Re: Why Intel macs will lose the education market.
In article <0001HW.C0059C1000A273A8F0305550@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
J.J. O'Shea <try.not.to@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Didn't do any good, because local policies don't allow you to do
> > anything until you log in, and you can't log in unless you are connected
> > to the server. You can't get at the PC because it is in a steel box,
> > and access to the padlocks are too small to allow a cutter access. You
> > can't get at the CMOS because it is passworded. You can't run any
> > executables (including ones to wipe the CMOS) except those required to
> > boot and connect to the server until you are logged in. You can't run
> > unauthorised executables unless you are in one of the programming
> > classes, etc. etc.
>
> Jesus bloody Christ. That's one hell of a lot of trouble to go to. Steel
> boxes around the machines? Padlocked down? How much did this _cost_?! How
> much time do you spend undoing it every time you need access to something?!
> Are you running a school or a prison? (Don't answer that last one...)
>
> And I thought that _I_ had problems providing support!
Mathematics was funded below the level of most other Schools at the
University, so we actually spent far less per student on our labs than
any other school. On the other hand, we ended up with more computers
per student than any other school (5 labs, one post graduate room, about
120 student computers, about 600 full time students, plus service
subjects for other schools). We had a lot of students around who would
have liked to use our computers rather than the 19 labs the main
computing centre provided. We never had enough staff to supervise labs,
so they got opened around 7 a.m. when I arrived, and closed when the
security guards did their last walk around (or not closed at all if the
students could persuade security not to close them). The building was a
30 floor tower in the middle of the city, never closed, and there was no
check on visitors and no cameras. So yes, some security was needed.
I got the Mech Engineering workshop to use their metal bending gear
during recess to form the boxes, which could be slung under desks
(bolted with smooth head bolts recessed in the surface) or mounted on
top, and could accept pretty much any reasonably standard tower PC case
- the metal boxes lasted a long time. I got the tables from Prison
Industries (guess who made them). I had the cost per place down to
about A$200, for desk, chair, and security. Never had to replace
anything except chairs. Did I mention the tables were bolted together
so to move any of them you had to unbolt lots of stuff?
You hardly ever needed physical access, unless something broke. So you
unlocked the case, disconnected cables, pulled out the dud computer and
slipped a replacement in, and let it reinstall everything from the NT
server. Then you could work on the dud while convenient.
I typically bought computers getting towards end of current
availability, rather than cutting edge. Gave them a mid life kicker of
more RAM after 12-18 months if prices were OK, and at about 3-4 years
hoped there was money available for replacements.
These days, I don't want to know about running Windows!
--
http://www.ericlindsay.com
.
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