Gizmodo
Jon Penn isn't your average 11-year-old school kid. No, Sir. In his spare time, mostly between classes, he manages the entire computing network for his school in Alabama. The network consists of sixty computers and Jon took up the role when the previous administrator upped and left, completely unannounced.
Jon has since visited CompUSA and purchased some tools to help him map out the school's network. Apparently, the whole infrastructure was in such a sorry state when Jon got started, he had to urge the head teacher to spend some cash on up-to-date antivirus software. Even still, some of the machines Jon has to deal with are so old they cannot support current protection packages. In short; the little tyke's got his work cut out. Sure, this all sounds fantastic for the kid, he's obviously quite a smart lad, but we ask you this; is he smart enough to make the old network administrator mysteriously vanish, giving him an excellent opportunity to show off the mad network admin skills he's gained following 11 years of solid training? That crafty little... [Network World via Slashdot]
Comments
Shopped at CompUSA and not Fry's? For shame!
Shopped at ComUSA and not Newegg? For shame!
respect ma authoritah!
Fry's in Alabama? really?
This kid wants to buy anti-virus software? Somebody needs to tell him there are free alternatives that are better.
Mark my words. I've seen his kind before...
In five years we'll all either work for him...
Or, be dead by his hand.
IT work: The most lethal profession in the world. Beware of 11-year old competitors trying to get the better of you!
kid, save the school some cash and go open source. that way youll have more money to spend on hardware.
wait, is it Joe or Jon?
he's from Alabama, it's most likely Joe-Jon
This kid is the robotic creation of the old network administrator, who is controlling him remotely from a beach-side villa in Bermuda. Watch for the kid to violate the 3 laws, the network to become sentient, and Will Smith to star in the movie about it.
"Our prior tech admin. left by surprise!!!"
"What? No he didn't. He graduated. He's over at Millbrook Junior High now."
"Oh my goodness! Who could have known that would happen!?!"
"We all did. It's what happens when you hire 11 year olds."
"But we're in rural Alabama! Nobody graduates to Junior High!"
@92BuickLeSabre:
What's goin' on on THIS side?
+ Watch video
CompUSA is still in business? All of the stores in the DC area are gone.
Sorry...his beard is way too thin and his Mt.Dew-Cheetos-pizza gut is way too small for him to be a proper sysadmin.
Besides, where's his pithy "There's no place like 127.0.0.1" or "Penguin Power" t-shirt?
The force may be strong within him, but he's got a lot to learn.
@strider_mt2k: Apparently the USDA's Rural Development Broadband Loan and Loan Guarantee Program was the quickest and most efficient government program of all time.
@LordieLordie:
alabama has computers?
@willyolio: Yep! See...the OLPC program /is/ reaching some of the most technologically destitute parts of the world.
According to the article, he's now in MS's pocket. Either way, I don't think he's qualified to be a proper sysadmin. Quick, describe L3 of the OSI in 10 words or less...
Seriously though, isn't there some issue of child labor involved here? I guess my point is that I need a job and if we start replacing qualified adults with children now, where does it end?
@TJ: We'll start outsourcing our children's jobs to children in far-away countries. Oh, wait...
@strider_mt2k: Video would have been funny if their had been more clips of Cletus rather than repeating the same clips over and over again!
I'm a 13 year old and built my first computer when I was ten. Our school is partially opposite. They have fine computers, but they are all retards. They wanted to run a program to restrict students's administrator privledges so they used schoolvista(not windows vista) all of their computers came with XP pro, but they downgraded. Then they decided a few years later to upgrade back to XP. They installed no other drivers. And they installed outdated norton on top of that. Though what really cooks the pot is they have a domain, which every user, programs, and files are on. All ran by one old IBM server. (pentium 4 era xenon). Also they run all of the laptops over 802.11b mode 802.11g. The hrdware is fine in the laptops, pentium m, with 512mb of ram, but because of their genius configuration it can barely log on, even that sometimes doesn't work. If you do finally get on it takes over five minutes to get everything loaded(not including logon time), and over three just to load word. By the way did I mention since there are no drivers, the resolution is wrong, graphics need to be rendered by the cpu, so forth. On the desktops it is slightly better because it i a wired connection. They still had no drivers. The IT people said it was just the age of the pentium four, 2.4ghz, 1GB ram, radeon 9600 computers, so they bought new hp's with dual core atholon 64's, guess what reformatted and installed no drivers. Thank god it is a fastish computer can can still run fine without extra drivers. What stumps me though is even the monitor say on startup that the optimal resolution is 1280x1024, why they still have them at 1024x768. Some of the laptops are still 800x600. It's really just sad, especially considering the IT guy gets paid around $80 an hour.
@Scotland: Cut 'em a break, they've only had the internet for a few days.
I really don't think this kid's ready for even a 60-computer network. He sure looks like a smart kid, and 'ready' to handle computer problems, but managing 60 computers part time, by himself, I think will be difficult.
I wonder whatever happened to that poor "disaapeared" fella. Call the FBI!!!
They should pay him or something, thats a lot of work. Or at the very least give him some get-out-of-homework passes.
I think I'm gonna apply for the position. Like stealing a sysadmin position from a baby...
Seriously though, the kid can't work there forever. Imagine being his replacement. What if he gets a promotion and becomes your boss? You'd be taking order from a 13 year old.
Rep: "You have some big shoes to fill."
New Guy: "Really, how big?"
Rep: "Child's size 6, actually..."
Man, first a post talking about rural areas getting broadband, now this. Are we going to have a rural hacker revolution?
@willyolio:
Yes, we have computers AND indoor plumbing. In fact, Forbes magazine said that my hometown in Alabama will have the most economic growth out of all 361 major metropolitan areas in the USA over the next five years; estimated 34%. Enjoy the recession while my income grows and my property value doubles.
@Neverhitboxes: @jbhitter24: Shopped at CompUSA, aren't they out of business?
Fine comedy as usual Malik! I applaud you sir!
he's blatantly the BOFH
@robinandtami:
So by that logic: $1.00 --> $1.34 > $600,000 --> $601,000
That's cool, enjoy all that economic growth.
He's the Anti Christ !
@92BuickLeSabre:
By ANY logic 34% economic growth is excellent. Don't play daft.
Fry's in Alabama? I thought the only Fry's there was Fry's Chicken.
I think it says more about Alabama than it does about the boy...
@robinandtami: Not being daft, just being a punk.
@92BuickLeSabre: Your terrible reference was heard around the world.
I really hate to do this, but I am calling shennanigans on this. No 11 year old kid is that smart.
o_o
It'd be nice to be smart. I r jealous.
I wanted that job too. Our school's network administrator isn't that good at fixing problems.
And this sounds like that story when a kid hacked into the school's network, found a loophole, and actually reported it and worked to fix it.
@gadgetfanatic: I was. And still am.
They didn't make a big deal out of it when I was in grade school and fixing the network of Unisys Icons.... This little sh*t isnt 1337, he's still just a n00b.
smart kid
When I was 11, my school had no network. Or computers.
@Neverhitboxes: Fry's + Most of the entire eastern coast = Non-existent.
@jbhitter24:
"Shopped at ComUSA and not Newegg? For shame!"
And how's he going to pay for that? Put it on his lunch account?
I don't know many 11 year olds with credit cards.
Where are all the broads?
Cybertronics has been hard at work indeed.
oh come on,it's network support, and 11 year old could do it, it's not like programming....
Well, all he wanted to do was to enable all of the blocked game sites...