It seems that the no. 2 IT guy at my work eagerly wants to discuss the computer idea mentioned in the previous computer post.

Thanks to mark, I asked what the goals are. The bad news is that I won’t know until the meeting takes place.

I was very quick to point out a few things that are important to note and many more I’m not aware. For now, these are issues to keep in mind.

In Jacksonville, FL, there is a recycle computer programs that tries to do printers as well as computers. I cannot imagine that being practical to us as we have no way of storing them and sorting out ink catridges. Ugh! Ugh!

Ok, seriously, here are the issues.

Internet connection. What good is the computer without a printer and an internet connection?

Microsoft will let us be a refurbishing joint and only charge $5 per license for the operating system not including MS Office. The OS would be Windows Me, Windows NT, or older versions. In January, it might include Windows 2000. There is an advantage to using Windows as that is what each computer currently has installed already.

Any version of Linux we use is free, but it still won’t have MS Office. Not only that, some programs may not be compatiable with curriculum.

We need a good delivery system and a way to identify the computers to prevent them from appearing at a pawn shop the next day.

If we do not provide printers, will we provide tech support?

If they purchase internet and we use Linux, will the provider help them to get it working? (It should work fine, but most places hear Linux and say ‘not supported’.)

This project needs space and it is at a premium at the administrative building. Not only is space needed for computers, but a working area, storage for components, storage for items to be disposed, etc.

A similar program is already in place to loan computers for up to a week and check them out like a book from the library. Will this project loose their funding? Will we be able to get separate funding? Can we merge these projects?

There’s more, but I am excited to be able to at least pitch the idea. If any of you have any ideas, please share. There is a great desire to do something good, but if there are potential issues, that need to be thought of ahead of time. Any input welcome, even “this will never work because…”