How to set up a computer for the school lab

From ArticleWorld

Setting up a computer for use in a school's laboratory is not always the easiest task. This is usually because you will have to restrict the ability to install programs to a maximum, and thus, anticipate a lot about your users' needs and tools.

Outlined below are the steps you should take to identify these needs and some possible solutions.

Steps

1. The first step is to identify the computer's users and whether it will be networked or not. Remember: children can learn easier than adults, but they cannot master complex tools equally well. Also evaluate the users' proficiency. If you are setting up a computer for use in a Computer Science class, expect your users to know at least the basics. If they will be used by students passionate about history, expect some to know only how to turn a computer on and off and use Microsoft Word.

The decision of whether the computer will be networked depends on the infrastructure above all, but also on the needs. In general, you should network it when possible, since it makes updating and maintaining easier.

2. Determine what tasks will everyone use the computer for. Since software will be used in the field of education, you may have the luck of getting some very heavy discounts even on professional software. But try not to overkill your users. If they will only need to do some basic photo manipulation, a tool like Paint.net or Gimp.app on OS X are more than enough. Use expensive tools like Photoshop only if you know they are absolutely required. If you have to cut the costs seriously and you have the skills required not to be tech support-dependent, go for Open Source.

3. Install a lot of documentation, guides and tutorials and make it clear for everyone that each computer has these. Encourage them to consult it before consulting you, not because you are lazy, but because it will be more helpful to them.

4. Cover all the "holes", or, like administrators like to say, destroy all self-destruct buttons. Disable features like CD booting and software installation for anyone but you and those you trust. You should do this to avoid anyone destroying someone else's data (remember that the computer will be used in a collaborative environment), intentionally (rarely the case) or not.