The TechSoup Blog : GreenTech

How Digital Inclusion Is Done in Africa

jimlynch — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:42:00 GMT

I've just returned from organizing an electronics recycling conference in Cape Town, South Africa, where I met Dr. Hylton Villet, the chairman of MyDigitalBridge in Namibia.

I’m well acquainted with the big digital inclusion projects in the U.S. like Connect2Compete and was completely surprised at how African projects like MyDigitalBridge are getting low-cost Internet to low-income people in a mostly rural country.

Namibia is a medium-sized country that borders South Africa. It's located on the southwest Atlantic coast of Africa. Its official language is English. It has a population of just over 2 million in an area considerably larger than Texas. It received its independence from South Africa in 1990.

It is mostly a desert country and the home of both the Namib and Kalahari deserts. After Mongolia, Namibia is the least densely populated country in the world. It is a country of rural villages and small towns. Half the population lives below the international poverty line, and the country has been hard hit by HIV/AIDS.

One thing that Namibia has going for it is a stable parliamentary democracy and a government that clearly believes in digital inclusion.

An NGO with A National Mandate

MyDigitalBridge is an NGO that started its work fairly recently. Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba stated, during his 2012 Annual State of the Nation address, that "our country cannot afford to lag behind in this (digital inclusion) area, because it is vital to the competitiveness of our nation."

MyDigitalBridge was founded soon thereafter that to refurbish PC donations for use in schools, recycle end-of-life IT equipment, and figure out how to get broadband to rural communities throughout the country.

Their mission is to connect schools to Internet learning, to connect rural clinics with telemedicine, and to develop village telecommunications in this part of rural Africa.

Citizen Connect

Their project for this is called Citizen Connect. What's really interesting is how Namibia is approaching the huge infrastructure problem of providing broadband in places that don’t have much basic electricity yet.

In Africa, Internet is wireless, and Africa uses mainly cell phone towers to provide broadband. It is expensive and metered by the MB (megabyte). It is also only available in and around cities.

How 4G Works in Africa

To make affordable Internet available in rural places, MyDigitalBridge is setting up an ambitious pilot project to construct solar-powered WiFi stations that use UHF TV band spectrum, commonly known as TV white spaces.

This is a bit technical, but basically the idea is for them to use old analog TV and FM radio frequencies that were abandoned after conversion to digital TV, just like we did in the U.S.

In the U.S., we auctioned off these frequencies to mobile companies who then used them to create 4G LTE (fourth generation long-term evolution) wireless networks. Verizon Wireless launched the first large-scale LTE network in North America in 2010. The new 4G networks can carry much more data and so are suitable for both mobile phone and PC broadband.

Digital Inclusion Collaboration in Africa

In Namibia, a considerable portion of the TV white spaces spectrum has been allocated for digital inclusion rather than for commercial use. Of course, the Citizen Connect project will require millions of Namibian dollars to complete, but Prime Minister Hage Geingob is providing strong support for MyDigitalBridge's work.

Like all successful digital inclusion projects, it has a strong base of stakeholders and collaborators, including the Communication Regulatory Authority of Namibia, the Ministry of Education and its Advanced Education Technology Services, and the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative.

My special thanks go to Dr. Hylton Villet for attending the E-Waste and Refurbishment Standards Conference in Cape Town on June 7 and providing me with a draft of the Citizen Connect technical concept paper.

Image: logo (MyDigitalBridge)

The Upcoming E-Waste and Refurbishment Standards Conference in South Africa

jimlynch — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 17:25:00 GMT

As collection and processing of e-waste and discarded electronics in Africa reaches worrisome proportions, industry leaders and policymakers from all over the world are meeting in Cape Town, South Africa on June 7, 2013.

They will discuss the electronics recycling standards that are emerging in several countries and how they are applicable to the African electronics recycling and refurbishment industries. The intent of the event is to speed up efforts to address the African e-waste problem in a manner that protects the environment and workers' health, and also creates economic opportunity.

A recent UN study finds that domestic consumption is the main contributor to Africa's growing e-waste problem. Africa now has more mobile phone users than either the U.S. or European Union or Latin America.

This meeting will be at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The event is sponsored by Microsoft and organized by TechSoup Global, WorldLoop, and Mico E-Waste Solutions. Participants include the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Basel Conventional Regional Coordinating Centre for Africa for Training & Technology Transfer, Dell, Hewlett Packard, The e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA), and R2 Solutions.

Industry, including e-waste recyclers, refurbishers, environmental auditors, and consultants, as well as policy leaders from many countries globally, will be participating in this event.

"It is important to understand emerging electronic reuse and recycling standards, their strengths and weaknesses in the African context, and build the capacity to utilize them where appropriate. Done well, this can create economic opportunities as well as address environmental concerns," said Sean Nicholson, Microsoft 3R manager.

Industry and policy leaders will share information on the current state of African electronics recycling and refurbishment policy and practice. Special emphasis will be placed on voluntary industry standards like Responsible Recycling (R2) in the U.S. and Weelabex in Europe to ensure the responsible recycling of used electronics. The standards include provisions that protect the environment, improve operations, ensure worker health and safety, improve data security, and allow participants to successfully compete in the world market.

The intention of the event is to join industry and government in putting into action some of the principles developed at the 2012 United Nation’s Pan-African Forum on E-Waste in Nairobi, Kenya. A particular outcome is to ensure some of the attendees are able to make decisions on offering reuse and recycling services that align with these best practice principles.

Image: Beanhammer (Flickr Creative Commons)

Ushahidi BRCK: Bringing Internet to the Developing World

jimlynch — Tue, 14 May 2013 17:33:00 GMT

Here’s some news on a now famous NetSquared alumnus project. Ushahidi is an NGO headquartered in Kenya. It is a nonprofit tech company that develops free and open-source software for information collection, visualization, and crowdsourced interactive mapping to help mitigate disasters.

Ushahidi was a NetSquared Mashup Challenge winner in the fabled 2008 Netsquared conference in Santa Clara, California. I first heard about this from Marnie Webb, who co-founded NetSquared.

Ushahidi has built a new IT device called BRCK (pronounced "brick") that deals with problem of frequent Internet and electricity outages in much of the developing world. BRCK is a wi-fi router and mobile modem in one. It has eight hours of battery life to keep it going when the power runs out.

It can sit in an office or school connected by Ethernet, and if that goes out, it can switch to a 3G or 4G connection. It supports up to 20 wireless connections and has 16 GB of storage, so it can work as a backup network drive.

The device can also be plugged into solar power chargers, making it well-suited for fieldwork or rural environments. It is also hardened to handle the heat and dust typical of much of the developing world.

Ushahidi is making 2,000 devices for the initial Kickstarter run. It hopes to bring the price down from the present $200 to make it affordable for the African market. Find out more about this here.

Image: BRCK in action (Ushahidi)

Apps for Going Green

ginnymies — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:05:00 GMT

In honor of Earth Month, we've rounded up our favorite eco-friendly apps. From helping you make informed purchases to saving you money on your electricity bill, these apps make it fun and easy to go green.

Conserving Energy

Want to cut down on your office's power bill? Green Outlet can help. This app helps you identify which of your appliances are costing you the most to run.
Microsoft Windows Energy Calculator (Windows 8) keeps your PC's power consumption in check by estimating energy cost and carbon reductions. You can also compare energy consumption across different hardware configurations and customize your own system.

Reducing Waste

What happens to your mobile phone after it reaches its end of life? The Nokia Phone Recycler (Windows Phone) sheds some light on mobile waste and helps you find the safest way to recycle your old phone.
With PaperKarma (Android, iPhone, Windows Phone), annoying junk mail doesn't stand a chance. Using this free app, you can take a photo of the junk mail you want to get rid of and PaperKarma will do the rest of the dirty work. The app uses its database to find out the source of the mail and will contact the sender to remove you from its distribution list.

Shopping Guides

Dirty Dozen (Android, iPhone, Windows Phone) is the mobile version of the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Shopper's Guide to Pesticides and can help you figure out the cleanest produce for picking on-the-go.
Be Nice to Bunnies (iPhone) can help you make informed decisions about purchasing cruelty-free (not tested on animals) products. From household products to toothpaste to cosmetics, Be Nice to Bunnies' extensive database is regularly updated.
The GoodGuide (Android and iPhone) mobile app helps you find safe, healthy, and green products while you're out and about.
Consumer Reports' Eco-Labels (iPhone) app demystifies green product labels and claims so you can identify which are truly environmentally friendly — and which are just marketing hype.

Games for Change

Can you out-green your friends? EcoChallenge (iPhone) is a fun app that lets you challenge your friends in green issues, such as saving water, buying local, and taking public transportation.
My Planet (Android) is a fun simulation to help you measure your carbon footprint. You can earn badges for "greening" your daily habits.

More TechSoup Resources

Visit TechSoup's Green Technology page provides resources and products to help your organization go green.
Find even more mobile on our Apps for Nonprofits and Libraries page.

Environmental Case for Refurbished IT Equipment

jimlynch — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:40:00 GMT

One of our missions at TechSoup Global is to supply low-cost refurbished IT equipment to nonprofits and libraries. That in itself is good and useful, but a surprising additional aspect of this is that refurbished and remanufactured electronic devices provide the most environmentally friendly way to acquire and use computers and other IT equipment.

The Basis for the Environmental Benefits of Refurbished IT

The scientific basis for the environmental case for refurbished IT equipment is primarily from Dr. Eric Williams of Rochester Institute of Technology in his book, co-authored with Ruediger Kuehr, Computers and the Environment, Understanding and Managing Their Impacts.

In it, they find that the environmental cost to produce a computer and monitor is immense, especially for microprocessors. Producing the average 53-pound desktop computer and CRT monitor requires 530 pounds of fossil fuels, 50 pounds of chemicals, and 3,330 pounds of water.

According to Williams and Kuehr, adding additional life to computers saves 5 to 20 times more energy than recycling over the computer's life cycle. It's much better for the environment to extend the life of a computer for an extra two or three years than to buy a new one every three to four years.

The thing I found perhaps most interesting in the Williams and Kuehr findings is that 75 percent of PC energy consumption has already happened before a new computer is ever switched on. It is used up in the production phase. If this equipment has a six or seven year lifespan rather than three or four years, the environmental impact for even a fraction of the one billion plus computers now in use in the world will be immense.

To get a glimpse of how the number is growing as we speak, I like to look at the Worldometer computer page. We're apparently on track to reach a two billion computer install base sometime in 2015. But I digress...

Half the Periodic Table in That PC or Mobile Phone

The green argument for electronics reuse goes beyond Williams and Kuehr, however. Paul Hawkin, in his book, Natural Capitalism, finds that the volume of material that goes into manufacturing a laptop is 4,000 to 1. When you discard a 5 pound laptop you are also throwing away the 20,000 pounds of raw materials it took to make it.

The hundreds of raw materials that are needed to make electronics devices have an incredibly long and complex supply chain. I'm told that circuit boards are among the good with the longest supply chain of any manufactured item. The materials for them must come from mines and factories from all over the world. The University of Illinois Sustainable Electronics Initiative estimates that each PC or mobile phone contains about half the periodic table.

How Much Does Reuse Save?

The EPA's Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator shows environmental savings for computer recycling and reuse in terms of energy, materials, CO2, toxic emissions, and more. It finds that it is roughly 25 times more beneficial environmentally to reuse computers than to recycle them at 3 to 5 years of age.

Recent lifecycle assessment work by Eric Munsing of PE International has found that in more energy efficient devices like laptops, tablets and mobile phones, the environmental benefit of extending the useful life of these devices only increases. More energy and resources are expended in their manufacturing phase.

How Does Refurbished Equipment Stack Up?

The environmental case for electronics reuse aside, one question that always crops up is how refurbished IT equipment compares with new equipment in terms of performance. Most of us have been frustrated by using a three or four year old computer that takes forever to start up and do simple things like open a web page or send an email message. The main reason for this is that over time, software degrades or corrupts, developing interoperability conflicts and many other glitches.

A machine that is repaired, cleaned out, and has fresh software installed that is native to it pretty much runs as well as the day it was new. One important thing to know is that a four-year-old computer needs software that runs well on four-year-old equipment, and not the latest software versions.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that most people do four or five things on computers: email, internet browsing, accounting, multimedia (video and music), and office applications like word processing. Three or four year old equipment does all of that easily.

At TechSoup Global another of our missions is to ensure that the refurbished IT equipment that we offer undergoes state-of-the art refurbishment.

Our Refurbished Computer Initiative (RCI) supplies warrantied refurbished laptop and desktop computers to nonprofits and public libraries. The computers come with Windows 7 and Microsoft Office. The RCI program also offers free end-of-life takeback and recycling via our refurbishment partners, Arrow Electronics (formerly Redemtech), Interconnection, and our newest refurishment partner, PC Rebuilders and Recyclers - which is about as environmentally beneficial as it gets.

Image: lungstruck

Windows MultiPoint Server: Resources for Refurbishers

jimlynch — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:03:00 GMT

Lots of refurbishers around the world supply PCs to nonprofit training labs, libraries, and telecenters. Microsoft's Windows MultiPoint Server is very useful in these environments. Refurbishers have two places to get donated and discounted MultiPoint Server licensing for computers they plan to distribute or donate to other organizations: The Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program and Microsoft in Education. For their own internal use, refurbishers can also request donated Windows MultiPoint Server products through TechSoup.

With Windows MultiPoint Server, a single computer supports multiple users at the same time, each working independently using their own monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

The Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program

Anyone refurbishing PCs should know about the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program (RRP). The RRP program supplies very low-cost Microsoft Windows and Office licensing for nearly anyone fixing up used PCs. It is for PC refurbishers in nearly any country and of any size, large or small, that have a business license of some sort. In other words refurbishers are eligible for the program if you're based in schools (public or private and all levels), nonprofits, businesses, or government agencies. There is no cost to register for the RRP program, and there is no obligation to order a certain amount per month. If you're not already using it register for the RRP program.

The RRP program recently added Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 Premium to its roster of citizenship licenses. Citizenship licensing offers $6 Windows 7 and Office Basic 2007 for computers that go to schools, nonprofits and charities, libraries, and low-income families anywhere in the world (although Office can’t go to schools). The MultiPoint Server 2011 Premium packages are $30. They include all the licensing needed for a five-station lab - one server license and five Client Access Licenses (CALs). Here is some fine print on using this highly-discounted RRP offer:

Servers do not require a prior Windows licenses to be eligible for this product, but client devices (like old laptops) must be refurbished devices with a prior Windows COA.
Each Server configuration may only use one citizenship pack, but more CALs can be added through other sources.
Windows MultiPoint Server 2012 CALs available on TechSoup are not usable with Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 from the RRP program.
The initial minimum RRP order quantity is four packs. Additional packs can be ordered in increments of two.
Microsoft Office Basic 2007 available through the Registered Refurbisher Program is not compatible with Windows MultiPoint Server. The Microsoft Office Professional and Standard versions (2010 and 2013) available from TechSoup are compatible, however.
Each location where refurbishers provide MultiPoint Server systems can get multiple server configurations, for instance creating a 20 station lab would require four RRP MultiPoint Server packs.
The languages available are: Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Traditional Hong Kong, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Spanish, Turkish and Portuguese.

TechSoup's Windows MultiPoint Server Donations

The MultiPoint Server 2012 licensing from TechSoup is also available to nonprofit refurbishers for their own internal use. The admin fee for Windows MultiPoint Server 2012 Standard Edition is $20. The admin fee for Windows MultiPoint Server 2012 Premium Edition is $49. CAL Packs for each station are $8 each. Note that refurbishers may not redistribute TechSoup's donated MultiPoint Server products. Refurbishers that will be installing the donated software on refurbished computers to be distributed or donated to nonprofits or schools should visit the Registered Refurbisher Program.

Nonprofit refurbisher, Reliatech got their donation from TechSoup to try it out in their telecenters type lab. Find out about their experience here. Another refurbisher, Computer Technologies Program in Berkeley also tried out MultiPoint Server in their lab by participating in some pilot test installations that InterConnection and TechSoup conducted in the fall of 2012. Find out their experience here.

Additional Resources for Refurbishers

TechSoup MultiPoint Server Landing Page
Windows MultiPoint Server Overview
InterConnection.org MultiPoint Server Support Page
TechSoup MultiPoint Server Webinar Recording featuring refurbisher, Charles Brennick from InterConnection
TechSoup MultiPoint Server Webinar Presentation
Microsoft Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 Deployment Guide
Using Old Laptops As Client Devices With Windows MultiPoint Server
Getting the Right MultiPoint Server Hardware
The Environmental and Cost Savings Benefits of Windows MultiPoint Server
TechSoup Windows MultiPoint Server Frequently Asked Questions
Microsoft List of Applications That Work With MultiPoint Server
Microsoft TechNet Forums – the place to ask technical questions

Image: Courtesy of Microsoft

Snapshot of Worldwide Electronics Recycling 2013

jimlynch — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:20:00 GMT

Just thought I'd take a look at the state of electronics recycling around the world to see how we're doing.

World Snapshot

According to the International Environmental Technology Center of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) the volume of e-waste is increasing by 40 percent per year worldwide. They estimate that 80 percent of it is still going in to landfills and incinerators. According to UNEP, e-waste is the fastest-growing type of waste, particularly in some developing countries where the volume is expected to grow by up to 500 percent over the next decade.

Unfortunately, electronics recycling is a comparatively low priority in many countries. Most countries of the world (including the U.S.) don't have a coherent national collection infrastructure. This is true for most of Asia where the problem is becoming critical. According to Park Young-Woo of the United Nations Environment Program, the Asia-Pacific region now produces more than half of global e-waste. He estimates that only 10 percent of it is recycled worldwide,

The WEEE Man is a 23 foot tall humanoid sculpture composed of three tons of electronic waste. This represents the total amount of electronic waste that an average person in the UK is likely to consume in their lifetime.

Europe

The great thing about Europe is that has a comprehensive and formal regional strategy on electronics recycling. The not so great thing is that each of the 27 countries of the European Union has it's own version of that strategy. The WEEE Directive is the set of laws that governs the proper collection and disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in the 27 countries of the European Union. It has been developing since 2002.

The WEEE directive currently sets a minimum collection target of 4 kg (8.8 pounds) per year per person for WEEE from households. The latest update of the law is expected to be formally approved in 2014. The overall aim is for the EU to recycle at least 85 percent of electrical and electronics waste equipment by 2019.

Germany and UK are so far the leading countries with the largest recycling volumes. The UK has also just launched the first set of standards in the world on electronics refurbishment called PAS 141. Companies accredited to the PAS 141 standards, assure that used electronics devices being shipped anywhere in the world are fully functional. Switzerland was the first country in the world to adopt an electronics recycling system is 1991.Things are actually going pretty well in Europe. The countries of Eastern Europe that have more recently joined the EU are largely on track to develop their WEEE Directive laws.

Asia

Asia is also a good news-bad news story. On the one hand, three countries have the highest electronics recycling rates in the world. On the other hand, the dominant countries of India and China are far behind.

In Taiwan, the recycling rate for IT equipment and appliances combined is 82 percent, the highest in the world. They operate a network of around 500 collection points.
South Korea also has a developed electronics recycling system that now recovers and properly processes over 75 percent of discarded electronics.
Japan has a structured system based on their Law for the Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances and their Law for Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources. Their system recovers around 75 percent of e-waste. They are leaders in technologies to reclaim difficult to recover materials like rare earths.
In India, 95 percent of obsolete electronics are recycled in the informal sector. They have some state laws in place, but are arguably the furthest away from having an electronics recycling system among large Asian countries. They are developing an industrial capacity, for instance, with companies like Trishyiraya Recycling in Southern India.
The Guiyu region in southern China is the poster child of digital dumps and bad electronics recycling. Its well document practices of uncontrolled burning, and other informal recycling practices are a major source of groundwater pollution. China is the second largest producer of electronic waste in the world. China does have a national law called The Management Regulations for Recycling and Disposing of Consumer Electronics and Electronic Waste that bans e-waste and imports, and requires processors to be licensed. The country is developing formal recycling capacity like with the TES-AMM Corporation in Shanghai

Infographic courtesy of Fonebank

North America

Canada has electronics recycling systems in seven provinces, and also their national law called the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material Regulations that regulates export of e-waste to developing countries. It does have an industry standard for proper electronics recycling and processing, and a developed industry.

The U.S. has a patchwork of laws in half of the U.S. states. It does have some Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations around disposing of CRT monitors, but doesn’t have a national law or system for recycling electronics. It does have a very developed electronics recycling industry that largely adheres to two competing industrial standards called Responsible Recycling (R2) and E-Stewards. The U.S. collects and recycles about 27 percent of its electronics discards according to the U.S. EPA. We dispose of over 130 million cell phones every year of which 11 percent are recycled. Each U.S. household now spends around $1,200 each year on new electronics gadgets, all of which will be disposed of in a few years.

Africa

Africa is the poorest region in the world and there is comparatively little going on there in the way of dealing with e-waste, but there are actually some promising developments in Africa. The UN Basel Convention sponsored the Pan-African Forum on E-Waste in Nairobi last March to get things rolling. The e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA)is building a network of e-waste recyclers and refurbishers in the country. There are no legal structures for electronics recycling in Africa yet. Also the UN conducted some research on used computer and electronics management in Africa. Their studies find that about 85 percent of surplus electronics imports are reused, not discarded. Africa's technology lifecycle for displays is two to three times the productive use cycle in richer nations. African nations lead the world in electronics reuse.

Another UN study finds that domestic consumption is the main contributor to Africa's growing e-waste problem. About half of all people in Africa own mobile phones. This is similar to what is happening in Asia. Africa now has more mobile phone users than either the U.S. or E.U. or Latin America. It is second only to Asia. It has had 30 percent growth in mobile adoption over the last 10 years. Africa has a 1 percent recycling rate for mobile phones.

Latin America

Five countries in Latin America now have e-waste laws or rules: Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Mexico. Brazil is particularly active with its Brazilian Association of Electric and Electronic Recycling Companies and its emerging comprehensive e-scrap policy with a target of 17 percent by 2018.

One of my great heroes, Uca Silva, of the SUR Corporación de Estudios Sociales y Educación in Chile, has long been spearheading activities to develop country specific laws and also a regional strategy like the Guidelines for the Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) in Latin America. This lays out a framework for developing a harmonized regional strategy for e-waste management like they have in Europe.

Latin America is no different than the developing countries of Asia and Africa in its adoption of mobile phones and PCs. It now has a quarter billion Internet users and 450 million mobile phone users. At 16 percent growth, it is the fastest growing region in the world in adding Internet users. I don't know what Uca is going to do to deal with the zillions of electronics devices heading toward disposal in Latin America, but I'm glad people like her are working on the problem.

Image: WEEE Man by Pauline Eccles, Creative Commons

Infographic courtesy of Fonebank

More Computers for Less Money?

Carolyn-C — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:58:00 GMT

You can build a computer center with fewer computers. Compared to typical arrangements, Windows MultiPoint Server (WMS) costs surprisingly less to adopt and maintain, saves electricity, and gives administrators group controls. For nonprofit groups with many different missions, it’s helping people access technology ... for much less.

MultiPoint Server software allows several people — each with only a monitor, keyboard, and mouse — to have their own virtual desktops, using one host computer. Individual users can work independently, save and share files, customize individual settings, and log in at any station. Unlike more complicated virtualization systems, this software is intended to be turnkey, so you’ll be up and running fast. Workstations connect directly, via USB, or as thin clients over a network.

Is It Right for Me?

Microsoft introduced WMS in classrooms, but this software works in any setting that doesn’t require advanced processing power. Some real-world users include:

the small Skagit Valley, Washington, library that made its computer lab movable,
the Kenyan refugee camp that needed an affordable option for training displaced people,
the community center in Seattle’s Chinatown that added the Chinese language pack for its job search, ESL, and software training, and
the Berkeley job training center that empowers people with disabilities.

So What About Those Savings?

Microsoft commissioned a study (of users in emerging market countries) that indicated 66 percent savings over the one-computer-per-user model:

Hardware (66 percent saved): Multiple personal computers cost significantly more than the same number of workstations running off one host computer. Older computers can also be used as workstations. Two users can even utilize a single monitor through a split-screen feature.
Energy efficiency (67 percent saved): Fewer computers means greater energy efficiency. So being good to the environment actually costs less. Fewer machines also results in less heat buildup, which in warmer weather equals lower air conditioning costs.
Deployment: With only one computer to load, setting up is faster than having to deploy multiple computers.
Maintenance (99 percent saved on labor): The administrator only has to maintain a single computer for multiple workstations. Software is loaded or updated on a single desktop, not on a dozen.

Eyes in the Back of My Head?

Beyond savings, the WMS application is intended to make administrators’ lives easier ... and make them mind readers too. Administrators can view what users are doing, send out messages to all users, restrict websites, or share tasks on screen.

Get Started Here

Two versions of Windows MultiPoint Server are available for donation from TechSoup: standard edition hosts up to 10 stations and premium edition hosts up to 20. If more stations and hosts are needed, the administrator is able to manage multiple host computers from a single station.

If you’re thinking of using WMS for a library or a training center, an after-school program or a crisis shelter, you can find out more about whether this application fits your needs here. Or log in to your TechSoup account and take our Eligibility Quiz to see if you qualify for Microsoft Donations.

Refurbishers can get WMS for a low cost through the Microsoft Registered Refurbisher Program.

Top image: Diagram of a Windows MultiPoint Server sample setup (Microsoft)

Second image: Children in a classroom sit in front of monitors and keyboards (Microsoft)

Bottom image: Demo showing a view of the screens of multiple users (Microsoft)

Computer Technologies Program in Berkeley: Windows MultiPoint Server Case Study

jimlynch — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:20:00 GMT

Windows MultiPoint Server is a thin client or shared resource computing software solution in which one host computer is shared by multiple users simultaneously. Basically, it allows one computer to serve several people in a lab or library at very low cost and with minimum maintenance. TechSoup and Interconnection, one of our Refurbished Computer Initiative partners, teamed up to supply a group of nonprofits and libraries with everything they would need to set up a MultiPoint Server lab in their environment. In most cases, we sent them the instructions, hardware, and software they’d need and then stood back and watched how the installation went. We then did check-ins on how the MultiPoint Server system held up under use.

Computer Technologies Program in Berkeley, California, was one of our test sites. They provide people with disabilities with training in IT skills useful for employment. They also operate a PC refurbishment program called their Computer ReUse Center, which refurbishes 200 computers per year. This program provides IT technical support training to clients and revenues to the larger program. They also offer low-cost computer repair to the public. Computer Technologies Program has an employment placement rate of 80% and has served as the model for technical training programs. Its IT job training model has been replicated at more than 50 locations internationally.

TechSoup and Interconnection teamed up to supply Computer Technologies Program with everything they would need to set up a bank of MultiPoint Server-based public access computers.

This was a four-station donation:

Server computer: a Core 2 Duo Dell Desktop
Four Plugable USB docking stations
One USB hub
Four keyboards
Four mice
Four refurbished LCD monitors
Windows MultiPoint Server Premium 2011 licensing
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, 64-bit version, for all stations

Installation date: December 18, 2012

This was a new installation to augment existing training labs. Computer Technologies Program has 40 PCs, which are separated on to two different networks - one for staff and one for students. Each network has its own file server. They have a T1 Internet connection (10 MB up / 100 MB down).

This was an interesting installation because, at my request, two non-technical people did this one. Business Manager Christine Tabony and a trusty volunteer gamely opened up all the boxes and straightaway began laying things out and plugging them in. They laid the lab out in a row, so immediately had some trouble with short USB cables. Like most of our test sites, they didn’t initially use the instructions to connect up the hardware. It took them about an hour to connect all the hardware, and then an additional 20 minutes to configure the software. They had no problems getting the Internet to work. They just plugged an ethernet cable into the server and it went live.

Installation Problems

This was our final test installation, so we had fewer problems than with the others since we had a much-improved set of instructions. Once Christine started using our step-by-step instructions, the installation went smoothly. I already mentioned that some of the USB cables were too short for the in-line configuration, but Christine was able to adjust things to make everything fit.

Once the new system was up and running, former student and current volunteer Frank Schulz sat down and began testing it. Other testers came in soon after. I really like this kind of place, where everyone seems to have a set of tools and just likes tinkering. When I mentioned that we found that Flash-heavy websites sometimes bogged down the system, our testers were immediately on it. They all found highly animated websites and managed to slow the system down considerably.

Intended Use of the New MultiPoint Server System

The new MultiPoint Server system is mainly used for open access to the Internet for students, volunteers, and visitors. They routinely check email and access SaaS cloud services. Operation Manager Alex Tabony observed that graphically intensive websites continued to slow the system down.

Administration

Alex Tabony reported that the new MultiPoint Server system required no effort to maintain.

Computer Technologies Program Recommendations to Others

Alex recommends MultiPoint Server to any nonprofit that has a need for open access computers.

Image: Jim Lynch

Associated Recreation Council of Seattle: Windows MultiPoint Server Case Study

jimlynch — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:15:00 GMT

The Associated Recreation Council (ARC) was one of our test sites. They are a nonprofit that has a close partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. The program offers Seattle residents with a variety of recreational and lifelong learning programs, classes, and activities. One of ARC’s RecTech Coalition programs wanted a Multipoint Server lab in their Chinatown International District Community Center. ARC already has a training lab there that provides lifelong learning opportunities for older adults, many of whom speak languages other than English. The program specializes in Internet job search, resume preparation support, software training workshops, English as a second language (ESL) classes, and an Earned Income Tax Credit Program developed in conjunction with United Way of King County. We worked with Young Pham, ARC’s technology support person.

This was a five-station donation:

Server computer: Core 2 Duo Dell Desktop, 6 GB RAM, 160 GB hard drive
Four Plugable USB docking stations
One USB hub
Five new iMicro keyboards
Five new iMicro mice
Five refurbished LCD monitors

Windows MultiPoint Server Premium 2011 licensing
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, 64-bit version, for all stations

Installation Date: Oct. 23, 2012

Existing lab IT system the new MultiPoint Server system replaces: six older Gateway Pentium 4 desktops with Internet connectivity via 13 MB Wave Cable

Young Pham, who regards his tech skills as medium, set up the MultiPoint Server system. It took him 30 minutes to set up hardware largely without using the directions we supplied. It took another hour to get all terminals activated. He did use instructions for that and reported that they were complete and easy to follow.

Installation Problems

Young had some trouble getting Internet Explorer to connect to the Internet on the server computer, but after restarting, it began working. We also discovered that the Plugable USB docking stations needed additional software to run on MultiPoint Server, so Young consulted with Charles Brennich of Interconnection and then downloaded DisplayLink USB MultiPoint Server driver software and installed it.

Intended Use of the New MultiPoint Server System

The new MultiPoint Server system will mainly be used for open public access, primarily Internet use. It will also be used for digital literacy classes, and perhaps for ESL classes. Since ARC has a large number of Chinese users, this lab needs to be multilingual. ARC installed the MultiPoint Server traditional Chinese language pack, so one user can have their session in English and another user can have their session in Chinese.

Administration

To ensure an easy restoration of the configured MultiPoint Server software, Young used Clonzilla to take an a ISO image of the software in case it crashes and needs to be re-installed. He said that this will save considerable time in not having to re-install all the software drivers for their particular system. He does not use an additional program like Faronics Deep Freeze for that.

Young also takes care of regular software updates for MultiPoint Server, MS Office, Adobe Flash, Shockwave, 7zip, and Adobe Reader. He reports very much appreciating having to maintain just one computer.

ARC Recommendations to Others

Young Pham recommends MultiPoint Server for use in any other public access environments.

Image: Young Pham of ARC, photo by Charles Brennick

Reliatech: Windows MultiPoint Server Case Study

jimlynch — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 07:10:00 GMT

Windows MultiPoint Server is a thin client or shared resource computing software solution in which one host computer is shared by multiple users simultaneously. Basically, it allows one computer to serve several people in a lab or library at very low cost and with minimum maintenance. TechSoup and Interconnection, one of our Refurbished Computer Initiative partners, teamed up to supply a group of nonprofits and libraries with everything they would need to set up a MultiPoint Server lab in their environment during the fall of 2012. In this case, we simply found out that San Pablo, California-based nonprofit Reliatech had tried out the application all on their own.

Reliatech is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides on-the-job training to low-income people by having them provide IT tech support to individuals, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses in the San Francisco Bay area. The organization also does computer repair and refurbishment in its Gold Star Certified Renewed Computers program. It is a social venture of the Oakland-based employment training nonprofit Stride Center. Reliatech hires Strides Center A+-certified graduates to do their IT tech support. They’re essentially running it like an Internet café, but also plan to use it for training classes.

Reliatech CEO Ben Delaney and Technical Support Specialist Xiao Ma set up a Windows MultiPoint Server lab in their San Pablo Neighborhood Technology Center.

Installation date: mid November 2012

This is an eight-station lab:

Server computer: double-processor Core 2 Duo HP Desktop, 8 GB RAM
The server has four GForce 7600 video cards installed; each card runs two monitors
Eight $6 USB hubs that the keyboards and mice plug into
Eight keyboards
Eight mice
Eight refurbished LCD monitors
Windows MultiPoint Server Premium 2011 licensing
Open Office

This lab didn’t replace an existing lab. Internet connectivity is via a 6-megabit DSL connection.

Xiao Ma, who is an A+-certified IT technician, has advanced IT skills. He set up the MultiPoint Server system. It took him 60 minutes to set up the hardware, and another hour to get the software configured and the terminals activated. Remember we didn’t supply any instructions at all on this installation.

Installation Problems

Xiao Ma had a hard time discovering the right client device hardware to use, so he opted to install the four GForce 7600 video cards directly into the server computer to run all the monitors. He mentioned that it takes a robust desktop computer with enough PCI slots to accommodate the extra video cards. They actually cost less than client devices. Each card has plugs for two monitors and costs $50 each. He then used very low-cost passive USB hubs to plug in the keyboards and mice for each station. This is the lowest-cost configuration we have seen yet.

Xiao Ma also had trouble getting Reliatech’s custom screensaver to work (it says “Rent This Computer”).

Intended Use of the New MultiPoint Server System

Reliatech uses the lab to function mostly as an Internet café in which they rent the stations in 15-minute increments. They use a simple sign-up sheet, so they haven’t tried software like Cybercafe Pro yet. They also find that the lab is useful for kids who come in with parents. The kids play games while their parents are getting their computers fixed. Ben Delaney reports that the Internet café usually has up to four people at a time using it, but they plan to increase usage by offering classes on the new MultiPoint Server lab. People use the lab for web browsing, job hunting, printing, scanning, looking at videos on YouTube, and playing games.

Administration

Xiao Ma reports that while he is supervising the Internet café that he very much appreciates being able to see what everyone is doing from his admin terminal rather than having to look over everyone’s shoulder. Ben added that the system is "super cheap to maintain." Ben also said that he is a bit unclear on how software licensing will work on the new MultiPoint Server system. He said that until now, most people have been doing everything they need to do just on the Internet.

Reliatech Recommendations to Others

Ben Delaney says: "It’s a very cool product, relatively easy to install, and it’s robust. Nobody has been able to crash it."

Image: Photo by Reliatech

How to Reuse Old Laptops with Windows MultiPoint Server

agilbertknight — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:11:00 GMT

Do you have an old laptop lying around that you're not sure what to do with? Windows MultiPoint Server lets you turn that old laptop into a fully functioning Windows user station – even if the old machine isn't actually up-to-date enough to run current versions of Windows or other software.

How does this magic happen? Read on to learn how your nonprofit, charity, or library can repurpose older machines as Windows MultiPoint Server user stations.

Why Reuse Old Computers?

Reusing old computers makes both environmental and financial sense. From an environmental perspective, a majority of the energy and fossil fuels used by a computer are consumed during its initial manufacturing. Extending the lifespan of a computer through reuse means more return on that initial environmental cost.

From a financial perspective, reusing computers means your organization saves money because you don't have to invest in new computers. Reusing an old laptop as a MultiPoint Server user station also minimizes the hardware costs associated with setting up a new user station, since you don't need additional access devices to connect the laptop user station to the host computer.

How It Works

When you reuse an old computer as a MultiPoint user station, you usually do so by turning that old machine into a "thin client."

Traditional thin clients are small devices that let you access another computer or server. Thin client devices have minimal internal memory, storage, and processing power, and they run stripped down, basic versions of software. They don't need heavy-duty hardware and software because another computer or server does all the hard work.

Older computers can also be turned into thin clients. In a MultiPoint Server environment, your old computer becomes a thin client user station, and it can offer a fully functioning Windows user experience. This is true even if your computer is old and slow and can't run full versions of Microsoft Office, Windows, or other software on its own.

What You'll Need

Here's everything you need to reuse your old computer:

Any old computer – even one that is eight or ten years old – that is capable of running Windows XP should work.
Thin client software: This is a very basic version of an operating system that you install on your old computer. It's much simpler than a full version of an operating system and therefore will have minimal system requirements (especially handy for old computers). Importantly, the software also "locks down" your old computer, preventing users from accessing and making changes to the computer's hard drive. If you have Microsoft Software Assurance coverage, Thin PC is a good option.
An Ethernet connection to connect the old computer to your Local Area Network (LAN).
Software to connect the old computer to the host computer: you can download and install the free Remote Desktop Connection Client from Microsoft to do this. Other software products, such as NComputing’s VSpace Client, Rdesktop, and Virtual Box can also be used.

What you don't need is lots of extra hardware. If you're repurposing a laptop, the laptop comes with its own screen, keyboard, and pointing device (though you are welcome to attach an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the laptop). You also don't need any additional access devices to connect older computers to the Windows MultiPoint Server host computer.

Learn More

See the Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 Planning Guide to help plan your Windows MultiPoint Server implementation.
Ask questions in Microsoft's Windows MultiPoint Server forum.
See how the YMCA of Greater Seattle and the La Conner Regional Library are using Windows MultiPoint Server, and what they learned while setting up their systems.
To learn more about access devices for your MultiPoint Server setup, see Getting the Right Windows MultiPoint Server Hardware.

Image: Massachusetts Secretary of Education

Setting Up Windows MultiPoint Server

agilbertknight — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:09:00 GMT

Windows MultiPoint Server allows non-technical users to set up a multi-user computing environment, such as a classroom, computer lab, or public access stations, all without the support of dedicated IT staff. The best part is that one central "host" computer does all the work for multiple user stations, reducing the cost and effort associated with maintaining multiple computers.

Charles Brennick is the Founder and Director of Interconnection, a nonprofit that provides high-quality refurbished computers to non-profit and non-governmental organizations around the world. InterConnection has teamed up with TechSoup to help nonprofits, libraries, and refurbishers learn about and implement Windows MultiPoint Server. He offered these step-by-step setup instructions.

Installing Windows MultiPoint Server in Eight Easy Steps

Windows MultiPoint Server is an operating system, and installing it is much like installing Windows 8 on a computer.

Note that these instructions are for Windows MultiPoint Server 2011. The current donated product available through TechSoup is Windows MultiPoint Server 2012, and the specific installation steps may differ slightly between versions.

Download the MultiPoint Server installation file and burn it to a CD or DVD or save it to a flash drive. See TechSoup's articles, Downloading Your Software Donations and What to Do After Downloading ISO Files from Microsoft, to learn how.
Insert the CD/DVD or flash drive that includes the installation files into the "host" computer. Start the computer to begin installation.
Follow the on-screen prompts to select your language options and accept the End User License Agreement.
When prompted to choose which type of installation you want, choose "Custom (Advanced)". Installation will begin. Your computer will restart a few times during the installation process.
Follow the on-screen prompts to change the administrator password, name the host computer, and to select basic configuration options.
Update display drivers. During installation, it is not uncommon to get a scary-looking MultiPoint Server configuration error message that says "The installed graphics display adapter driver must be specifically designed for the installed hardware.” Don't worry about this too much – it's just telling you that you need to update the computer's display drivers. You can find and download updated drivers by going to the website of your computer's graphics card manufacturer. You'll need to use the 64-bit version of the driver. The 64-bit version for Windows will work fine most of the time.
After installing the updated drivers, reboot the computer.
Map user stations: MultiPoint Server will automatically detect each user station that is connected to the host computer. Each user station's monitor will display a "Create MultiPoint Server Station" screen. All you need to do is click the indicated key (A, B, C, etc) to tell MultiPoint Server which user station is which.

That's all there is to it! In most of our test installations, setup took less than an hour. So your computer lab, classroom, or public access stations will be up and running in no time.

Learn More

For a quick overview of the installation process, see How to Install Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 (video) and Interns Guide to MultiPoint Set Up (PowerPoint).
For more detail, see the Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 Planning Guide and the Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 Deployment Guide.
Ask questions in Microsoft's Windows MultiPoint Server forum.
See how the YMCA of Greater Seattle, the La Conner Regional Library, and the Burlington Public Library are using Windows MultiPoint Server, and what they learned while setting up their systems.
To learn more about access devices for your MultiPoint Server setup, see Getting the Right Windows MultiPoint Server Hardware.
Want to repurpose older computers as MultiPoint Server user stations? See How to Reuse Old Laptops with Windows MultiPoint Server.

Image: Dell Inc.

Burlington Public Library: Windows MultiPoint Server Case Study

jimlynch — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:44:00 GMT

Windows MultiPoint Server is a thin-client or shared-resource-computing software solution in which one host computer is shared by multiple users simultaneously. Basically, it allows one computer to serve several people in a lab or library at very low cost and with minimum maintenance.

TechSoup and InterConnection, one of our Refurbished Computer Initiative partners, teamed up to supply a group of nonprofits and libraries with everything they would need to set up a MultiPoint Server lab in their environment. In most cases, we sent them the instructions, hardware, and software they’d need and then stood back and watched how the installation went. We then did check-ins on how the MultiPoint Server system held up under use.

Burlington Public Library was one of our test installation sites. It is a medium-sized library about 60 miles north of Seattle in northern Washington State. We worked with library director, Maggie Buckholz, and Janet Royer, the library system administrator and circulation supervisor. Burlington Library has around 600 patrons who use library computers each day. The library also offers free WiFi, a laptop checkout program, and 30 public access computers. Maggie Buckholz told us that the library is probably more restrictive than many libraries, which had an effect on the MultiPoint Server system we donated.

TechSoup and InterConnection teamed up to supply the Burlington Library with everything they would need to set up a 7-station MultiPoint Server-based public access computers.

One M&A Technology Core I5 3.33 Ghz desktop computer with 8 GB RAM and 150 GB hard drive
7 NComputing L300 USB Desktop Client Devices
1 ThinNetworks USB Hub
8 iMicro USB Keyboards
8 iMicro USB Optical Mice
8 monitors (offered but were not needed because they had monitors)

Software Donated:

Windows MultiPoint Premium 2011 with 8 Device Cals
Office Professional Plus 2010, 64 bit
Adobe Reader
Adobe Flash Player
Microsoft Live Essentials

Installation Date: September 13, 2012

Existing public access IT system the new MultiPoint Server system augmented: 30 Core 2 desktops and P4 desktops. Internet connectivity is via a T1 line. Public access PCs in this library have dedicated uses: some devices are for viewing the catalog, some are general Internet stations, and some are specifically for job searching and employment research.

Jeff Hawes, IT systems admin, and Jesse McCarty, IT technical assistant, worked to together to set up the new system and integrate it into the existing network. They rate themselves as advanced in IT. It took them about a half hour to get the server up and running and one station set up and running. They took an additional day to do final configuration. The library needed a more complex configuration that has different profiles for users (public, job database, and catalog). They actually didn't use or need the instructions we provided at all and found the software easy to work with.

Installation problems:

Jeff and Jesse initially had some trouble with the server restarting on its own during installation. They also had some trouble authenticating MultiPoint Server. In experimenting with setting up users, they discovered that multiple people can use the same user account at the same time. However, it creates problems. For example, Mozilla would not open multiple sessions at the same time. The solution was to create user accounts for each station. They also had trouble getting Internet Explorer to work. The solution was to disable the IE security settings. We found this in other test installations.

After the system was up and running, they found that the refresh rate when scrolling down a long web page was sometimes a problem. The screen would be blurry and then clear up.

The biggest problem we encountered among all of our test installations was at this location. Like many larger libraries, Burlington Library uses specialized software that restricts the amount of time people can be on computers and also directs printing to a coin-operated printer. The software they use is Envisionware PC Reservation. They simply could not get PC Reservation to work on the MultiPoint Server system. The solution was to dedicate the MultiPoint Server system to catalog browsing where there is no time limit or printing access.

Intended Use of the New MultiPoint Server System

Burlington Library wanted to use the MultiPoint Server system for all uses, including Internet public access stations, dedicated employment stations, and library catalog kiosks. It turned out that the system was only useful for library catalog kiosk.

Recommendations to Others:

Maggie Buckholz says that she would recommend MultiPoint Server for classroom settings in places that don't need to use software that restricts time on each station and that directs printing to a coin-operated printer.

La Conner Regional Library: Windows MultiPoint Server Case Study

jimlynch — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:05:00 GMT

Microsoft's Windows MultiPoint Server is a thin-client or shared-resource-computing software solution in which one host computer is shared by multiple users simultaneously. Basically, it allows one computer to serve several people in a lab or library at very low cost and with minimum maintenance.

TechSoup and InterConnection, one of our Refurbished Computer Initiative partners, teamed up to supply a group of nonprofits and libraries with everything they would need to set up a MultiPoint Server lab in their environment. In most cases, we sent them the instructions, hardware, and software they'd need and then stood back and watched how the installation went. We then did check-ins on how the MultiPoint Server system held up under use.

La Conner Regional Library was one of our test sites. It is a small, rural library that serves 5,000 people in the Skagit Valley in northern Washington State. Joy Neal (right) is the library director and Lane Fernando (below) is their tech support person. Joy was previously the librarian in a large, five-county district library system and when she took the La Conner position, she found that she had no IT support on site and a limited budget. She became the library tech person by default.

She is a favorite on TechSoup for Libraries because she is always open to new technology. For instance La Conner has been using thin clients since 2008, and recently installed an open-source integrated library system.

Like most libraries, La Conner Library provides public access computers to patrons to use however they wish. They also have a homework help program for school children and offer a variety of digital literacy computer classes. Patrons can also bring their own laptops and tablets and use the library's free WiFi.

TechSoup and InterConnection teamed up to supply La Conner Library with everything they would need to set up a bank of MultiPoint Server-based public access computers. Joy and Lane Fernando worked to together to set up the new 5-station donation:

Server Computer: a Core 2 Duo Dell Optiplex Desktop
4 Plugable USB Docking Stations
1 USB Hub
5 keyboards
5 Mice
5 Refurbished LCD Monitors
Windows MultiPoint Server Premium 2011 licensing
Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, 64 bit version, for all station

Installation Date: August 24, 2012

Existing public access IT system the new MultiPoint Server system replaces: 6 HP thin clients connected to a Windows server. Internet connectivity was via a T1 line.

Joy Neal and Lane Fernando who worked to together to set up the new system, regard themselves as medium to advanced in IT. It took them 25 minutes to plug everything in get the software configured. They liked the tiny size of the USB hubs. Like most of our test sites, they didn't read instructions until half way through the process. They plugged in peripherals first and then read instructions mainly for software configuration. Having had previous experience with thin-client computing, they liked the idea of attaching the USB hubs to the monitors.

Installation Problems:

This was our first test installation, so we had more problems than with the others. Over time we refined our instructions. At La Conner Library, it took some experimentation to get the stations to appear in admin console. The solution was to properly register the MultiPoint Server software with Microsoft.

Also the admin station had full Internet access, but the four user stations had limited Internet access. They could get to sites like Bing, the library website, and some other sites, but most others were blocked. Rebooting the system did not work. The solution turned out to be to disable the security settings in Internet Explorer. Firefox didn't have this problem.

Intended Use of the New MultiPoint Server System:

The New MultiPoint Server System will mainly be used for open access to the Internet for patrons, computer classes, and a place to do after-school homework for school children,

Administration:

Lane Fernando maintains and administers the new Multipoint Server system day to day. He installed Faronics Deep Freeze, which is system restore and recovery software, mainly to clear out the browsing histories for each user. He reports that very little maintenance is needed beyond insuring Microsoft updates, and clearing browsing histories.

Recommendations to Others From La Connor Library:

Joy and Lane recommend MultiPoint Server to other libraries. They hope to expand their system to 10 stations. They also find that their lab is easy enough to move when needed. Space is an issue in their library.

Lane is planning to do a game design class and is excited about using the MultiPoint Server system as a teaching tool. He values the ability to see exactly what is going on at each station from the server terminal.

image: by Charles Brennick of Joy Neal and Lane Fernando