[Offtopic] DEECD Notebooks

Roland Gesthuizen rgesthuizen at gmail.com
Mon Sep 3 13:43:21 EST 2007


Good thing Dan is that it would be relatively easy to reuse the drivers by
jumping to another Linux distribution. Thanks for the wikipedia link .. say,
even with the cost cutting .. they manage to bundle a camera and microphone.
Cool :-)

Nice interview here with Mark Shuttleworth, the billionaire / astronaut who
is backing Ubuntu and discusses how he manages his very busy life.
     http://tinyurl.com/288xp3

Regards Roland

On 02/09/07, Daniel Stefyn <dstefyn at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Interesting article.
>
> This looks like the Asustek Eee_PC, set to use Xandros Linux.
> Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eee_PC
>
> Linux distribution aside (what benefit was there in choosing Xandros
> anyway??), other reports indicate this laptop is getting released in
> Australia as of this month (September). Any further reports on this could
> get interesting.
>
> More sources:
> http://apcmag.com/6621/asus_eee_pc_to_be_released_in_australia_by_sept
> http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=756489&p=1
>
> On 8/31/07, Roland Gesthuizen <rgesthuizen at gmail.com > wrote:
> >
> > TinyURL blocked? (ROTFL)
> >
> > Article attached. Not sure what flavour Linux the are using. Ubuntu
> > perhaps?
> >
> > Regards Roland
> >
> > On 31/08/2007, Cameron Bell <bell.cameron.p at edumail.vic.gov.au> wrote:
> > >
> > > Heh heh, funny you should mention that. I have already upped the RAM
> > > and
> > > HDD on mine and will need to return it "as was".
> > >
> > > I can't believe it, but our ISP has blocked tinyurl - I assume you are
> > > referring to the UMPC from Asustek?  We are most definitely
> > > considering
> > > using them. We were lead to believe that Acer was to  have some
> > > available this year for review and assessment, but that has fallen
> > > through so we await to see who is first on the market with a UMPC. It
> > > would be preferable to spend $200 on ICT access than $1000+ per pair
> > > with laptops.
> > >
> > > Bet there will be lots of people who try to apply laptop/desktop
> > > methodology to them and reject them outright.
> > > Cheers
> > > Cameron
> > >
> > > Roland Gesthuizen wrote:
> > > > I did hear from one teacher that you just remove the HDD and pop in
> > > a
> > > > new one that is much larger (Say 120 Gb+)  Keep the old HDD or use
> > > in
> > > > a portable usb2 hdd box. This would set you back by around $100. Of
> > > > course you would need to replace everything at the end of the laptop
> > >
> > > > cycle and your new HDD would not be covered by the laptop warranty.
> > > >
> > > > I notice that there are some super cheap laptops now out that come
> > > > with Linux for just a couple of hundred dollars. Imagine if schools
> > > > would consider using something like these as entry level hardware
> > > for
> > > > staff or students?
> > > >       http://tinyurl.com/2f8v4z (Age news report)
> > > >
> > > > Regards Roland
> > > >
> > > > On 28/08/2007, *Cameron Bell* < bell.cameron.p at edumail.vic.gov.au
> > > > <mailto: bell.cameron.p at edumail.vic.gov.au >> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >     <disillusionment>
> > > >     Is it just me or are you finding that the notebooks DEECD lease
> > > are
> > > >     struggling to keep up?
> > > >     I have put a Gig of RAM in the R51 (up from default 512) I have
> > > and
> > > >     because at any given time I am running a virtual box, a remote
> > > desktop
> > > >     session for admin, plus email plus online marking, the thing is
> > > >     having a
> > > >     hernia. I don't even bother with Clickview videos.
> > > >     I was thinking of getting a Macbook in the next rollout, but I
> > > have
> > > >     severe doubts that they would be any better, especially given
> > > the
> > > >     miniscule partition size you are left with if you install XP as
> > > >     well. (I
> > > >     would need 3 partitions to take any advantage of getting a Mac -
> > > >     Ubuntu,
> > > >     OSX and XP)
> > > >
> > > >     At  least in NSW teachers can lease the Macbook Pro. Would be
> > > good
> > > >     if we
> > > >     at least had an option of getting a reasonably speccd machine.
> > > Many
> > > >     users wouldn't need it, but I reckon that if you include all the
> > > >     graphics teachers, multimedia, or other "power users" (I hate
> > > that
> > > >     term)
> > > >     across the state, it could justify a choice.
> > > >     Cheers
> > > >     Cameron
> > > >
> > > >     </ disillusionment>
> > > >
> > > >     Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential.
> > > If
> > > >     received in error, please contact us and delete all copies.
> > > Before
> > > >     opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects.
> > > >     Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by
> > >
> > > >     the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or
> > > >     indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is
> > > >     limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any
> > > >     representations or opinions expressed are those of the
> > > individual
> > > >     sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education
> > > >     and Early Childhood Development.
> > > >     _______________________________________________
> > > >     offtopic mailing list
> > > >     offtopic at edulists.com.au <mailto: offtopic at edulists.com.au>
> > > >     http://www.edulists.com.au/mailman/listinfo/offtopic
> > > >     <http://www.edulists.com.au/mailman/listinfo/offtopic >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
> > > > http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
> > > >
> > > > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens
> > > can
> > > > change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
> > > > --Margaret Mead
> > >
> > > Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If
> > > received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening
> > > or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any
> > > loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender
> > > or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files
> > > our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any
> > > representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender,
> > > and not necessarily those of the Department of Education and Early Childhood
> > > Development.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > offtopic mailing list
> > > offtopic at edulists.com.au
> > > http://www.edulists.com.au/mailman/listinfo/offtopic
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
> > http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au
> >
> > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> > change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret
> > Mead
> >
> >
>


-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.edulists.com.au/pipermail/offtopic/attachments/20070903/543afe01/attachment-0001.html


More information about the offtopic mailing list