Re: Computer Bank

["John and Laurie Danahy" <JDANAHY@turbonet.com>]

You are toughing on something the school board has been discussing for a
couple of years now.  We have computer labs in most of the schools.  These
labs are set up in dedicated rooms.  While they are in use during the day by
students, they are not used in the evening.  Our wish has been to expand the
use of the labs to all later in the day thus providing access to the many
who cannot afford to buy used and upgrade to usable.
The problem for us has always been monitoring use.  We have been unable to
create funding needed to provide adequate supervision, both in a "help desk"
mode and a security of systems and schools mode.  I think the computers are
already available, the space is already available, it is the human factor
that needs to be addressed.
John

John and Laurie Danahy
jdanahy@turbonet.com
-----Original Message-----
From: LuJane at Eagle <lujane@lataheagle.com>
To: Vision2020@moscow.com <Vision2020@moscow.com>
Date: Sunday, August 01, 1999 2:37 PM
Subject: Re: Computer Bank


>This computer bank idea is good, I think, if it could ever be worked out or
>pulled together. I know the programs today will not run on 486 or 386
>computers but there is a LOT of old software out there that is still very
>educational for children and adults learning to use computers and many
>people (like me) that still have this very old software sitting on their
>shelves, hating to toss it because it cost a good deal of money but would
be
>more than willing to donate it to a "computer bank" that would go to help
>children and even adults trying to learn computers. There is still a place
>for these old throw away computers and this idea is a very good and valid
>one.... would take someone to coordinate and work out the details. Someone
>with a lot of time on their hands and a lot of knowledge and experience
>under their belt.
>
>LuJane Nisse
>Publisher
>LatahEagle and The Boomerang!
>www.lataheagle.com
>www.the-boomerang.com
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <sec@moscow.com>
>To: <Vision2020@moscow.com>
>Sent: Sunday, August 01, 1999 12:05 PM
>Subject: Re: Computer Bank
>
>
>> Date forwarded: Sun, 1 Aug 1999 11:29:14 -0700 (PDT)
>> Send reply to:  <jaycron@turbonet.com>
>> From:           "John Cronin" <jaycron@turbonet.com>
>> To:             <Vision2020@moscow.com>
>> Subject:        Computer Bank
>> Date sent:      Sun, 1 Aug 1999 11:25:28 -0700
>> Forwarded by:   vision2020@moscow.com
>>
>> > There is a part of me that appreciates turning the family firearm on
the
>> > old family computer or as Linda suggested, sending it off to an exotic
>> > place in the Third World. Before we do either, we need to remember that
>> > there are families right here in Moscow and throughout Latah County
>whose
>> > children do not have access to even a Remington typewriter. Believe it
>or
>> > not, there are Moscow families  who cannot afford to buy a used
>computer.
>> > If the computers can survive Avista,  why not figure out a way for them
>to
>> > continue to do that and be a resource for our children right here at
>home.
>> > Would it be feasible to create a computer bank similar to our community
>> > food bank? My guess is that there are some young people who need a
>> > volunteer experience working on computers and an organization like the
>> > schools or a service group who are looking for a project that would
>> > benefit the community. If a project such as this were proven to expand
>the
>> > numbers of computer users, then the local internet and computer
>businesses
>> > might support it as well.
>> >
>> > John
>>
>> again, a good idea.. but some of the same arguments still apply, old
>> computers (386's and less for the most part) can't run modern
>> software (your can't put windows 95/98 on a 386 and expect it to run
>> righ)t, and you can't do lot of things unless you run win95/98.
>> modern software is over burdened with all sorts of extra "features"
>> (we call it "bloat ware") that require huge hard drives, lots of
>> memory, and fast systems to run, is it really good to give away
>> systems that will not run software needed for school work? sounds
>> frustrating to me.
>>
>> Stan Evans
>>
>