I will guess they have banned all forums but I can't prove that.
Being taught maths at the college I have no complaints but the Art class really has some major problems.
1) Other than in class time no Mac computers are available for student use.
2) We are taught with Photoshop CS4 but library has Photoshop CS2 loaded on the PC's.
3) The CS2 does not have the Plug-in to handle RAW files yet we are told only RAW unaltered files can be used in exam.
4) The CS4 did not have the plug-in for contact sheets on Bridge yet we were told we must produce contact sheets. When I complained my computer alone was up-graded.
5) Although in lesson the Word program was set to English UK in exam room it was set to English US. All the Photoshop CS4 installs set to English US rather than English UK. Requests for it to be changed were met with "It's an American program what do you expect".
6) Not a single piece of work has been marked. Comments have been made but no formal marking.

The list goes on and on and although I have learn a lot it was run more like a non vocational course with the lecturer going around to each student and giving each one personal tuition each student being on a different level rather than being taught as a class. The scant reference to depth of field, aperture, speed, and ISO were unlikely to be understood by any student without prior knowledge. Most the young students portfolios are filled with other peoples work in the main down loaded from the internet and the lecturer does not seem to know what is required under the Harvard referencing system as to avoiding plagiarism which is standard used in UK. At a glance the students portfolios look really good until you say "Did you take that" then you realise the problem.

At first I was blaming the lecturer but as the course progressed one realised the whole of the Art department seemed rotten to the core and he was doing as he was told.

Likely we will all pass as to fail anyone may cause problems with student complaints but as to grades beauty is in the eye of the beholder which means to complain could mean the lecturer could reduce the mark of people who complain and it would be near impossible to prove.

If we were marked on technical content then there would be hard and fast marking criteria but to do that any exam would need to ask questions however no questions are asked.

So now half way through what we call AS level. Another year to get A level which is level 3 under British system and as such entrance level for University. Maybe because I already have one degree (level 5) I am more critical than other students who have not been through academia in the way I have. Or maybe Art is always a pot luck subject? Give me imaginary numbers any day at least with them there is a correct answer it is right or wrong no shades of grey.

Well that's my rant over. I think after results are declared maybe I should write letter of complaint? But this could be normal for Art. The lecturer was always criticizing me for writing reports like an engineer. Maybe because I am one!

[Mad Aussie]

The college just doesn't know a good thing when it sees it Eric They have looked and realised that this forum represents a huge threat in terms of competition due to the incredible learning curve prevalent here.

Tell them Steve said hi

[ericmark]

The college just doesn't know a good thing when it sees it Eric They have looked and realised that this forum represents a huge threat in terms of competition due to the incredible learning curve prevalent here.

Tell them Steve said hi

I think you may have hit nail on the head.