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FYI - Update from the our man, Manning, on the ground in Senegal<br>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject: </th>
<td>Re: Visit w/Pierre next week</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Fri, 2 Dec 2011 01:30:02 -0800 (PST)</td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Manning Sutton <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:manno@yahoo.com"><manno@yahoo.com></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Reply-To:
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<td>Manning Sutton <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:manno@yahoo.com"><manno@yahoo.com></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>Bruce Baikie <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bruce@green-wifi.org"><bruce@green-wifi.org></a></td>
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<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">CC: </th>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">Bruce - well, without going into the long version of
this, it went well. Here's the basics:</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- I triaged about 60 non-functioning laptops into three
groups:</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>1.
Truly trashed displays (broken), permanent spots...</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>2.
Those with stripes or bars across the screens, but seem to boot
up and work otherwise</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>-
plus noted those with broken keyboards...</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>3.
Non-functioning - won't boot or whatever...</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- They have NO wireless connectivity anywhere. All the
routers and such were pulled out of the classrooms at the end of
last year, and hasn't been put back together again (like
humpty-dumpty)</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- They may not even have internet connectivity into the
school at the moment. Pierre is using a dial up modem (that was
surprisingly fast!) and he called someone about getting it
re-setup. So, hopefully that will be in place when I return.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- The individual XO chargers (green ones) are all
failing. It seems that the kids twist the cord around the
connector when they take them home and in the process they
break. Not sure how big a deal it is or not...I may take a look
and see if they can be "upgraded" by removing the old wire and
soldering in a new one or adding a strain relief rubber piece to
the point where it connects to the body. (Ideas?)</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">So, the good news:</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- I managed to get a few repaired by using parts from
the totally non-functioning ones (about 10-12). A display and
keyboard swap. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- I also updated the OS on one to see if that was going
to work, and it looks promising. But it only worked on one XO,
and not sure why it didn't work on the other couple I tried?
Anyway, it's a slow process but I have 6 USB sticks with the OS
update files and it will improve the efficiency. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- 11 have keyboard issues. Some can be salvaged from
the totally broken ones.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- 20 or so have permanent spots on the screens, needing
replacement screens.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- 20 or so have bars on the screens, which hopefully
some can be repaired by reseating the display cable. I tried a
couple, and it didn't fix the problem, but you never know.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- The teachers seem really excited by getting these back
in the classrooms.</div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">- The kids "I think"
also are exciting by the </font>possibility<font
class="Apple-style-span" size="3"> to learn/use a computer. </font></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">- I floated the idea of training some students (older)
and two 13 year old kids came by and helped me a bit. It may
work! One of the "Sisters" came by and she thought it was quite
possible and a great idea. So, may have to join forces with
her. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "><br>
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<div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">- I met a Computer
Science major (thru a friend here) who's graduated and </font>unemployed<font
class="Apple-style-span" size="3"> (lots of that here...) who
lives in Dakar that I may take with me next week when I return
to the school. He'd be a good contact for the school. Not
sure how it will work, but I think it's possible to for me to
pay him a very modest amount to have ongoing support. </font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3"><br>
</font></div>
<div><font class="Apple-style-span" size="3">More later. Do you
know who set up the wireless before and if there was any
documentation? (which I doubt, but thought I should ask).</font></div>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; "> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">Manning <br>
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<div style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:
12pt; ">221 77 845 39 41(mobile, Senegal)<br>
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