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Stories & Imaginings >> Cookies & Drabbles >> Technology Problems at the Chalet School! 
(Message started by: Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:06pm)

Title: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:06pm

It was 2003 and the authorities at the chalet school had a problem.....
A large group of the girls had become somewhat obsessed, they were spending every moment they could in the computer lab. Logged on to a website, known by the acronym of CBB. The staff weren't sure what this stood for, but were becoming rather worried by several things! The corridors frequently rang with peals of hysterical laughter, interspersed with the sound of sobbing echoing round the building. And then of course, if the internet bills grew any larger, they would have to increase the fees to cover it!

(just a little bit of madness that came to me! Anyone want to take it further?)

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:22pm

'The real problem, said a worried Mrs Richardson, the Headmistress, 'Is that whenever I manage to get in there, there's always a chair accidentally left in front of the door, and by the time that I've sorted that out, they're all staring innocently at screns full of topics such as the HIstory of Knitting, or 'Advanced Crochet' or 'New Ideas for Lavender Bags'. They then tell me that they're doing research for their stalls at the Fete.

'The other problem is that we've never interfered with or supervised their free time activities, and I really don't want to start now, unless something happens to make it imperative.'

Well, unless something does happen, we'll just have to leave it. We can't interfere unless something goes really wrong.'

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:29pm

"Although," she continued "it really would help if we had even one member of staff who knew how to use this internet thing! Maybe then we could get on to this CBB place, and find out what it's about. What do you think?" with this, she turned to her mother for advice........

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:42pm

Well my lamb,' said her mother in her wisest tone of voice,'why don't you make enquiries in Interlaken, and see if a college there can help you. It may be possible for the staff to learn how to use a computer and the Internet. But, and it's a big but, you really mustn't let the girls know that you doubt them. They may very well be researching new ideas for cunning lavender bags which will sell at the Sale.
Do you remember the positive scrimmage there was for that one that Joan Baker's daughter made a couple of years ago in her last year here? I would never have thought of making a lavender bag of two spheres of fabric and a a long cigar shape and sewing them all together when they had been stuffed with lavender. It was odd, come to think of it, it was all the men who were fighting to own it, funny that, I've never known men to buy lavender bags before.'

'Yes, Mamma' said her daughter, wishing that her mother would not pretend to be so wise and all-knowing, whilst displaying absolute innocence, or senility, she wasn't sure which. I'll make a few phone calls, and see what I can fix up.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:48pm

Six weeks later, the entire staff had completed their computing course, and late one night, gathered in the computer lab to log on to the mysterious CBB site! Finally, they would find out what had the girls so enthralled........

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:52pm

Good job I'm writing under a pseudonym, at least I think that's what the tree's called.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 2:58pm

Is that the one with the pointy purple and gold leaves? :P

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 8^th, 2003, 3:06pm

Yes, do you have one, too? The one with the bright turquoise berries?

Jennie playing for time whilst desperately thinking of the next installment of this thread.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 3:14pm

Oh! Mine has fluorescent lime green and fuschia pink berries! Maybe it's a slightly different breed of pseudonym tree?
Vikki *trying to conceal the fact that she's stumped on where to go with this too!*

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 8^th, 2003, 3:33pm

I think pseudonym trees come in individual varieties, tailored to people's tastes and needs.

(Jennie sneakily suggests that we wait for someone else to write an extract, whilst pretending to be busy with other work.)

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Sep 8^th, 2003, 3:39pm

*Vikki agrees that this seems like a good scheme!* ;)

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by xanthe on Sep 8^th, 2003, 4:46pm

sadly, just as they were about to log on to the internet, the power went down right across the Platz, and the school's emergency generator would only provide heating and lighting, so they had to contain their souls in patience

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Aletea on Sep 8^th, 2003, 5:00pm

"Crumbs!" ejaculated Joey Bettany, the great-neice of the school's first ever pupil (as the former so greatly enjoyed reminding people), "That's done it now!"
The other members of the Sextette, as her and her cronies were commonly called looked shocked. They knew that their chances of capture were high, as the Staff would be sure to venture to the basement where the fuse boxes were kept to see if anything could be done, and when they did the secret society that met every Monday night to discuss, well, boys and things would be sure to be discovered. They hadn't _meant_ to blow the power, but Vanny Lannis the incorrigible just _wouldn't_ stop smoking cannabis and her carelessness caused her to knock a full can of Stella over the electricity box.
"I'm so sorry girls" she drawled in her lazy American accent, "But the news that the Staff were going to look on the CBB really threw me, y'know?"
The others nodded their agreement.
"Who would have thought that they'd found out how to use the net? We're gonna have to get on the case to make suer they don't get on the CBB!"

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by xanthe on Sep 8^th, 2003, 6:16pm

Malvina Featherstone, an accomplished hacker, grinned. "Shouldn't be too difficult - I'll just adapt the internet filters for anyone who logs on with a staff password - maybe even set up an alternatives site for them to be directed to, and we shouldn't have any problems... CBB - Creative Bead Bracelets anyone?"

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Marianne on Sep 8^th, 2003, 6:43pm

Joey Bettany the second burst into peals of laughter, 'Imagine me making beaded bracelets, no one would believe us, can't we have Cool Big Books or something.'
'Oh push of Joey! Your so irritating, go bug some of your family members or something!' a girl named Caroline Jaccobs said.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Aletea on Sep 8^th, 2003, 7:58pm

"Sez you!" replied saucy Jo, having got _that_ particular quaint expression from her legendary Aunt. "Go to it, Malvina, and they'll think we're wingless angles!"

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by xanthe on Sep 8^th, 2003, 9:39pm

Malvina set to work using her state-of-the-art battery-run palmtop, and by the time power was restored, her plan was fully in place.

The staff, who had been chewing their finger-ends with frustration, promptly attempted to access the site, and came up with "The CBB - Creative Bead Bracelets - designs, materials and more!", much to the disappointment of certain members of staff, who'd been hoping for something rather more incriminating.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Carolyn P on Sep 8^th, 2003, 9:58pm

Unfortunatly at this point the mistresses being bored began to play around on the search engine. Finding that they had somehow aquired a net nanny programme they were about to give up and leave when Miss Richardson was moved in an idle moment to search for 'Chalet School'.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by PatW on Sep 8^th, 2003, 10:11pm

The hits that that came up with made the staffopen their eyes...

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Aletea on Sep 8^th, 2003, 10:39pm

"The Chalet School of Sex!" gasped Janice Nicholls, head of English at the school, "A Swedish instruction on the fruitier times of life!"

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by xanthe on Sep 9^th, 2003, 8:35am

There was a loud thud behind her as one of the more sensitive mistresses fainted, and lay on the floor of the computer room, grey, still, and to all appearances dead. However, the staff were far too engrossed in their search to pay her any attention beyond sticking her in the recovery position, and they carried on with their research until the wee small hours.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 9^th, 2003, 8:54am

When they finally staggered out of the IT Room with bloodshot eyes and haggard faces, it was clear that they all had a great deal to think about.

Not knowing this, Malvina sneaked into the IT Room to check that they had not been able to bypass her filters. She cunningly decided to check History first, and was astonished to see the sites that the supposedly upright, morality-preaching staff of the Chalet School had been accessing. Why, some of the staff had accessed their own favourite sites.

However, she was relieved to see that none of them had managed to get into CBB, so switched off the computer, and sneakily made her way back to bed.

She knew that an urgent meeting of the Sextette was needed to discuss these new developments, and decided to let everyone know as soon as possible. As she fell back to sleep, her mind was busy revolving various schemes which would certainly change the life that had been led at the Chalet School.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by edith on Sep 10^th, 2003, 7:02pm

i thought when i thought this it would be the same sort of problems as our school computers have got-all out with a virus! But i like this idea!

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 11^th, 2003, 8:44am

So run with it, Edith, 'cos I'm stuck at the moment. Just give us* a lead, pretty please with sugar on.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 11^th, 2003, 8:46am

I don't know what went wrong with my last post, but it was meant to read ' just give us/we a lead'

Is this the dreaded censor?

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by KB on Sep 11^th, 2003, 10:56am

I don't think so. It's weird, isn't it? The censor just usually replaces a so-called bad one with what it thinks is a better one.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Lisa_T on Sep 11^th, 2003, 6:37pm

I'm enjoying this. The Cs and computers... H'mm. What about other technology?
*still giggling at the thought of Aletea's 'wingless angles'- I bet winged angles are never seen in any geometry book!*
;D ;)

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 12^th, 2003, 8:53am

Almost as bad as flying buttresses in architecture.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Aletea on Sep 12^th, 2003, 11:57pm

Oops! I actually *meant* to put 'angles' because whenever me and my friends say 'angels' we change it to 'angles' because one of our friends ALWAYS mis-spells it in text messages. But I forgot that *you* wouldn't know that!

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 15^th, 2003, 5:10pm

Malvina had seized the chance to have a quick word with the rest of the Sextette about her discoveries of the early morning, so it came as no surprise to find that the majority of the Staff were still very heavy-eyed at Fruhstuck, and also seemed to be rather pre-occupied. Trig and fresh were not the words to describe them this morning, thrown together and shop-worn were an infinitely better description.

Suddenly Malvina had a thought that made her begin to choke on her roll and honery. Josette turned and thumped her on the back, and then encouraged her to drink some coffee.

Eventually, with watering eyes and a distinct croak in her voice, she managed to say, 'What if they try to stop us using the Net, after what they managed to find for themselves? They might even say that we have to be supervised while we're in the Computer Room, we'll never be able to access the CBB then, not if they realise that we're discovering everything that they're getting up to. They won't like it one little bit if they think that we know everything about Dr Venables for example, or how Dr Entwhistle died.'

'What's up with you six?' she asked. 'You all look as though you've lost a pound and found sixpence.'

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Lesley on Sep 15^th, 2003, 8:48pm

Excellent - more!!!!

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Sep 22^nd, 2003, 4:49pm

Jo managed to stammer 'I'd never have thought of that. We tought that your filter would protect us, an dnow you're telling us that it won't. We'd better have a meeting this evening, down in the Boiler Room to discuss strategy.'

Malvina thought deeply. 'Well I might have an idea or two, but I'll really need a bit of peace and quiet to think it through. How do we go about that? i don't really want to pretend to have a headache,you know what Matey's like, but I do need time to get busy on my palm-top. Suggestions anyone?'

.....................................................................................
If anyone of you geniuses would like to take it on from here, please feel free.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Jennie on Oct 2^nd, 2003, 5:16pm

Vikki, are we going to do some more of this? It would be good if we could.

Also, any help from anyone on the CBB would be gratefully received.

Title: Re: Technology Problems at the Chalet School!
Post by Vikki on Oct 2^nd, 2003, 11:03pm

Jennie, I don't know where to go with it! My technological knowledge is severely limited, so I'm not sure what to use as storylines!! Help someone!!