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Hi, I haven't taken much notice of these mailings because I thought the little input I would be making would be a a waste of time. However, perhaps my fourpennorth is worth five after all. I had a 386 and took the gubbins out from the inside, put a pentium in and hey presto for about 250 quid I got a computer on a par with ones costing over 1,000quid. - its just a thought. We used to run a graveyard for computers here, I will try and find out whether we still do etc and come back to the group. I agree that you don't necessarily need top of the range equipment to study with, my friend still uses my old Amstrad 1640 with a 9 pin dot matrix on her master's course. regards Maggie On Mon, 12 May 1997, Andrea Elliott wrote: > > I think the students need to take responsibility for the equipment made > possible to supply by their DSA. They need to understand that it is a tool > provided to help them complete their course on a level pegging with their > able-bodied couterparts. An upgrade so that Quake will run faster is just > not on! > > Sorry that sounded a bit harsh. But some students do not need to upgrade to > Windows 95 from 3.11 in order to run suitable WP software. If the hardware > and software meets their needs well then they shouldn't mess. > > But what do we do if software becomes availablle that could aid the student > further? It is quiet possible that a hardware upgrade will be required as > well. Has anybody thought of a central computer grave yard? > If a student justifiably requires an upgrade part way through their course > perhaps the computer could be logged on a central register and deployed > somewhere else. I am sure that the 'dead' computer could meet someone elses > needs and it might save money in the long run. > > Just a few thoughts > > Andrea Elliott > Huddersfield University > ---------- > From: dis-forum > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Hardware_=2D_The_Future=2C_the_present_and_the_?= > =?iso-8859-1?Q?past?= > Date: 11 May 1997 16:22 > > Hardware - The Future, the present and the past > > I thought I might join the discussions at this point with a few PERSONAL = > observations - not to be confused at all with Hi-Grade policy. > > Some of what I say is in the form of Devil's Advocate, some maybe a = > little cynical (that's me), but hopefully I will raise some points for = > discussion and consideration. > > First of all Information Technology and it's associated hardware WILL = > move on. > > An obvious statement but one we must not loose sight of. =20 > > Looking at what has happened to date and how it has affected today is a = > valid exercise and somewhere to start. > > My machine, and remember I work for a company working, developing and = > producing on the front edge of technology, runs FAT 32, Windows 95b, = > Office 97 with that wonderful 'Assistant', in-line spelling and grammar, = > and a beta version of the latest Explorer desktop development, in 1024 x = > 768 Res. It is fully multimedia and I use it to understand and provide = > student support for most programmes that assessors recommend. In fact = > the only programmes I cannot run at the moment are the Voice programmes = > like Kertweil and Simply Speaking. > > My 3Yr old machine's spec is 486DX 66 64mb RAM with a 3Yr old Monitor, = > no PCI slots, Visa type motherboard etc. > > The point? > > 95% of the machines I build for students could be the same spec. Cost ? = > Last year we had several opportunities to buy up 'old stock' of 486DX66 = > 8MbRAM machines with up to date motherboards including PCI slots for = > under str300, add a monitor for say stl145 and then upgrade the RAM to = > 16 (for speed) for say stl 55 - machine costs stl500. Yes I did get one = > of these machines and it is now my children's study machine and Yes it = > does run all the up to date software except the voice software. The = > only extra it has is the 16 Mb RAM. > > OR > > If my machine was supplied to a student 3Yrs ago it would still be a = > valid machine. > > The real point? > > Advances in hardware are very exciting and open up the door of = > opportunity in many areas, however how much 'new' hardware is required = > to adequately compensate for an individuals disability when software = > does most, if not all, the work? - Please discuss in not less = > than....... > > Other points > > My machine when new cost stl 1100 ! Today for that money you would get a = > supper dupper machine capable of leaving my machine in the dust. = > Equally if you stay 6 to 9 months behind current technology the = > technology cost comes down to meet the price of current machines. =20 > > New software stays backward compatible (relating to hardware) for some = > time, otherwise there is no breakeven market, and remains stable in = > pricing if not dropping to establish market share. > > If you start from the point - What do I want the equipment to do? - then = > ask what is the minimum spec I need to achieve this, the results can be = > surprising! and could involve Works on 311 using a 386! (try to buy = > that!) > > Practicality - my nightmare. During the early days of Win'95, while = > DOS622Win311 was still being supplied I had endless calls from students = > telling me the machine had broken down when they upgraded to Win'95. = > Nothing wrong with the machine of course. Regular call telling me that = > the machine doesn't work with such and such piece of equipment. True! ( = > in the past I have been told that the Pentium a student bought wouldn't = > fit in the 486 machine we supplied!) > > In the hands of the student the machine is perceived as the ultimate in = > technology being able to do everything the marketing people say is = > necessary to run their supper dupper add-ons. In this environment a 486 = > would be positively dangerous (to my health). BUT IS THIS A POINT THAT = > NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED? > > Congratulation on persevering to this point I hope you can add to the = > discussions so that all points of view can come to light when decisions = > are taken > > Peter Childs > Hi-Grade Computers > Southampton > [log in to unmask] > > > > =00 > > %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%