[OPLINTECH] Upgrading computers at a branch location

Thu Aug 22 10:25:35 EDT 2013

Fred
I guess I'm in my Dell phase, actually this is my third cycle so perhaps we're now a Dell shop. I did a public computer refresh including new 20" monitors and for the first time I actually bought new laptops. Good quality products, good price, and we seem to get really good service when necessary.
Machines are Windows 7, Office, Firefox, Chrome etc. This is the first cycle we're using a simple group policy and Deep Freeze and really like it, but we're not doing anything trick with it.
In a far simpler world, without all the "overheads" a library system imposes like reservation systems, pay-to-print, and filtering, I'd be jumping at a Linux LTSP solution built with a good server and 50 computers from Goodwill...but it's an imperfect world.
This is not an original quote, but something which has guided me for a number of years and that's that we're providing patrons with their only computer and it should be the best that it can possibly be.
Just my two cents.

Jim Mann
Technology Coordinator
Greene County Public Library
76 E. Market St
Xenia OH 45385
937 352 4000 x1210
Discover. Learn. Grow.<http://www.greenelibrary.info/>
jmann at gcpl.lib.oh.us<mailto:jmann at gcpl.lib.oh.us>
[cid:image001.jpg at 01CE9F1F.4FEF79E0]<http://www.facebook.com/greenelibrary.info>[cid:image002.jpg at 01CE9F1F.4FEF79E0]<http://twitter.com/#!/greenelibrary>[cid:image003.jpg at 01CE9F1F.4FEF79E0]<http://www.youtube.com/greenelibrary>[cid:image004.jpg at 01CE9F1F.4FEF79E0]<http://www.flickr.com/photos/greene-library>

From: oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org [mailto:oplintech-bounces at lists.oplin.org] On Behalf Of Chad Neeper
Sent: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 4:49 PM
To: OPLINTECH
Subject: Re: [OPLINTECH] Upgrading computers at a branch location

For me, the single biggest thing keeping me from using thin clients as general patron computers is probably video/audio sync problems. From my own observations, one of the biggest uses of the general patron computers seems to be watching videos. When I was playing around with thin clients, RDP, etc. a few years back, video/audio sync was a problem. I don't imagine most people much care for the "old-school poorly dubbed foreign film" effect. Then again, when it comes to software I can sometimes be a cheapskate and didn't really strongly consider using a commercially-available solution like HP's. It's quite possible this isn't an issue for HP's solution.

I do use a(n open source) thin client solution for single-purpose computers like walk-up catalog computers (OPACs) with a backend server running in a virtual machine. That works pretty well and re-uses whatever old computer happens to be laying around unused...sometimes with a newer keyboard, mouse and display to keep up appearances.

Re: HP/Whitman: Considering what the former heads of HP (after Mark Hurd and before Whitman) did to the company, Whitman at least has a fighting chance to stabilize the company and turn it around (again). With the industry changing the way it is, they're fighting an uphill battle though, of course. If you're concerned about HP's long term viability, then you should also be concerned about Dell's!

LOL on the frozen windows!

______________________________
Chad Neeper
Senior Systems Engineer

Level 9 Networks
740-548-8070 (voice)
866-214-6607 (fax)

Full LAN/WAN consulting services -- Specialized in libraries and schools

On Wed, Aug 21, 2013 at 2:56 PM, Fred Miller Jr. <millerfr at oplin.org<mailto:millerfr at oplin.org>> wrote:
Good Afternoon to all my tech friends,
I'm kind of torn between ordering computers for a branch that is getting an upgrade to their computers they have for their patrons and staff. Not sure if I want to go to a Hp multipoint Server system with HP t200 zero thin clients or just going with individual towers and laptops which we could put deep freeze on them. I love the Deep Freeze program, but right now Thin clients are not compatible with this software. Definitely going with windows 7 and not windows 8 to many incompatible third party software vendors as of right now. Would like to get some input and suggestions from fellow IT people and co-workers. Thanks for responding to this and look forward to upgrading this library to a new and improved system.

Wife texts husband on a cold winter's morning: "Windows frozen, won't open."

Husband texts back:"Gently pour some lukewarm water over it."

Wife texts back 5 minutes later: "Computer really screwed up now."

Thanks again,

Fred Miller Jr
IT Manager for ACPDLS
203 S. Perry St.
Wapakoneta, OH  45895
Ph: 419-738-2921 ext.1011<tel:419-738-2921%20ext.1011>
Direct Ph: 419-738-1215<tel:419-738-1215>
Fax: 419-738-5168<tel:419-738-5168>
Email: millerfr at oplin.org<mailto:millerfr at oplin.org>
Web: www.auglaize.oplin.org<http://www.auglaize.oplin.org>

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