> Or talk to Bob ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) for the NH State program to
> recycle them into Linux machines for non-profits around the state
If that's the program I think it is, they're not turning them into
GNU/Linux boxes. The program I know of that's operating through the
prison is the governor's "Computers in the Schools" program.
This program takes donations of old computers, mixes it with donated
corporate money and some state money, and spends the money to upgrade the
computers, having prisoners do the work for job training purposes. The
computers are then given out to schools and libraries. It's a really
slick program with very little red tape involved in applying for a grant
of computers (I know; the school district I presently work for is
receiving 35 of these computers).
The drawback of the program, if you can call it that, is that the
computers come with absolutely no software installed. IMHO, this almost
begs schools to pirate copies of Win9x and Office. I mean, let's face it,
if the schools are too poor to buy hardware, does anyone really think
they're going to go out and buy copies of Win9x at ~$80 a pop for these
new computers that were given to them?
I talked to the people involved about putting GNU/Linux on the machines
and I suggested putting a Red Hat install on the machines with a working
copy of Netscape and StarOffice; but their feeling was what was recently
talked about on the list -- that people wouldn't feel comfortable with
GNU/Linux and that the learning curve would throw them and turn off these
people who were new and/or reluctant to use computer technology.
--
Regards, | "A contribution by Microsoft Corporation to South Carolina's
. | Republican Party during the 1998 campaign preceded a decision
Randy | by the state's GOP attorney general to withdraw from an
| antitrust suit against the computer software giant."
| Source: API, 24 December 1998
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