--- Forwarded Message from Edith Paillat <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: Edith Paillat <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "'Language Learning and Technology International Information    Forum'"
<[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 16:56:04 +1200
>Subject: RE: #9124 Language Lab Options
>Thread-Topic: #9124 Language Lab Options
>Thread-Index: AcnCJQUrG/Aa3FQgTQeuGb1p1Wf6egAAB3OA
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Accept-Language: en-US, en-NZ
>acceptlanguage: en-US, en-NZ

Hi Jason, 
@@@ my replies below:

We are in the process of selecting a new language lab system, and we are
at a "cross-road" of deciding between accepting bids for hardware(only)
solutions versus software(only) solutions.  The question we would like
to pose this question "How did your college/university decide to obtain
one solution type over the other?" 
@@@ The university's ITS does not provide much support for Macs because they
claim that they do not have enough trained staff for the platform. Only selected
staff and labs contain macs for specific purposes. 
All our machines are DELL 755SFF, and contain the overall standard student image
(OS, policies, security etc) on top of which we added our specific language
software and other requirements (language bars and IMEs, licence controler
etc..). This means that updates, patches are done silently, centrally and
remotely by our wider ITS operation team. For image midifications and software
updates/installation I place special requests though our IT project team and we
do the work during break times. We are currently working on software
virtualisation..

Second, is it possible to let me know which system you are using?
@@@Our machines are DELL755SFF, we use USB Sony headsets SH70 and SH80 with an
integrated sound card but we find that the SH70 driver conflicts with our image,
we get random BSODs (Blue Screen of Death). One of our teaching lab incorporates
SL and we use Sony HAD CCD cameras which are security cameras with a higher
resolution. (540 TV lines)
Software-wise in our teaching labs we use Sony Virtuoso and Soloist.
VLC for IPTV (under trial) for staff and students
Audacity for recording self-access lab and standard windows media players
Other language software.

See our video showcase on http://www.victoria.ac.nz/llc 
(follow the link under the photo on the left)
Hope this helps :-)

Edith Paillat
Language Technology Specialist
Victoria University of Wellington, 
New Zealand
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/llc/about/projects.aspx 
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