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"School provides computer and internet"

 
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tofuman



Joined: 02 Jul 2004
Posts: 937

PostPosted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 3:59 pm    Post subject: "School provides computer and internet" Reply with quote

Our school has provided three of us with computers as offered in the contract. Fortunately, I brought my own and don't use the one provided. My FT colleagues were given systems with Chinese language OS and very low quality computers without decent media drives, sound cards, etc.

Do any other FT have English OS on the systems provided or is a Chinese language system standard? Anyone been given a decent computer and reliable internet connection. It took me more than a year to get a decent connection and then only because I said I would have to leave otherwise.
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Norman Bethune



Joined: 19 Apr 2004
Posts: 731

PostPosted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 4:18 pm    Post subject: Re: "School provides computer and internet" Reply with quote

tofuman wrote:
Our school has provided three of us with computers as offered in the contract. Fortunately, I brought my own and don't use the one provided. My FT colleagues were given systems with Chinese language OS and very low quality computers without decent media drives, sound cards, etc.

Do any other FT have English OS on the systems provided or is a Chinese language system standard? Anyone been given a decent computer and reliable internet connection. It took me more than a year to get a decent connection and then only because I said I would have to leave otherwise.


Judging by what I have seen in the past couple of years, what your colleaques got is the standard foreign teacher computer deal provided by most schools.

The OS will usually be Windows 98, Chinese Version, probably pirated.

One colleaque of mine has an old 368 with 4 MB of ram. However, his school provided a high speed internet connection. Go figure.

And just an observation: the most abused computers I have seen in the worst conditions are usually those used by FT's. The computers may have been brand new out of the box when the first FT to use it got it. Repeated use and abuse wreak havoc. Frankly most FT's see the equipment as a loaner and don't give a rat's bass about it. So the next FT down the road inherits a piece of crap.
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musicexec



Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 23
Location: Yiwu..for a few more months the who knows where in China

PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 1:52 pm    Post subject: I got a decent one...luckly Reply with quote

I was given a laptop that is running winxp pro English. The only problem is it has only 96m ram so things seem to run slow. All of our campus is on a network, including office and flat. Speeds are comparable to ADSL.
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Old Dog



Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 564
Location: China

PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 2:33 pm    Post subject: Computers Reply with quote

We have super-dooper desktop computers with everything in English and with excellent broadband internet service. We did not opt for the heavily subsidized laptops that the Chinese teachers got for a song. A desktop at home makes our homes our offices and so, as a result, we do not have to spend hours watching the Chinese staff sleeping, playing computer games, in idle conversation or doing the other things they do. We can just pop in from time to time to discuss English problems and to provide entertainment.
We have Windows 2000 Professional, the latest Office programs and anti-virus programs in English.
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dajiang



Joined: 13 May 2004
Posts: 663
Location: Guilin!

PostPosted: Sun Jan 16, 2005 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

All the time I was there I used the Chinese language OS. I think it's standard in most places.
Didn't mind though.
I thought it was pretty good for my Chinese actually.
All the icons were the same so it was basically the same when using one in English. Sometimes I got more out of the thing than Chinese staff, even though they could read what it said!

Never really had a problem with the computers, all fast and fairly new.
We had most problems getting printer cardridges replaced when they were empty, stuff like that.

But I'm easy to satisfy: as long as it's got minesweeper.
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oprah



Joined: 26 Apr 2003
Posts: 382

PostPosted: Mon Jan 17, 2005 2:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Never had a problem with both locations I have been at. New equipment, Engish version of everyting and exellent internet hook up, and support from Techie guys when needed.
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ContemporaryDog



Joined: 21 May 2003
Posts: 1477
Location: Wuhan, China

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mine is a reasonable speed. Windows XP. I've no idea what the mhz type stuff is, but its fast enough for me. The connection is fast - WHEN its working! Sometimes there are problems to do with the fact that it comes from the school's server. The last day or so its been OK though.

My computer has no soundcard. The rest do though. I am switching computers with a housemate when he leaves.
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ContemporaryDog



Joined: 21 May 2003
Posts: 1477
Location: Wuhan, China

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Computers Reply with quote

Old Dog wrote:
A desktop at home makes our homes our offices .


That wasn't how my school saw it to start with. Even though our computers were at home, they made us come to the office all day monday to friday. idiots.
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ContemporaryDog



Joined: 21 May 2003
Posts: 1477
Location: Wuhan, China

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As to the English bit, my computer is in English. However, I want to switch BACK to Chinese so that my wife can write in Chinese - does anyone know if its possible to have both - the menus etc in English but the ability to type in Chinese if you desire?
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