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Tests were re-validated after some review by the test provider. While I can't in any way condone how Mozilla violated user trust when they side-loaded that exte

Tests were re-validated after some review by the test provider. While I can't in any way condone how Mozilla violated user trust when they side-loaded that extension, perhaps the test provider should specify Firefox Extended Support Releases (ESR) if they're going to require specific fixed setups like that (with all auto-updates disabled). A signed golden master provided by the test service would also go a long way in preventing problems like this, or at least providing a means of redress for already thinly stretched university IT departments. Finally, I'm surprised they haven't blocked any and all network access, except for registered testing servers, via netfilter. So, there's that.

csydas 9y ago
My experience with the test providers is that often they partner with another company that handles the technology side of things, which is often hack-ish at best. Universities often have the choice of directing their students to authorized test centers with heavily locked down machines (and a nominal testing fee), or try to recreate such an environment with their own equipment and rooms. The difficulty with this is that often the provided tools for locking down a computer lab are woefully out of date, relying on old browsers or software components that are EOL or just quite out of date, which isn't very compatible with the trend towards auto-update software/OSes. It's a bad situation for students and educators alike as they have no professional alternative for their careers and it just ends up being an awkward time of the year for many people. Some of my most stressful memories from my professional career were simple compatibility issues that got overlooked during a wave of updates, and suddenly a bunch of nursing students or education students have a ticking timer on a certification test where parts of it won't load because X plugin is incompatible with Y part of the test.
- justinjlynn 9y ago
  Sounds like a market opportunity to me.

csydas 9y ago

My experience with the test providers is that often they partner with another company that handles the technology side of things, which is often hack-ish at best. Universities often have the choice of directing their students to authorized test centers with heavily locked down machines (and a nominal testing fee), or try to recreate such an environment with their own equipment and rooms. The difficulty with this is that often the provided tools for locking down a computer lab are woefully out of date, relying on old browsers or software components that are EOL or just quite out of date, which isn't very compatible with the trend towards auto-update software/OSes. It's a bad situation for students and educators alike as they have no professional alternative for their careers and it just ends up being an awkward time of the year for many people. Some of my most stressful memories from my professional career were simple compatibility issues that got overlooked during a wave of updates, and suddenly a bunch of nursing students or education students have a ticking timer on a certification test where parts of it won't load because X plugin is incompatible with Y part of the test.

justinjlynn 9y ago
Sounds like a market opportunity to me.