[Winona Online Democracy]
I read about software now available that allows an older PC to be used
for as a web browser, email and basic pc applications. I will search
for the name, etc. and post it when I find it. Whether it's schools
or the "have-nots" - this shows that an older PC is not necessarily
junk.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Thompson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2000 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Winona] Follow Up On Digital Divide
> [Winona Online Democracy]
>
> At 09:37 PM 8/29/00 -0500, Craig Brooks wrote:
> >[Winona Online Democracy]
> >
> >I suggest we consider seeking support from the local School Board,
> >City Council and County Board. I am not sure how the State offices
> >like WSU, Tech. College, DNR etc. fit in. Maybe someone at WSU
could
> >get help from their computer people on what the laws/rules are
about
> >disposition of old State computer equipment.
> >We are tentatively planning on going to the County Board on this
issue
> >on Oct. 10th. Could others take the lead on going to the School
Board
> >and City Council?
>
>
> There are perhaps two issues here from the School Board perspective
(my
> particular interest).
>
> 1) The schools could certainly always use newer computers,
printers,
> scanners, etc, but like the rest of you we ALSO have piles of
outdated
> equipment which is no longer useful to us (i.e. "junk") even while
we are
> still working on getting useful equipment to all of the schools and
> teachers. Please don't view the public schools as a place to get
rid of the
> really old stuff. If any other public agencies have somewhat newer
> equipment you might want to "transfer", please contact our
information
> systems director with a specific list of what you have available.
If we can
> use it, you can then contact the Superintendent's office to get put
on the
> agenda for a monthly meeting, and we would be more than happy to
accept the
> still useful instruments. If you want to e-mail me the specifics of
what you
> have (please look up your system specifics for processor type and
speed,
> RAM, etc) I will be more than happy to be the one to take this to
our I.S.
> people and then to the Board agenda if appropriate.
>
> 2) This "thread" arose from the idea of cybercafes, for which the
schools
> should be ideally suited: multiple buildings around the community,
lightly
> used evenings and weekends. Unfortunately, we have tried a number of
times
> to make our computer labs more available to the public, and it
simply has
> not worked out very well. The biggest problems seem to be staffing
and
> access: having a computer room open means that it must be
supervised, and
> that would mean volunteers (need I recount our recent staff
layoffs?) who
> could make long-term (e.g. academic year) committments. In most of
the
> schools, we would also be required to have certain licensed
custodial staff
> in the building at the time, for which we would obviously be paying
> salaries. Plus, issues such as "who pays for damaged equipment"
arise.
> BUT: this is still a great idea, and we need to find some way to
make it
> work. We are always looking for ways to increase the schools'
community
> involvement. So, since I know we have some of the REAL experts out
there,
> let's ask them:
> ISD 861 employees: what would it take to get the computer facilities
in YOUR
> building opened up to the public?
>
> Ed Thompson
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ed's witty saying for this week:
> If it's called "tourist season", why can't we shoot them?
>
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