Re: [school-discuss] How to buy fleets?

[tom poe <tompoe@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Kevin:  I wonder if you've considered working with the universities
around the country?  Almost all, if not most, have a recycling center
for computers that are not recycled within the university, and are
available for purchase by the public.  The pricing seems to be somewhere
upwards of $75 for PIII's at the University of Nevada-Reno, for
example.  I recently picked up a Dell Optiplex GX110, 384Mb RAM, 20Gb
HD, PIII, intel810 video, sound, usb, 19" Viewsonic monitor, keyboard,
mouse for $85.  It's my impression that you'll find recycling of fleets
is highly likely going on at some of the universities.  Maybe I'm wrong
on that.

It might be worth checking around, and possibly setting up a system that
lets you get first crack at outgoing computers (maybe even at a
discount).  
Tom

On Fri, 2005-04-29 at 16:43, Kevin Shira wrote:
> This may be slightly off-topic, but I think it's a question we've all 
> pondered.  With school budgets what they are, how can we mimic the 
> private sector and buy computers by the fleet?
> 
> If you singlehandedly manage dozens of different hardware/software 
> configurations (as I do), you spend all your time putting out fires. 
> But if I could manage a fleet or two, I'd have time to do important 
> things - like write code, upgrade network infrastructure, and educate 
> teachers.
> 
> Our district buys a few computers every year.  There's got to be a way 
> to buy a lot of computers every few years.  But financing in our state 
> (California) makes it seemingly impossible, except in the largest districts.
> 
> The only thing I've thought of is going the refurb route - but that 
> still doesn't allow for the number of machines I'd like.  Plus, with new 
> machines going for under $500, there's got to be another way.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> -- 
> Kevin Shira
> Computer Technician
> Oak Hill Elementary: (916) 338-6460
> Dudley Elementary: (916) 338-6470