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Looking for a source for used computers for a school...

Isthmus

Isthmus

Android Expert
Hi all. I was visiting my daughter's school (she is a preschooler) and noticed that when it comes to young children (about 2nd grade and younger), the school offers precious little by way of computer learning for the kids. the biggest reason is that they lack resources and use the ones they have to by technology for the older kids. I would like to find a source for old PC's that can be purchased cheaply (or better yet donated) where we could source a few machines for use in the classrooms of the younger kids.

My idea is to take the machines and load the with some kind of modified linux OS tailored specifically for classroom instruction use.

If anyone has any ideas of a possible source for such hardware I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.
 
Do you have any colleges around? I know mine just throws them, and students rummage and get them for free.

How cheap is cheap? If you are up for some building, Newegg.com - Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, LED LCD TV, Digital Cameras and more! or something like it. Old, but good enough for a linux distro.

You still need mice keyboards and monitors, but the two former are easy and cheap, and the latter is something that can be donated much more easily than the whole thing.

-Nkk
 
Shameless plug here...

My company is an outsourcing company, they resell all end-of-lease equipment through 2 sources.
Off Lease Avenue Home Page and an eBay store by the same name.

Right now on the site is only 1 desktop model that is likely more than capable for that job.

I have zero financial interest in the remarketing side of the company, I see no commission in my paycheck if I refer someone.
 
My old primary schools used to get them from medium and large enterprises that were done with them. I guess its cheaper then paying the recycling charges.
 
So I am suggesting something else:

Userful MultiSeat Linux 2011 Complete Virtual Desktop School Computer Education Solution

I do not know how much the liscense is, but for a school I am sure there is some sort of break. Buy one fairly good computer (newegg/tigerdirect have $400 deals for core i3 desktop rigs with 4GB ram fairly often), cheap monitors (or donated), and there you have it. You can set up a whole classroom of 6 or so machines for under $1000. I am sure parents would even be willing to donate some money, too.

Nkk
 
Lots of good options. Thanks guys. It looks like I'll have to do some research, so as to bring something to the school's management.

Thanks again.
 
Is there any grant available? My school got a HP i3 rig, a projector plus speaker, with a 22" monitor in every classroom, through a Department of Education programme.
 
I was gonna say build one . If its gonna be used in a school, but basic stuff, an i3 processor woul be fine. Then you could get a cheaper mobo , and cheap ram etc.

At my 6th Form , the PC's has 1GB RAM , i3's and WIndows 7 now.
 
From my own experience in helping to set up an IT Suite for younger kids -
Speak to local businesses that have IT departments - They always have unused kit hanging around for spares, encourage them to donate, promise mentioning them in the local press. Local press involvement in something positive will generate more interest and you'll be surprised what gets offered and donated!!

We now have a nice suite of 10 pc's (A mix of HP/DELL and Lenovo) all running Edubuntu - We have projectors an interactive whiteboard. The children produce all the school menus, newsletters and school leaflets, so no expensive 3rd party anymore, the IT is looked after by volunteers and myself and 2 others run an afterschool club where we show them anything from the basics of spreadsheets to editing and producing video (We have a windows 7 machine for this)

It can be done. But it's hard work to get off the ground.
 
Isthmus said:
...I would like to find a source for old PC's that can be purchased cheaply (or better yet donated) where we could source a few machines for use in the classrooms of the younger kids.

My idea is to take the machines and load the with some kind of modified linux OS tailored specifically for classroom instruction use.

If anyone has any ideas of a possible source for such hardware I would really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Assuming you're in the US, Executive Order 11somethingsomething directs government entities to donate outdated equipment. When I was military, I collected everything and found schools that could use them and would even install them. (Honestly, it was easier to do than turning them into DRMO.)

Additionally, Microsoft permits (at least they did a few years ago) free use of older Windows OSes for non-profit orgs.
 
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