New computers

[Recursion]

Jello.

I need a new computer (Preferably Dell, which we are going to buy about 20 of) to go into a lower school to connect up to a Win 2k3 Server.

We will be running Windows XP (I hope, for simple compatibility with school software) and we will also need some flat panel screens.

Any ideas?

Thanks

[N!ck]

They only seem to do Vista. You could get one of these for £230ish with Vista Business, 2GB RAM without a monitor or something like £270 for the slim one.

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/vostrodt?c=uk&cs=ukbsdt1&l=en&s=bsd

[Jin]

http://www.rm.com/Home/RMComHome.aspx

Specifically manufactured pc's for educational instutions with a budled XP OS with their own software.

Their latest machine "RM ONE" features a desktop client machine with an integrated TFT monitor.

Their software specifically designed for schools allows easy networking and user management with many security features and restriction options such as "Printer Credit Schemes" a specific allocation of "credits" per usergroup to prevent children from printing 10000 pages of complete crap.

It's very popular with schools across the nation and even certain universities.

[Recursion]

I have a hate passion towards RM, GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR >=[. If the University I will go to after Sixth Form used RM I would go out and buy a MacBook LOL.

Ill take a look Nick, thanks guys! :P

Repped both of you :)

If some of their software worked on Linux I would switch them to Ubuntu, they have already stopped using MS Office and use OpenOffice, even the teachers love it!

[Jin]

I too am a hater of RM, I have found their systems to be insecure in the past and they tried to prosecute me in 2004 which resulted in me having to comply to a legal agreement.

However, the benefits of their machines in educational institutes still make up for their downfalls and certainly saves a lot of time, effort and technical frustration.

[Recursion]

I am also limited in terms of the software/hardware we use anyway, we have to use Windows Server 2003 with XP computers on a domain so that the council's IT dept. can come and administer the computers if they need to, although, having Vista computers will really bugger them up, they don't have a clue around here.

I would rather not be tied in with legal contracts, RM software or whatever, sure they are great in some aspects, but seeing what they are like in my school (they have RM working in just one room lmao..) I really want to avoid them like the plague.

With RM I don't really feel as if I have much control over whats going on.

[Judge Judy]

I'd say get the computers with Vista then downgrade them to XP. Some of our computers recently bought had Business but had to be downgraded to XP for compatibility and also for the servers.
If you are looking for alterntives to like remote control other people's computers then use NetOp.

So yeah I recommend the computers Nick posted.