donated computers lab setup

[Norm]

Tim wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-12-29 at 13:20 -0500, Ric Moore wrote:
>> a similar setup in Beckley WV, using 16 XT's and 386's as dumb
>> terminals. Someone donated two Dickens Terminal Servers and I just
>> ran DOS on those machines and Qterm for text logins at 9600 baud.
>> People could use Pine and email to the internet just fine or play MUD.
> 
> Not too many years ago I scored a collection of XTs, 286s, and a 386
> from the local high school that was just going to dump them.  I sorted
> out what worked, and a local disability group took them for their blind
> members to log onto their BBS to chat, do mail, and play games.  Even
> what most would consider to be obselete, often has a use to someone.
> 
> The lady who took them off my hands was confined to a wheelchair, barely
> able to speak or do anything physical, but you'd never guess that when
> you chatted to her on-line.  Computers to her, were a liberating
> experience.  Just for a change, she got treated the same as everyone
> else.
> 
> 
Tim
Your project is the type of project more of us in the IT world should 
do.  Too often people in IT are considered nerds and not part of the 
real world, if a a group we use our IT skills to help the disadvantaged 
and at the same time spread the use of Linux we can all feel we have 
done something to help society.
I haven't tried an XT computer in a thin client configuration but I 
suspect that even those can find a use as thin clients in the right 
situation.