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Story: Schools fail to renew ageing PCs

Oh my God, the old Thin Client theme the HP or Wyse way (actually: the Microsoft way). I've plenty of stories on how much that "saved" and actually costs in reality afterwards (also risk wise) compared to the "researched" paper benefits beforehand (actually: sales talk).

Certainly when compared to various other Server Based Computing (alternative) solutions that are not build on house of cards or require huge initial investments up front or ever.

Do some serious research. It's a highly evolving, fast moving, market that one so no need to get into old evidence but just remember: anything that requires you to put up front huge initial investments (certainly ones requiring you to put all your eggs in one basket) shouldn't be allowed to proceed without first proofing the risk assesment question: what if we have to fall back? What kind of risk investment are we talking about really here?

Another thing, going from a loosely connected decentralized environment to a high avalilability centralized one requires an organization wide attitude change most organizations will take years to master. Until then plenty of costly "learning curves" will have been made.

Why is it that plenty of people are advising to put all your eggs in one basket (platform, centralization, whatever) but are not willing to sign a contract forcing them to pay in full and upfront everything that falls under "learning curves" thereafter?
What kind of one-sided liability is that?

Certainly schools should be exposing their students and pupils to as much as they can. So what's the educational value of consolidation and centralization anyway? Do we want a blindfolded and steared future or an open one in the trust that our children will find the best way to proceed provided we've given them enough exposure to what's out there?

As for schools not renewing their ageing PCs. Figures. Most schools in the EU have to do with donations and give aways anyway. And as usual such donations and give aways are limited to specific areas of interest at that moment in time. Never to whole and total solutions that last.

Perhaps something the powers that be should take into consideration.

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