Computers Can’t ‘Rot’

I MUST take issue with the headline of your story about the NETSS Centre in your Thursday edition of last week, which, incidentally, I read on the web while attending a conference overseas.

First of all, and as a Matter of Fact, the name of the Director of the NETSS (and not NETTS) Centre is Viëtor and not Viëter. Secondly computers cannot ‘rot’ in storage.They are stored under the same or similar conditions as at the manufacturer, wholesaler of retailer.They are not perishable goods, and the warranty apparently only starts at they are distributed.From what I read in your brief article, the Ministry of Education and the NETSS Centre should be congratulated for coming up with this important initiative and in particular for going about this prudently.I would have thought that some deeper digging into the background of providing computers and Internet access to (rural) schools would have been in order in particular since there is a similar effort from Civil Society with funding from Nordic states, the mistakes of which NETSS seems to intend not to repeat.One also wonders about the timing of the article, since the computers have been in storage for a while, but another major tender is about to be awarded.Pro-Netss Via e-mail Note: Name and address provided – EdSecondly computers cannot ‘rot’ in storage.They are stored under the same or similar conditions as at the manufacturer, wholesaler of retailer.They are not perishable goods, and the warranty apparently only starts at they are distributed.From what I read in your brief article, the Ministry of Education and the NETSS Centre should be congratulated for coming up with this important initiative and in particular for going about this prudently.I would have thought that some deeper digging into the background of providing computers and Internet access to (rural) schools would have been in order in particular since there is a similar effort from Civil Society with funding from Nordic states, the mistakes of which NETSS seems to intend not to repeat.One also wonders about the timing of the article, since the computers have been in storage for a while, but another major tender is about to be awarded.Pro-Netss Via e-mail Note: Name and address provided – Ed