My school district does not allow any resources that connect back to GitHub. As an open-source platform, school devices are not allowed to access any resources from the cite - to include the FIRST FTC GitHub resources. Is there another way students can access the information from GitHub without using code that has been process through GitHub itself?
We’ve called FIRST but have not gotten a response. Students are in Android Studio.
It is regrettable that many school districts incorrectly classify GitHub as a file-sharing service and thus use CIPA exclusions to ban its use (not saying this is the case here, but this has been the top rationale for such blocking). This means there’s no similar mechanism that we can provide that wouldn’t eventually be banned as well. This affects the following:
- Android Studio Workspace Files (FtcRobotController repository)
- Driver Station APK (FtcRobotController repository)
- Robot Controller APK (FtcRobotController repository, not necessary if using Android Studio Workspace)
- All Software Updates for Control/Expansion/Servo hub (REV Binary repository)
Even so, there are many solutions for this. However, these solutions do require using another internet connection (and possibly another computer) to download the files from GitHub and possibly transfer the files to the district-owned device.
If you can visit the GitHub site using another computer (perhaps a personal computer using a personal internet connection) you can download the ZIP of the software repository and transfer it to your Android Studio programming laptop via a thumbdrive. Personally I download the ZIP to my cell phone, and use a USB connection from my phone to the laptop to transfer the file. You can even access/download the APKs via the “Releases” tags on the same page, too.
A zip download of the FtcRobotController Android Studio workspace can be found here
-Danny
@amanda.trimillos We decided to go ahead and host a copy of the Android Studio Workspace on the FTC Resources Programming Resources page so that you don’t have to access GitHub.
Craig just posted about it here:
-Danny
Thank you so much. I’ll hand this over to my programmers to see if this solves their problem. Their current solution is a personal device of the district network. It would be nice to not have to foce a work-around. I’m curious - you said that districts incorrectly classify GitHub as a file-sharing service. This is exactly what my district says. If GitHub is not a file-sharing service, what is it and how do I relay that to district? They’ve changed several policies for me at the FLL level when I can show in the fine print how the sites/apps we need access don’t actually break district policy.
GitHub is a web-based platform that provides a central place for storing, managing, and collaborating on software.
From a school perspective I can’t speak to exactly what their concerns might be, but finding inappropriate content, in my experience, on GitHub is rare to non-existent. Their Acceptable User policies, particularly the User Safety section might be of particular interest to a school district.