1.  15" CRT monitors are too small for most IT workers and probably too
small for many/most other workers.  15" LCD screens are better (being
roughly equivalent to 17" CRTs.  We've replaced (almost) all of our CRTs
with 17" or larger LCDs.  Energy/space savings are significant.  Disposal of
the old monitors is getting to be more and more difficult.  Do it NOW!
(Consider dual monitors for some IT workers like system admins or GUI
application developers.)

2.  Most PCs are being swapped out after 3-4 years.  We generally budget for
1/3 of the systems to be replaced each year.  We don't do that many because
we need some for new hires and we keep some in service for various other
uses.

3.  Slow PCs these days are likely due to memory shortages or slow hard
drives, not slow CPUs.  With Vista on the (distant) horizon, I'd consider
getting all PCs with 1GB RAM.  Memory upgrades may be warranted on older
machines with 256MB or less depending on OS and your OS upgrade plans.

4.  Consider working to develop a standard "image" that can be easily blown
down onto any PC in your organization.  That makes moving PCs around easier
and can help with standardizing the OS and basic application suite. 

5.  Laptops are a whole different issue.

Regards,

Glenn

-----Original Message-----
From: HP-3000 Systems Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Kent Wallace
Sent: Monday, March 27, 2006 6:18 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [HP3000-L] OT: PC life

Everyone:

 

I was asked to determine how long before I need to replace some of our older
DELL PCs.  They are Pentium 2.26 GHz.  When we bought the 2.26 GHz with flat
screen monitors everyone wanted the new flat screen.  The previous
generation of PCs that we gave to a favorite charity worked fine except for
a few of the monitors.  

 

I am getting complaints now about the 15 inch monitor and I have some users
who complain the 2.26 GHz are slow with product such as Microsoft Access.

 

When one employee leaves with a better PC, I am being asked to move it to
his coworker.  Some PC's could take a large amount of time to reinstall the
software and associated patches.

 

What is the criterion that others are using to replace PCs?

 

 

Thanks

Kent Wallace

 

 

 


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