9/8/2004
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After the Grant is Over Notes
pacomputing.org
pacomputing.org is the Technical Support website for the Gates' Grant. It
will transfer over to Web Junction December, 2004. (http://webjunction.org).
Web Junction
About Us:
"In 2002, the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded the Online Computer Library
Center (OCLC) a three-year grant to build a portal for public libraries and
other organizations that provide open access to information. Building on the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's five-year-old U.S. Library Program, which
has provided over 40,000 computers with Internet access to more than 10,000
libraries across the United States and Canada, WebJunction is the work of five
organizations, led by OCLC."
Ad Aware
(FREEWARE)
Ad Aware becomes an icon on your desktop. It gets rid of unwanted cookies
that might be watching what you do…
Spybot (FREEWARE)
Sustainability Seminar (After the
Grant is Over Training)
Workshop Notes: May 18, 2004
Tech Support and Warranty Dates
Gates Technical Support ends August 6, 2004 for New York State.
However, the warranty date for your equipment will be different. Take the
serial number off one of your Gates computers and type it into the following url:
http://support.gateway.com/support/default.asp
If you are looking for replacement parts: mice, keyboards, floppy drives, cd-rom drives, and monitors visit the following url:
http://pacomputing.org/forms/PartReplacement.aspx
How To Get Ready for the End of the Grant
This was stressed at the workshop:
IF YOUR TECHNICAL SUPPORT IS ENDING SOON...
1.
The warranty on your Gateway computer may also expire soon.2.
Check to see if you need any parts replaced.3.
Take care of any outstanding issues with your equipment.4.
Begin to identify local sources of support for your technology.pacomputing.org is the Technical Support website for the Grant. It will transfer over to Web Junction this December (http://webjunction.org). Click on the link for Troubleshooting to diagnose and solve problems with your computers. Under Top Issues, keep track of current problems and how to solve them.
Gateway’s Technical Support Number
After the Gates Technical Support is over, you can call Gateway at 1-800-846-2303. Gateway will troubleshoot your problem…and then will try to sell you the part to fix it.
You could arrange Onsite Tech Help from Gateway. Gateway will send you the part and will locate a local tech person to install it. The library would pay for this service.
If your hard drive fails, you can replace it with another hard drive for about $50.00. Use your Gates Windows 2000 upgrade DVD-ROM’s to make it a Gates computer…
The new hard drive should be blank and formatted, size should be same or larger than old hard drive.
Updates:
Antivirus twice a month.
Windows updates once a month.
Macromedia once a month.
Canned air, open back of computer and blow out dust once a year.
Your Gates computers should last 3 to 4 more years.
If you purchase a flat screen for the public, use a cover over the screen…public libraries have had patrons drawing on the screen, etc…
If you have a problem with your Gates computer: Remember to reboot to see if the problem goes away…
Web Junction will be the place to go to for Gates issues after December 2004. http://webjunction.org. The Gates Foundation gave OCLC $9,000,000 to address public access computing issues via this website…
If you are planning on a purchasing a new computer for public access:
Gateway is now selling a Gateway Public Access Model
It comes with Centurion Guard and the Public Access Security tool already
installed. Prices and models change. Contact Person: Todd Bohnenkamp, Customer
Program Manager, Custom & Professional Services Dept., 1-800-846-2042, ext.
25931.
When you purchase a new computer, you might consider going with the extended
warranty.
Or (and this might be cheaper):
Buy a Basic Model computer. Install the following: XP Professional, Word and Children’s Programs from Techsoup.org. Install Centurion Guard. Install the Free Public Access Security tool from pacomputing.org (Web Junction should take this over in December).
"TechSoup Stock connects nonprofits with donated and discounted technology products. We work with both corporate and nonprofit technology partners including Cisco, Groundspring, Microsoft, and Symantec. All products are available for low administrative fees that include shipping, handling, and customer support." You can purchase XP Professional for $8.00.
You have to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in order to qualify…but stay tuned…Microsoft is trying to get them to add libraries…so if your library is not a 501(c)(3) you will then be able to purchase software, etc… at discounted prices.
At the Gates training, the trainer told us that libraries should create a technology plan because you can only order once a year from Techsoup…so make it count! But you are not restricted on the number of free downloads.
Troubleshooting Error Messages
Besides going to pacomputing.org…The trainer highly recommended Google. Type in the "error message in quotes." You could also search in Groups within Google. Groups allows you to search listservs and more!
(see also page 2)
Make sure you select New York when you are troubleshooting on pacomputing.org because different states received equipment from different manufacturers.
There is a way to turn on the Internet in the Child Profile…or even just to add an online catalog link. You have to get into the Child Properties. (Top slide on page 9 of the PowerPoint slides…) Call me if you want further information on this…
If you ever forget your exec password:
user id: tri-access
password: sp00ky
(zeros in sp ky)
This allows you to get into the exec account so that you can change the password…
You can purchase Centurion Guard for non-Gates computers. Centurion Guard is a hardware device that protects the computer. When locked it undoes any changes when you reboot the computer. 1-800-224-7977, centuriontech.com
Google pop-up stopper. (FREE!) Great pop-up stopper, best one to add to the Gates computers.
Froogle: The trainer recommended this shopping website if you would like to locate websites that are selling the item you are searching for.
Pricewatch (http://www.pricewatch.com/)
To get rid of unwanted cookies…or to find out if your computer has been hijacked, etc…:
Ad Aware (http://www.avasoftusa.com) FREEWARE
Ad Aware becomes an icon on your desktop. It gets rid of unwanted cookies that might be watching what you do…
Spybot (http://www.sbybot.com/) FREEWARE
Gates computers are ok…because Centurion Guard protects the computers…But you need to shut them down once a day in order to get rid of the bad stuff…So it is a good policy to turn off your computers at night.
FYI: FREE Anti-Virus program…But only for personal use at home…You can’t use this at the library…AVG Anti-Virus (http://gristoff.com)
Computer Prices, Reviews, and Latest Technology News
ZDNet (http://zdnet.com)
FYI: CNET is a similar website (http://cnet.com)
Latest information on hoaxes: http://symantec.com/
9/8/2004