As 100Mbit NICS are now cheap, I'd highly recommend going for them.

Yes, but you don't need the speed for most purposes.

For the server, as usual, you should go for as much as you can get. Bear in mind that it is going to be the filesystem for every terminal that it is going to serve. It will also need approx. 8MB of RAM per terminal, plus RAM for applications.

Yes, you need powerful servers. We have two 500MHX 256MB systems at present being shared by over 70 diskless X stations, and we are ordering a few 750MHz machines now because the current ones are rather slow. We think load-sharing between a number of single-processor machines is more cost-effective than using one multi-processor setup.

We have calculated that workstations can be as cheap as Ł245 each.

Yes, but if based on old 486's can be as cheap as 50 pounds each, although we find we need to buy 17-inch monitors at over 100 pounds each and you need to allow fifty pounds each for network infrastructure. Including VAT you might allocate 25 pounds for old 486 with network card, keyboard & mouse 10 pounds for boot ROMs & spare KB, mice. 120 pounds for the monitor 50 pounds for the network infrastructure (cables, hubs, sockets etc) 40 pounds for the server that's your 245 pounds, of which only 35 is for the "computer". Many of our machines have 30-pound s/h monitors, so cost us 155 each, and that's allowing ninety for infrastructure. Marginal cost of extra workstations is fifty pounds each! -- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk

Just as a pointer, all the kit will be state of the art as expected for win nt or 2000, so rescuing ancient 486's won't be necessary. That's also why I was thinking of dual boot, so if it doesn't work, I can fall back.

If you have that sort of money, stick to Windows like a leach. It will be more expensive, it will break down more often, but at least when it does you can go home at 4.30 (or 3.30 on a Friday) and say "well, what do you expect, it's Windows, maybe I'll be going sometime next week, but could do it over the weekend at double time if you wish". But if you install a Linux solution instead, you'll save your school a lot of money and provide a much more efficient solution and it'll run for longer, but when there's a hardware fault it'll go down and because you put it in against recceived wisdom you'll have to sort it out, you'll be there all Friday evening without overtime when you could be at home, and if there's anything it doesn't do that your colleagues want it's your fault, whereas if the NT system can't do something then that's Bill's fault, not your problem, and anyway it probably can do it if you spend 4K pounds on gee-whiz software solutions inc. -- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk

hi the advocacy element, of persuading the senior powers, that the Linux-based system will work better than the NT one is the most difficult part of implementing an Open Source / Linux solution. There are a number of papers you could use (from http://www.opensource.org and http://www.ose.org.uk from example). Technically speaking, Linux is far easier than it was (say even a year ago) to install and configure. Difficulties rightly arise when integrating Windows clients and other legacy apps, but at least you can do them. The other key issue is that you'll have to be accountable (as i think Chris Dawkins has mentioned), you can't blame Bill or a mailing list somewhere for system outage. I've never personally had a problem with that and the majority of the people on this list have some faith in their abilities, in a way doing it your way to provide the school what it needs is the key issue. Saving money is just an added benefit Malcolm ------------------------------- Dr Malcolm Herbert Head of Technology R&D, Becta 02476 847126 Mob: 07801 612438 -------------------------------

-----Original Message----- From: suse-linux-uk-schools-return-911-malc=ngfl.gov.uk@suse.com [mailto:suse-linux-uk-schools-return-911-malc=ngfl.gov.uk@suse.com]On Behalf Of The Royal Latin School Sent: 13 October 2000 15:45 To: Christopher Dawkins Cc: suse-linux-uk-schools@suse.com Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] New system

Good point, well made. Thats actually a good description of my job actually....... ----- Original Message ----- From: Christopher Dawkins To: The Royal Latin School Cc: Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 3:36 PM Subject: Re: [suse-linux-uk-schools] New system

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Just as a pointer, all the kit will be state of the art as

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nt or 2000, so rescuing ancient 486's won't be necessary. That's also why I was thinking of dual boot, so if it doesn't work, I can fall back.

If you have that sort of money, stick to Windows like a leach. It will be more expensive, it will break down more often, but at least when it does you can go home at 4.30 (or 3.30 on a Friday) and say "well, what do you expect, it's Windows, maybe I'll be going sometime next week, but could do it over the weekend at double time if you wish". But if you install a Linux solution instead, you'll save your school a lot of money and provide a much more efficient solution and it'll run for longer, but when there's a hardware fault it'll go down and because you put it in against recceived wisdom you'll have to sort it out, you'll be there all Friday evening without overtime when you could be at home, and if there's anything it doesn't do that your colleagues want it's your fault, whereas if the NT system can't do something then that's Bill's fault, not your

expected for win problem, and

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anyway it probably can do it if you spend 4K pounds on gee-whiz software solutions inc.

-- Christopher Dawkins, Felsted School, Dunmow, Essex CM6 3JG 01371-820527 or 07798 636725 cchd@felsted.essex.sch.uk