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June 2009, Week 4

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From:
LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:18:17 -0400
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--- Forwarded Message from "Griffin, Thomas" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Subject: RE: #9170.3 (!) Best PC's for language labs
>Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:45:55 -0500
>In-reply-to: <[log in to unmask]>
>Thread-topic: #9170.3 (!) Best PC's for language labs
>Thread-index: Acny1s5VOy0/ViLxS8Sz3ccfsNSD0wAb4XUg
>From: "Griffin, Thomas" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum"   
<[log in to unmask]>


We use Dell Optiplex GX620s, purchased in August 2006 and installed in
December 2006 while awaiting construction of our current facility. The
university contracts with Dell and the technology services provides
limited software support for other brands including Macs. We really
don't have a choic of companies, but I did get to pick the features,
buying the fastest network cards, largest RAM, HD space and monitors we
could afford.

We run Win XP SP3 using Sun-Tech Group X-Class, CAN-8 and the web-based
Auralog Tell Me More. Operationally the computers are fine. Mechanically
it's a different story. We have replaced every power supply, two hard
drives, one motherboard, one 1903FP monitor, and an entire PC under the
Dell warrenty all in the past year. We have a year remaining.

Fortunatly for Dell the GX330 (which was the single entire system
replacment sent to us) is a more stable replacement for the GX620
offering the same hardware config.

If I had the choice of PCs I would have picked HP Touchsmarts with the
26" screen and downgraded to WinXP. The all in one design would fit
better on the desktop space (Synsor 36" wide) and I would have selected
wired USB keyboards and mnise to prevent theft and constant battery
replacements.

At home I have a sis year old Media Center Pentium 4 (one of the first)
that runs fine under Vista Home Premium with some registry tweaking to
increase system speed.

HPs are much more mechanically robust than Dells in my opinion but at
higher cost. You just need to wipe the hard drives clean of all the
trial ware and reinstall clean Windows.

Thomas Griffin
Supervisor, Foreign Language Lab
Northeastern Illinois University
LIB-451
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures
5500 N St. Louis Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
773-442-4753 (phone)
773-442-4752 (voicemail)
[log in to unmask] (e-mail)


-----Original Message-----
From: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of LLTI-Editor
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2009 8:13 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: #9170.3 (!) Best PC's for language labs

--- Forwarded Message from "Shoaf,Judith P" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: "Shoaf,Judith P" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information    Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
>Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:28:45 -0400
>Subject: RE: #9170.2 (!) Best PC's for language labs
>Thread-Topic: #9170.2 (!) Best PC's for language labs
>Thread-Index: Acnu4oAtzhW6enUFQG6MMnGwwaxhNgBKzJxw
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Accept-Language: en-US
>acceptlanguage: en-US


This is not the reply requested, but--when we had money to replace the
PCs in 2006, we began with quotes from Gateway but ended up going with
Dell. The prices were better with Dell. However, the factor that
motivated the tech folks to get the Dell quotes was, I believe, the
expectation of contractual support. In our discussions, the tech crew
noted that some years Gateway did better in this area, sometimes Dell. 

Part of this support had to do with consistency of product. We wanted a
guarantee that an order of 30 computers with the same specs would give
us 30 completely identical computers, not 30 computers that met the
specs but had a variety of parts and chips which might behave a little
bit differently. We had struggled earlier to have a consistent build on
a roomful of computers which accepted the build in slightly different
ways.

Another point to consider is the range of sizes now in computers. You
might choose a model based on where the boxes will sit (floor, existing
cradle, special cradle, desktop). We ended up with small but not
miniature Dells (GX620) which could function either as desktop or tower.
The only problem was that our Sanako system with video distribution
required Hauppauge video cards, and it was not easy to find the ones
that fit the small boxes, or the drivers for them.

We got a 5-year warranty on the Dells and so far (3 years from shipment)
they are fine, except for a few monitors that failed the first year.

Judy Shoaf




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