On 8 April Microsoft Windows XP is due to be phased out. After 13 years, the operating system will no longer be supported with technical assistance. At least 20% of 2 million computers in Ireland are still working on this ageing platform, and will be exposed to security risks, unless they upgrade their hardware before the deadline. It is also likely that older hardware will use more power and that operations will take longer to run, increasing energy costs.
Camara Education is urging organisations to upgrade and donate their old computer equipment for reuse in education. Reusing computers with Camara is a socially, ethically and environmentally responsible solution to the upcoming phase out. Camara can extend the life of older XP machines by up to five years, to provide disadvantaged students, in Ireland and around the world, with invaluable digital literacy skills and improve the quality of their education.
“ESB is delighted to deploy its old technology in a way that will give children around the world a better chance of breaking free from the cycle of poverty they find themselves in”, said Liam Molloy, ESB’s CIO. “As a result of upgrading our IT equipment to Windows 7, 2,500 of our old computers will be processed for reuse by Camara to provide valuable 21st century skills to disadvantaged communities”.
Camara securely erases all data from each hard drive to US Department of Defence Standard 5220.22M using DBAN, before installing a customised version of Edubuntu 12.04. Edubuntu is an education oriented operating system designed for children of all ages from Linux, which is compatible even with older XP machines. The refurbished computers are then dispatched to one of Camara 's educational hubs around the world.
For more information on donating XP computers to Camara, please click here
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