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<TITLE>RE: [plug] Re: Computer Bank - please dont give them away. </TITLE>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I have serious reservations about this approach. As techies we tend to</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">think here's your computer, here's your GNU/Linux/OSS bible and you are</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">saved, hallelujah.</FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I agree... I am grateful for Ken Yap and Mike Holland's observations regarding some of the obstacles.... I am keen to identify as early as possible any likely problems we may encounter, so we can solve them.</FONT></P>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial"><broken record mode> There has to be a lot of user training and</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">handholding to go along with the computer. </broken record mode>.</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">And when we build a relationship with these people maybe they'd be less</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">likely to flog the gift at the nearest op shop, hmm?</FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I am thinking a good strategy (as I mentioned briefly before) is to offer training in the first place, followed by (if necessary) a computer to take home. This seems to me to be the most effective way to solve the problems you have mentioned. I also think that the strategy depends on the client. </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">don't think we can say what the approach should be until we have gone</FONT>
<BR><FONT COLOR="#000000" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">out and got our customers.</FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">I agree... I think we should look at using a range of strategies that are as focused on the real needs of the client as much as possible.... however a reasonably generic strategy of training first, computer second seems to me to offer a solution for (most) cases? </FONT></P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Please keep the thoughts/observations coming... (I would've taken ages to realise 10% of these by myself!)</FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Best to try and anticipate as many problems up-front as possible. I'm of the opionion that avoiding unnecessary mistakes is better than learning _after_ making them. ;-)</FONT></P>
<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">regards</FONT>
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<P><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">David</FONT>
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