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Report: [IL] schools tossing Chromebooks designed to expire after four years
The Center Square ^ | 4/24/23 | Kevin Bessler

Posted on 04/25/2023 7:02:37 AM PDT by AT7Saluki

A new report has found that the millions of taxpayer-funded Chromebooks that flooded schools during the pandemic are being discarded because of their expiration dates.

Chromebooks were an affordable way to help educate students during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they weren’t programmed to last. Chromebooks have a built-in “death date,” after which software support ends. Once laptops have “expired,” they don’t receive updates and can’t access secure websites.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund shows replacement parts are both expensive and hard to obtain. In numerous cases, replacement keyboards would cost around $90, roughly half the cost of most Chromebooks. As a result, schools are now tossing the devices, creating a massive amount of electronics waste.

(Excerpt) Read more at thecentersquare.com ...


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: chromebook; education; illinois; laptop; school; waste
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To: AT7Saluki

Find out who’s brother in law sold them to the District.

That would be interesting.

L


21 posted on 04/25/2023 8:18:16 AM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: Codeflier

What? You cannot expect an educational institution to do such complex things. Next you are going to be suggesting they teach algebra or something.


22 posted on 04/25/2023 8:22:38 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: Organic Panic

“forced background updates that have wasted countless hours and cost me thousands of dollars.”

Sounds bad. We run current Windows software here at work. IT manages it. Regular updates with few problems. Maybe IT tests the upgrades before they deploy them to all of us.

I have no concrete reason for upgrading so maybe I’ll keep putting it off.

I’m working on servo-controlling program. The source code, editing it, compiling and linking is done in the cloud. The executable is downloaded to my computer and I download that onto the device. The device sends printout back to my computer.

So my computer actually does very little in this overall job.


23 posted on 04/25/2023 8:28:34 AM PDT by cymbeline
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To: 1Old Pro; Myrddin

Schools went with the Chromebook because they are extremely cheap. I think the state may have a case about software support, but it is really a muted point because the hardware warranty isn’t likely to outlast the software upgrade policy. I am not sure how Google and the OEMs only have to support the machines for 4 years. Most devices are 7 years and maybe longer in California..


24 posted on 04/25/2023 8:42:55 AM PDT by EVO X ( )
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To: AT7Saluki

Replicants in the sci-fi movie, “Blade Runner” (1982) had a four year lifespan.

If Chrome books get AI you know those things are going to want more life, just like the Replicants.


25 posted on 04/25/2023 9:04:30 AM PDT by Tom Tetroxide
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To: AT7Saluki

The old chromebooks could be used to build houses. Call ‘em ChromeBricks and sell them as driveway pavers?


26 posted on 04/25/2023 9:17:13 AM PDT by Honest Nigerian
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To: EVO X
My company replaces hardware on a 3 year sliding schedule. 42000 employees. 1/3 replaced each year. Usually Dell hardware with a top of the line support contract. My previous laptop went 4 years before a changed projects. The new project needed a significantly more capable laptop. i7 quad core, 64 GB RAM to run VMware Workstation Pro with VMs based on Windows and Linux. Even that laptop spec is a subset of what a full system requires. The data center blades are 256 GB devices. kubernetes clusters managed with helm.

My kids finished K-12 before K-12 put computers in the classroom. They had them at home from birth. They were well prepared to use computers in college and even that was primitive compared to what we had at the house.

Current schools have pretty good computer infrastructure and networking. Robotics clubs are common. As I prepare to retire from a very good career in computer hardware/software, I'll probably direct some time to work with the computer/robotics programs at the local schools/college.

27 posted on 04/25/2023 9:56:50 AM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Dr. Sivana
I use a KVM with a USB mouse/keyboard/wireless headset that switches between 4 computers. The keyboard on my company laptop gets touched for a reboot about every 2 weeks. login/password, then close the top. The keyboard and display have very low hours. I burn up an MS keyboard about every two years. Shiny keytops from 10 hours a day writing code and docs. The MS mice last about 2 years as well.
28 posted on 04/25/2023 10:01:08 AM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Myrddin

Dell makes a nice monitor (43”) that lets you view all four computers simultaneously (HDMi, Display Port, USB C, SVGA)


29 posted on 04/25/2023 10:20:29 AM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("If you can’t say something nice . . . say the Rosary." [Red Badger])
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To: Myrddin

I retired some years ago from academia supporting researchers educators, and administrators. Computer replacements were budget driven. They were never on the 3 year schedule for replacements, except the laptop warriors which was about 2 years. The university system did try to streamline routine computer purchases and cases had to be made to go outside the box. State and university administrators have no power to tell federal grant recipients on how to spend their grant money. When I retired about 10 years ago, I was supporting research equipment that was still running Windows NT 4 and Windows 2K. The original companies were long gone but new companies were able to provide hardware support, but no new software support.


30 posted on 04/25/2023 10:46:41 AM PDT by EVO X ( )
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To: Organic Panic
Pack of #2 pencils about $3. Stack of notepaper. 100 sheets for $1. Peechee folders 25 cents.

Never needed hardware upgrades. Never needed software upgrades.

Eminently practical and inexpensive. So, clearly you want to bring back slavery! (/Ed.PhD)

31 posted on 04/25/2023 10:53:20 AM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: cymbeline

if it’s not getting security updates I wouldn’t connect it to the internet.


32 posted on 04/25/2023 12:13:06 PM PDT by for-q-clinton (Cancel Culture IS fascism...Let's start calling it that!)
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To: for-q-clinton

“if it’s not getting security updates I wouldn’t connect it to the internet.”

I don’t and guess I’m a gambler. I back up frequently.

Perhaps the hackers aren’t interested in my old Windows.


33 posted on 04/25/2023 12:41:45 PM PDT by cymbeline
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To: 17th Miss Regt

What better way to endorse black supremacy by giving students clean white paper and deface it with black graphite pencils...


34 posted on 04/25/2023 2:15:14 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: Organic Panic
Very good point!
35 posted on 04/25/2023 3:06:04 PM PDT by 17th Miss Regt
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To: Tom Tetroxide

“All your passwords will be lost, like tears in rain.”


36 posted on 04/25/2023 3:11:53 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: AT7Saluki

Los Angeles schools bought iPads. Turned out Apple was caught bribing school officials. The iPads were also hacked by the students so they can get to any website.
The teachers were also caught spying on the kids thru the camera on the laptop when the kids were home in their bedroom....


37 posted on 04/25/2023 3:18:31 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: EVO X
My employer has the budget and motivation to keep the computers on our desks in top condition. They are an integral part of delivering results to our customers. The ROI is more than worthwhile.
38 posted on 04/25/2023 4:01:59 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Dr. Sivana
Dell makes a nice monitor (43”) that lets you view all four computers simultaneously (HDMi, Display Port, USB C, SVGA)

I have two monitors. One is an LG 34" wide. Shared with 3 computers. The 4th computer refused to boot with the wide monitor attached. The BIOS was too old to handle the modern monitor dimension. The 4th computer lives on a 4k monitor that also doubles as my 4k Bluray display.

I take advantage of the display driver ability to zoom to fill the 34 inch monitor. Less eyestrain for my 8 to 16 hour days writing code.

39 posted on 04/25/2023 4:06:32 PM PDT by Myrddin
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To: Tijeras_Slim

Good one!


40 posted on 04/25/2023 5:05:22 PM PDT by Tom Tetroxide
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