Comments on: Free Census Bureau Data Leads to a Big Idea for Closing the Digital Divide Locally http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/ Spam, Security, Privacy, Spyware, Phishing & Viruses from the Front Lines. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:16:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: BJ Gillette http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1303 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 21:36:47 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1303 Hi J. Wow. Looks like a great outfit. Thanks for the tip. Hi J.
Wow. Looks like a great outfit. Thanks for the tip.

]]> by: J Butts http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1300 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 17:21:01 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1300 Mr. Gillette, Here is an organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that does the same thing you are investigating: http://www.accrc.org/ I'm sure you if contact someone at the organization they would be happy to assist you. I donated a couple of computers there recently. They make you pay to dontate to cover their expenses but I'm sure you will be able to come up with a plan that works for your area. Mr. Gillette,
Here is an organization in the San Francisco Bay Area that does the same thing you are investigating:
http://www.accrc.org/
I’m sure you if contact someone at the organization they would be happy to assist you.
I donated a couple of computers there recently. They make you pay to dontate to cover their expenses but I’m sure you will be able to come up with a plan that works for your area.

]]> by: BJ Gillette http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1295 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 14:27:31 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1295 Hi Robert. Good to hear some details from an old pro. As I understand it, our local schools are pretty much 100% state of the art. Personally, I'm intrigued by the idea of focusing an effort on getting working eqpt and service to that percentage of those 285 households below the poverty line who would actually make productive use of them. And there lies another challenge... Hi Robert.
Good to hear some details from an old pro. As I understand it, our local schools are pretty much 100% state of the art.

Personally, I’m intrigued by the idea of focusing an effort on getting working eqpt and service to that percentage of those 285 households below the poverty line who would actually make productive use of them.

And there lies another challenge…

]]> by: Robert Pogson http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1292 Wed, 02 Aug 2006 12:04:58 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1292 This idea has been used around the world, particularly in schools where a computer budget is often an after-thought or less essential. Modern curriculums emphasize using computers in schools, so necessity has become the mother of invention. Schools have access to older computers from storage areas, donations from homes and businesses and even organizations like Computers for Schools (in Canada). These old machines need a 100 mbits/s ethernet NIC, a netowrk switch, and one newer machine on the network with some resources like RAM/storage/newer CPU and preferably a gigabit/s ethernet NIC to connect to a gigabit port on the switch. Gigabit is optional. It just permits the newer machine to act as terminal server to more clients. Even an off-the-shelf PC with 512 MB or more can make a good server for 10 or more thin clients. Each thin client needs 50 MB RAM over what is needed to run the system. On the newer machine install K12LTSP, EdUbuntu, or any GNU/Linux distro with the LTSP packages. This permits machines that can PXE boot to boot from the server without needing modification except BIOS setting. No hard drive needed. Machines that cannot boot PXE can use a boot loader on floppy or CD from Rom-o-matic. I have been using whatever machines I can get my hands on in schools for seven years now. Last year, a newer machine failed and I was able to install a minimal system on a Pentium I, add a 100 mbits/s NIC and the ten year old PC looked like stuff was running on an AMD64 3000, which it was... This approach can be used in homes with multiple PCs, community clubs, schools, libraries and business offices. It is a great way to extend the life of equipment and to get the maximum value from expenditures on computer hardware. Robert Pogson This idea has been used around the world, particularly in schools where a computer budget is often an after-thought or less essential. Modern curriculums emphasize using computers in schools, so necessity has become the mother of invention.

Schools have access to older computers from storage areas, donations from homes and businesses and even organizations like Computers for Schools (in Canada). These old machines need a 100 mbits/s ethernet NIC, a netowrk switch, and one newer machine on the network with some resources like RAM/storage/newer CPU and preferably a gigabit/s ethernet NIC to connect to a gigabit port on the switch. Gigabit is optional. It just permits the newer machine to act as terminal server to more clients. Even an off-the-shelf PC with 512 MB or more can make a good server for 10 or more thin clients. Each thin client needs 50 MB RAM over what is needed to run the system. On the newer machine install K12LTSP, EdUbuntu, or any GNU/Linux distro with the LTSP packages. This permits machines that can PXE boot to boot from the server without needing modification except BIOS setting. No hard drive needed. Machines that cannot boot PXE can use a boot loader on floppy or CD from Rom-o-matic.

I have been using whatever machines I can get my hands on in schools for seven years now. Last year, a newer machine failed and I was able to install a minimal system on a Pentium I, add a 100 mbits/s NIC and the ten year old PC looked like stuff was running on an AMD64 3000, which it was…

This approach can be used in homes with multiple PCs, community clubs, schools, libraries and business offices. It is a great way to extend the life of equipment and to get the maximum value from expenditures on computer hardware.

Robert Pogson

]]> by: BJ Gillette http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1289 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:38:19 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1289 Hi CThomas. RE: Census B page has data, still too many confusing dropdowns. Agreed. The site has several input screens (including the first) that are close to inscrutable. Really sad. But if you can figure out input, you can get to a lot of useful information. Hi CThomas.
RE: Census B page has data, still too many confusing dropdowns.

Agreed. The site has several input screens (including the first) that are close to inscrutable. Really sad.

But if you can figure out input, you can get to a lot of useful information.

]]> by: CThomas http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1288 Tue, 01 Aug 2006 13:31:49 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1288 Don't know about social progs. Census B page has data, still too many confusing dropdowns. Don’t know about social progs. Census B page has data, still too many confusing dropdowns.

]]> by: BJ Gillette http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1286 Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:26:57 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1286 Hi Allen. RE: Just down the ribber... (For you outworlders, Muscatine, IA is just 26 miles south of the Quad Cities, on the Mississippi River, on a beautiful lightly trafficked 4 lane. It is the hometown of Bandag, Hon Industries and Stanley Consultants.) I was hoping somebody would come up with an already working model. Can you point us all to your roadmap? Do you have a Linux image file you\'d be willing to share? How does your recycle stream work? Example: Hon/Bandag old pcs -> PCGS -> Trainers (like Scouts) -> Free or Discounted Internet (City of Musc). Hi Allen.
RE: Just down the ribber…
(For you outworlders, Muscatine, IA is just 26 miles south of the Quad Cities, on the Mississippi River, on a beautiful lightly trafficked 4 lane. It is the hometown of Bandag, Hon Industries and Stanley Consultants.)

I was hoping somebody would come up with an already working model. Can you point us all to your roadmap?

Do you have a Linux image file you\’d be willing to share?

How does your recycle stream work?
Example:
Hon/Bandag old pcs -> PCGS -> Trainers (like Scouts) -> Free or Discounted Internet (City of Musc).

]]> by: Allen Kiddoo http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1284 Sun, 30 Jul 2006 16:13:32 +0000 http://www.emailbattles.com/2006/07/28/free-census-bureau-data-leads-to-a-big-idea-for-closing-the-digital-divide-locally/#comment-1284 Been there done that. pccgs.org in Muscatine just down ribber has been organized for over a year now. We have rebuilt an donated over 50 computers to needy and other NPOs. Been there done that.
pccgs.org in Muscatine just down ribber has been organized for over a year now.
We have rebuilt an donated over 50 computers to needy and other NPOs.

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