Spring 2009 - Issue 5

The Silversword: Home > Chaminade Life > Old Macs Find New Home in English Dept.

Old Macs Find New Home in English Dept.

Nannie Ann Apalla, Managing Editor

With our fast-changing technological era, we are left with no choice but to keep up with endless computer and application updates. Chaminade’s Communications Department is no exception and must comply with the constantly updating digital world.

Tom Galli, a communications professor in charge of maintaining the computer lab located in Eiben Hall, has waited patiently for years to get rid of seven first-generation Mac computers in his possession. After two years of deviating from the notion of Dumpster heaven for these seven Macs, Galli’s patience has finally paid off. The Mac computers have a new purpose at Chaminade’s English Department.

Arrangements are currently being made by the English Department under the supervision of Prof. James Kraus and Dr. Allison Francis to create a space for an English Writing Lab. The computers will be housed in an office space at Henry Hall. So far, five of the seven computers have been handed over to the English Department. The lab will be accessible to those students taking the required English writing courses, where students will be able to access computers to type out their homework assignments and papers for class.

In the past, Galli has approached local schools and establishments in the community in hopes of donating the computers but to no avail.

“It’s a shame that it’s so hard to find use for these perfectly good working computers,” said Galli.

Galli further explained that the main reason why no one wants the computers is because of their outdated operating system. They are unable to support many of the currently available program applications associated with Apple computers.

The technology on the donated Mac computers is more than eight years old and is unable to handle high graphics and data. However, since the English department’s main purpose for the donated computers is word processing, the donated computers are more than capable of handling the prospective workload.