OS X Pranks?

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We use OS X in my music theory class. Once a week the chorus kids come in to use the computers and always leave them in a mess. They play around with the midi settings, leave the computers frozen, and many other annoying things. I spend half the class just trying to reset everything, and I'm not alone. So we want to get back at them...

I know the invert colors thing, but are there any other annoying pranks you can pull on the Mac?

Note: I can't download anything, I don't have administrative access.

Thanks!
-Kate
 
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go into your system preferences and mess with that stuff.. colors/time/date etc.
 

eric


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too bad it's not windows (hard to believe i just said that). you could make user accounts so limited they literally could do nothing but use the start button to shutdown, especially if you remember to remove the run command.
 

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too bad it's not windows (hard to believe i just said that). you could make user accounts so limited they literally could do nothing but use the start button to shutdown, especially if you remember to remove the run command.

Good one Eric. Did that to a system once just to see what would happen. Friend I wanted to play a prank on. Never tried crippling OSX that way!!
 
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you could remove everything from the doc and then go into finder prefereces and set it to not display hard drives or cds or servers on the desktop. Set the new default finder window to open as a deeply burried empty folder you create with the name " user name " (spaces on each end to make it legal but different, use the same name as the acount name) In the side bar tab of finder prefs, remove all things to the sidbar is empty.

so in effect it will look like there is nothing on the computer. the home folder will look empty, it wont even look like there is a hard drive.
so unless these kids are familiar with Finder prefs (which most people never even look in) you are golden!

goodluck

EDIT: Oh, I should have said make sure that the desktop is clear of any other files (you could put them all in a temp folder in Documents or something) We want to give them no easy option
 
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Take a screen shot of the normal desktop then use that as the desktop picture after hiding the dock on the right or left side if it is normally on the bottom.
 

eric


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that is awesome.
 

dtravis7


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Take a screen shot of the normal desktop then use that as the desktop picture after hiding the dock on the right or left side if it is normally on the bottom.

Agreed with Eric, GREAT idea!!

Edit: I just tried it here, awesome!!
 

eric


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i think i've got to do that on some of the windows workstations around here, but use an OS X screenshot and then remove all desktop shortcuts and hide/lock the taskbar. ;)

ooh, or make an OS X screenshot the only image in my my pictures folder here at work and run the my pictures screensaver at full screen and with no transitions... just to freak out the management. ;)
 

dtravis7


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i think i've got to do that on some of the windows workstations around here, but use an OS X screenshot and then remove all desktop shortcuts and hide/lock the taskbar. ;)

ooh, or make an OS X screenshot the only image in my my pictures folder here at work and run the my pictures screensaver at full screen and with no transitions... just to freak out the management. ;)

I would give anything to be there to see the looks on their faces!!!!

:spook:
 

eric


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well, if anyone's got a relatively plain background and is running a resolution of 1600x1200 and wants to post a link to a screenshot, that would help a lot. ;) a screenshot from my macbook would look a bit funny :eek:.
 
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I liked the dock idea, but it won't let me mess with it. I don't have permission apparently.

And how do you take a screen shot?

Edit: Just thought of something. I know on the dell computers you can flip the screen upside down (a fun trick to play on the freshmen who like to steal your computer the second you get up :) ). Can you do that on mac?
 

dtravis7


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Some Macs have a Rotate display feature. Seem to depend on the Video card in your Mac. My iMac G5 does not but my G4 Mini and Mini Core Duo both do and you can rotate it both upside down and 90 Degrees either side. To check if your Mac allows you to rotate, open System Preferences, Displays and you should see a rotate toward the bottom left.

For Screenshots you hold Apple-Shift-3 and it takes a shot of the whole desktop. You can also use Apple-Shift-4 and select the area you want to capture and in that mode point at one open window and hit the SpaceBar and it will do just that open window. It saves the pic on the desktop as Picture 1, 2 ETC.
 
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Tell them their parents died.

That'll teach 'em.

Just kidding, of course.
 
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can you change the keybord layout to Dvorak. that'll stop them short

Not quite what you are talking about but I once switched two keys on the keyboard at work. I think it was the m and n keys. Easy way to get on the nerves of those who don't know how to type properly. Pretty funny too. I suggest switching to side-by-side keys as its less obvious.
 
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I did that, the M and N thing. Also switched the number pad around so 123 was at the top, like a phone.
 

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