[LUNA] Fwd: I need some help solving this.

[Bob Nance]

Sounds like an interesting problem. 

The very first question in any project is "what is the budget?" followed by "can we get. Ore money?"  Non-technical people assume that you can do everything you need for the price of a computer at Walmart. 

What kind of computers do they need? Will they be running windows? Could they use chrome books? Would tablets do what they need?

Are these all laptops? Is there any use for desktop stations? We had a mission in Peru that stopped using laptops because they constantly disappeared. I certainly understand why they might want laptops, but having something less portable can provide an easier way to protect the computer from power issues and provide more reliable networking, too (And a laptop can be charged and disconnected from power which protects it from dirty power, too. Both are good things). 

Wireless networks are notoriously bad in cinder-block buildings. Putting a WAP in every room (at least) makes it tolerable. Short of heat-mapping the building, count on having to do that. 

Crappy internet == 1986. Is the internet simply slow? Or is it intermittent? Consider a server with squid running on it. At least you can cache some of the common pages and make the internet look a little faster. 

Computers are not self-repairing. Is there a plan for repairing and replacing computers? Is there a maintenance schedule or set of tools to support these computers? This is where chrome books and tablets might come in handy. Long battery life, low power consumption and  minimal maintenance. 

Good luck and report on your solution. If you need help, holler back to the list. I could throw in some computer prep time or something. 




> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Mar 23, 2014 2:47 AM
> Subject: I need some help solving this.
> 
>> Gentlemen,
>> 
>> Our church has a challenging technical issue that needs to be addressed,
> and I've been asked to put together a team that can help solve it. I'm
> reaching out to you guys because 1) you know your stuff, and 2) you have a
> servant-like "yes, and" attitude, 3) you come up with realistic solutions
> to problems.
>> 
>> As you are probably aware, The Brook has pledged to install a number of
> laptop computers at the Kairos school in Guatemala. Obviously, procuring
> all of these computers is going to be a challenge, but that's not what this
> team will be addressing.
>> 
>> Here's what we are up against:
>> Environmental Challenge
>> We're looking to install 40-50 laptop computers in an open-air school in
> a city that has fluctuating brown-outs, dusty dry seasons, and wet rainy
> seasons. Obviously, this is not the best environment for computer equipment
> to operate in.
>> 
>> Infrastructure Challenge
>> We need the computers to be networked between it's 10+ classrooms.  The
> school reportedly has a strong but slow wi-fi connection in some areas. The
> building is totally made of cinder block and concrete--even the interior
> walls. I don't know if  expanding the current wi-fi will work here, or if
> we'll need  to create network drops. Also, how do we determine if the
> school's electrical system can handle 50 computers running at the same time?
>> 
>> I'm not asking you guys to go on the trip (although you're not excluded,
> of course), but what I *really* need is your expertise in putting together
> a game plan of what the 'on the ground' team is going to do once they
> arrive. Of the men in this email, Rob Vess has committed to going, and I'm
> sure he'd like for us to have a good gameplan as well.
>> 
>> I'd like for us to get together soon to discuss this and possibly Skype
> with the school's administration so that we can have some of our questions
> answered. Can you let me know which of the following dates/times you are
> available to meet so that we can hash this out?
>> - Monday 3/24 6 - 8pm
>> - Wednesday 3/26 6 - 8pm
>> - Thursday 3/27 6 - 8pm
>> 
>> Thanks for considering this.
>> 
>> Dan
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