Resident’s computers

26 October, 2003

Dear Computer People

I attach the latest quotation in the battle of quotations between LinuxIT and Evesham.

Once Linux got word that the equipment might be bought from Evesham, they submitted a lower-priced quotation that meets our specification. As this is the case and time is drawing on, and unless I hear any objections by, say, Wednesday, I suggest 10 PCs, the training and support package, flat screens and scanners are ordered next week from LinuxIT.

Having discussed the matter of colour printers with you, it seems that it would be a false economy to buy anything other than laser jets given the quality, reliability, cost of cartridges, running costs of the printers and one of the primary purposes for which they are intended, ie volume printing of newsletters. However to support those groups who may occasionally need to print publicity material in colour a compromise would be to buy one colour laser jet. The price (from Evesham) is £426 + VAT. Depending on whether we (and CLAN) can avoid paying VAT (Dave, my successor, is investigating the VAT situation at the moment), we could buy one of these and keep it at the ERN office. Another possibility is that we could buy one colour printer for ERN and give the 10 month old ERN HP LaserJet 1200 to one of the applicant groups.

Whetherwe pay VAT or not, even after buying one colour laser jet we will still have money left over. Here are some thoughts about how we might use this:

1) Buy more training from Linux.
2) Extend the support package from Linux.
3) Increase the £25 subsidy given to groups for printing and distributing ERN’s newsletter.
4) Buy more aerial points so that the CLAN network can be extended.
5) Buy another set of computer equipment for an eleventh group.
6) Pay for a website design like the St Werburgh’s one.

For some of extras we would have to go back to Neighbourhood Renewal and get the
ir approval. If you have any thoughts, let me know (until 31 October) or Dave Johnston (dave@spanuk.org.uk).

The closing date for receipt of applications for groups wanting computers is 31 October. Eventually I sent out 14 application forms and have had 2 back. I am pretty sure we will get more back than that by the closing date but perhaps not 10. Once the forms come back, the group needs to decide whether each of the applicants fulfills the criteria for getting the computer package. (Royce and Ingrid, I’m afraid you won’t be allowed in on this as your group is one of the applicants.) We therefore need to recruit more residents to the computer group. I don’t think they necessarily need to be computer-minded as we will have the done the technical bit of work by then. If you know of anyone, please could you put them in contact with me or Dave.

Lastly, the next meeting of the computer group will be organised and led by Dave as I am leaving my job at the end of next week. It has been really good working with you all and seeing this exciting project develop and I wish you all well with it. If you need to contact Dave before 31 October, you can email him or telephone on 07763 907020. From 1 November, Dave will be using the ERN phone and the number is 07880 963 568.