Comments on: More upgrades http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/ Software studies, technical communication, writing studies, web accessibility, and new media. Life with my girls. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:50:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: cbd http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/#comment-3307 cbd Fri, 22 Sep 2006 18:09:30 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/upgrades-2/#comment-3307 Darned good idea. Darned good idea.

]]> By: stacey http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/#comment-3305 stacey Fri, 22 Sep 2006 16:48:13 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/upgrades-2/#comment-3305 re: failing USB ports... I bought some el-cheapo $3 single port USB extension cords from CDW-G for the computers in our little library. Makes it easy for students to plug in and out and when it finally breaks down, I've only lost three bucks out of my budget (well $6 I guess, if you count the original purchase) and I don't have to wait *for-ev-er* for the machine to be repaired by our already overworked IT guys. Plus it's kinda nice to have the port right up front under the monitor- espec. on the older machines that don't have the ports on the front of the box. re: failing USB ports…

I bought some el-cheapo $3 single port USB extension cords from CDW-G for the computers in our little library. Makes it easy for students to plug in and out and when it finally breaks down, I’ve only lost three bucks out of my budget (well $6 I guess, if you count the original purchase) and I don’t have to wait *for-ev-er* for the machine to be repaired by our already overworked IT guys. Plus it’s kinda nice to have the port right up front under the monitor- espec. on the older machines that don’t have the ports on the front of the box.

]]> By: cbd http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/#comment-3277 cbd Wed, 20 Sep 2006 17:18:30 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/upgrades-2/#comment-3277 I was just talking with the support person last night about using Linux on older desktops as opposed to Windows. Hell, any desktop. We could save a ton of money on software, that's for sure. I'm not sure I'd want to use Win2K; Microsoft is clearly moving in different directions, and I'm afraid there would be even more vulnerabilities to deal with. I was just talking with the support person last night about using Linux on older desktops as opposed to Windows. Hell, any desktop. We could save a ton of money on software, that’s for sure.

I’m not sure I’d want to use Win2K; Microsoft is clearly moving in different directions, and I’m afraid there would be even more vulnerabilities to deal with.

]]> By: erich http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/#comment-3276 erich Wed, 20 Sep 2006 15:25:11 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/upgrades-2/#comment-3276 Point taken on 2. The Windows problem seems like it could be mitigated by a) running another OS on some machines (especially those dedicated email/web browsing, serving print jobs, etc.), and b) resisting the "upgrade" cycle. We're still running Windows 2000 on many of our lab and classroom machines. Does damn near anything XP can do, but faster and with greatly diminished demands on RAM and CPU. Point taken on 2. The Windows problem seems like it could be mitigated by a) running another OS on some machines (especially those dedicated email/web browsing, serving print jobs, etc.), and b) resisting the “upgrade” cycle. We’re still running Windows 2000 on many of our lab and classroom machines. Does damn near anything XP can do, but faster and with greatly diminished demands on RAM and CPU.

]]> By: cbd http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/#comment-3272 cbd Wed, 20 Sep 2006 12:54:19 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/upgrades-2/#comment-3272 1) Windows. Every update and "improvement" requires more RAM and more CPU. 2) Wear and tear. In our classrooms, this is very noticeable; machines which are used all the time start to break down, literally. Besides replacing keyboards and mice, USB ports fail after repeated thumb drive use, CD-ROMs stop working, hard drives crap out, etc. 1) Windows. Every update and “improvement” requires more RAM and more CPU.

2) Wear and tear. In our classrooms, this is very noticeable; machines which are used all the time start to break down, literally. Besides replacing keyboards and mice, USB ports fail after repeated thumb drive use, CD-ROMs stop working, hard drives crap out, etc.

]]> By: erich http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/more-upgrades/#comment-3269 erich Wed, 20 Sep 2006 03:58:36 +0000 http://wrecking.org/cbd/2006/09/19/upgrades-2/#comment-3269 I've been thinking about this a bit recently. What kinds of demands are being placed on these machines that make a five- (or four-, or three-) year-old machine unsuitable? Web browsing? Email? Writing stuff in Word? My institution seems to upgrade the iMacs in the labs every semester, and I'm not sure that's actually money well-spent. I'm writing this on a three-year-old laptop, and the only reason I'm thinking about getting a new one is because this one's kind of heavy. I’ve been thinking about this a bit recently. What kinds of demands are being placed on these machines that make a five- (or four-, or three-) year-old machine unsuitable? Web browsing? Email? Writing stuff in Word? My institution seems to upgrade the iMacs in the labs every semester, and I’m not sure that’s actually money well-spent. I’m writing this on a three-year-old laptop, and the only reason I’m thinking about getting a new one is because this one’s kind of heavy.

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