[K12OSN] guesstimates

[anthony baldwin <anthonybaldwin snet net>]

Just for grins...
What do you suppose it would cost to set up a small lab with 25
terminals. I'm only concerned with hardware costs:
How fast a server would be needed...etc;  How much thin clients cost;
That sort of thing.  (Obviously, I've no need to be concerned with 
licensing costs, and, despite my relative ignorance, I would try to set 
this up myself.)
Is anyone distributing thin clients yet?  I've seen discussion of it on 
the list before.
I really need such a lab at my school. Finding both the space and any 
money at all are a huge challenge, but I'd like to have figures and 
information with which to attack the administration/school board.
I got spoiled last year in a different school where I had all kinds of 
access to tech and could have my students do research, webquests, 
multimedia projects, etc.  I'd post resources for them on line all the 
time.  Now, in a different district, I've got one ageing Mac in my room, 
running OS 9.2 (how annoying) and I can never get into the school's Mac 
lab because it is always full of computer (read keyboarding) classes.
I even wonder about the possibility of setting up a small server and 
maybe 5 clients in my classroom even, just to improve my access 
somewhat.  I have, on average, about 20 children per class, though.
If I have them work in pairs...have different groups on different 
projects or phases of a project...even 5 would be helpful.
I only get about $1300/year to spend (already spent $500 this year on 
whiteboards and reading novels).
Do you think I could build a server and a few clients on $1300?
I'm guessing a whole lab is out for that price.
Not having access to technology is putting a real damper on my 
curriculum.  Would you believe I have children who don't even have a 
telephone at home, much less internet access.  I'm in a poor rural 
district.  I need this.  My children are being left behind.

tony b
7th and 8th Grade Language Arts
Sterling Memorial School
http://sterling.school-library.net/