Windows 95 provides a much more stable and faster operating environment than its predecessor, Windows 3.1. To get the most performance out of Windows 95, there are a few things to keep in mind whether you’re tuning your current computer or thinking about a new one in the future.

Since Windows 95 is almost entirely made of 32-bit code, your computer will benefit more from a 486 or Pentium Processor than a 386 processor. Even if a 386 and a 486 have the same clock speed, a 486 will always outperform the other computer, because the 486 is better optimized for 32-bit code.

Depending on the amount of memory you have, you will notice that your hard drive runs even if the computer itself is idle. To support many applications running at once, applications are paged out to an area on the hard drive when there is more demand for memory than what is actually available. Thus, Windows 95 performance can be greatly enhanced by installing a faster hard drive. In addition to this, adding more memory (like a total of 16 or 32 megabytes) will reduce this caching and provide better performance for your PC.

Check your hard drive to see how much space you have left. If you have less that 20 megabytes remaining, check and clean out any unneeded and temporary files. If your hard drive becomes too full, applications that need more memory will not be able to have other applications “page out” to the hard drive. The result is lockups or out of memory errors.

FAST FACT
Did you know in Windows 95 you can select more than one filename inside Explorer or “My Computer” by holding down the Control key and clicking the mouse button on each one you want selected?

Throughout the school district over the next few months, we will all witness a major change in the way our computers work. A wide-area network, or WAN, will be added between the buildings to give everyone the ability to use resources in our schools. Some of these resources will include the Internet, an electronic card catalog, CD-ROM sharing, and E-Mail capability.

Currently, Denny Thompson, Dan Pautzke, and I, have been evaluating different E-Mail systems for the District. Our goal is to provide an easy-to-use, yet powerful application that both teachers and students will be able to use. We will try our best to keep it a system that will allow you to walk up to any machine and be able to get your E-Mail and personal address book right at that computer. Right now, we are evaluating QuickMail LAN, QuickMail Pro, FirstClass, and GroupWise.

Fed up with lock-ups? We are also evaluating FoolProof, which is a security application for both Macs and PCs. FoolProof lets students explore the actual Mac Finder or Windows Explorer, which will prepare the students for machines without protection, but keeps them from getting into critical areas such as the Control Panel and the Trash/Recycle Bin. Eventually, FoolProof will be installed on at least one machine in every school as a test to make sure it will suit our needs. When FoolProof was installed at the Junior High Technology Center on two Macs and two PC’s, we experienced less lock-ups on both platforms. FoolProof uses “Launcher”, which is built into Mac System, to launch applications in a way that is similiar to “At Ease”. The PC users can still use the Start Menu to launch programs.

Through our current projects, we are trying to come up with a solution that will best fulfill the needs of students and staff. It is our hope, in the Data Service Department, that everything will run smoothly and efficiently during the summer, to provide an up-to-date and speedy network for everyone. Have a great vacation, and we’ll see you back in September!

FAST FACT
Netscape 2.02 will run on a Macintosh LC with at least 8MB of RAM.

(Article originally by Denny Thompson, District Media and Technology Director, in the November 26, 1996 edition of “District Technology Highlights” newsletter from Faribault Public Schools. This event gave Faribault its first computer lab fully capable of accessing the Internet.)

Netday 96 is a nationwide effort to help schools get wired for the internet. It involves organizing volunteers to help with the wiring. Because of the large scope of our wiring project we have selected only the Senior High Media Center lab for wiring on November 16th. Faribault has been added to the Netday 96 web page. Barb Getting has contacted a number of local businesses for donations to help in purchasing the wire. If you know of anyone who may be interested in helping with this wiring project on November 16th have them contact Denny Thompson, Barb Getting, or Denny Glynn. Our web site on the internet was fired up in September.

A Review of NetDay ’96!

NetDay Minnesota was an organized grass-roots effort to get volunteers from communities to install wiring for the Internet in schools throughout Minnesota. The Faribault NetDay participation in NetDay Minnesota effort was focused towards providing Internet access to the media center computers at the Senior High School. Many volunteers (see below) helped to cable the Senior High media center for internet and EMAIL access on November 16th, 1996. Expansion plans for the Senior High include complete cabling in the building next summer. “We didn’t want to wait that long, if we did not have to, so this year’s seniors could have the advantage of using the Internet,” stated Denny Thompson*

The equipment that was installed will be reused next summer when permanent cabling and computer systems will be installed. In-service will be provided at a grant subsidized rate through the Southeast Educational Cooperative.

*source Faribault Daily Newspaper 11/18/96

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Volunteers and Contributors
Sincere Thanks to:

DENNIS GLYNN
DENNIS THOMPSON
CHARLES THOMPSON
BARB GETTING
BRIAN KLIER
JOSH ARCHAMBAULT
JOE STRADCUTTER
MIKE SPINAR
CHUCK KINDGREN
LES LACROIX
CELIA LINNE
KENT RABEK
BEN JOHNSON
JOHN LINDSEY
BOB PEARCE
MARY LUBKE
RYAN BECKER
STATE BANK OF FARIBAULT
NORWEST BANK
FARIBAULT FEDERAL SAVINGS
THE PHONE STATION
POIRIER PHARMACY
CEDAR LAKE ELECTRIC
FARIBO INSURANCE CO.
JOSTENS
THE BELTZ COMPANY
NETWORKING INTEGRATION SERVICES