[Year 12 IT Apps] Apple laptops on an XP server...

[Roland Gesthuizen]

G'ay Kent

2009/3/20 Kent Beveridge <kbeveridge at stbc.vic.edu.au> (parts snipped out)

.. our techie here is currently testing out a new Apple laptop prior to us
> shortly getting some (about 10) of them plus other IBM clones as part of our
> hit of Rudd funding. Seems there's some hiccups in trying to link up the
> little white box(its so pretty!) to our server which is XP based. Also, some
> staff here with new Dell laptops got them with the VISTA OS and appear to be
> having some hiccups too when talking taking their profiles from their laptop
> to the network machines(XP based in the classes). Seems the most common
> hiccup I am hearing of is the good ol printing issue (compatibility of
> drivers etc.).


You got to love these things .. it was easier for us to get any printer
working now that we installed iPrint (for my Novell friends, trick was to
upgrade to the super stable Open Enterprise 2 release and start the upgrade
from ye olde Netware. I now undersand why Kevork runs this. With a simple
click on a web page on any school computer, staff can now add any printer
they want (XP Vista OSX Linux even Cases! etc .. but not half as cool as the
'ultranet' he built with LDAP Firstclass and Moodle!) .. our Rudd funding is
split between Macbooks, NetBooks and Sun Terminal stations.

Vista? Gosh we had some minor dramas printing on our office Vista desktops
but with all due respect to MS it had more to do with the official driver
supplied by a copier company. Took a couple of phone calls and a visit from
one of their techs to sort it all out. From memory he fixed it with some
magic words then waved a threatening bundle of herbs over it ..


> Would any techies out there be interested in sharing some tips and
> experiences with my guy here to help get the transition up and running
> smoothly? Hint hint...ROS and Roland...
>

Sure .. considering all the times you take the trouble to drive out to
Melbourne, I could catch up with you on the drive out West across the desert
grasslands (we are heading away from the stress of the forest fires this
term break). I will put you in touch with a couple of cross-platform
uber-geeks that I know.


> I am personally even now considering for my next box either a Netbook with
> an external hd or an Apple Mac notebook..(Hey Ros..whatcha reckon?). Yep, I
> am now of the idea that perhaps I could end up owning a little white 'puter
>  (or some other more blokey color!)..
>

Ros is our official guide to good taste and design. Silver or White, it will
grown on you  .. could even match your toaster or new kitchen. Here is a
cute youtube spoof about operating systems and interface design you can have
a giggle over.
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVOnFdMf0RU&feature=related

Regards Roland

-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
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