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What Should a Community Computer Lab Offer?

Posted by Cliff on from the improving-the-neighborhood-through-technology dept.

Ballresin asks: "A local computer company is expanding and including a computer lab in their setup, and they want me to come in as its Administrator. I am supposed to be giving them input on what to teach/host. What does Slashdot think a medium sized tourist town (Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, Iowa) should have to offer to the locals? I was thinking something along the lines of 'How to Use Windows 101' and 'How to Use Office 101'. My compatriots want to offer some off-the-wall classes such as 'Hacker Ethics: Why and How' and a few other odd classes. I have polled people in the area, which resulted the discovery that 80% of them are from out of town, so don't really care. What you guys think; What kind of classes or what games/LAN party setups should a new, small business offer? Any ideas/input is greatly appreciated."

8 of 383 comments (clear)

  1. How to find pr0n 101 by Hogwash+McFly · · Score: 3, Funny

    No explanation needed....

    --
    Mother, do you think they'll like this sig?
    1. Re:How to find pr0n 101 by Kalren · · Score: 3, Funny

      ...and how to hide it...

  2. Prerequisites. by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would set up a system of prerequisites, like they have in colleges or something, where the one main prerequisite to everything else is Computers 101: Assembly Programming with the Zilog z80 Microprocessor. After that, you can teach them how to use Windows XP; you know, things like how to move a mouse cursor, how to minimize and maximize windows on the display, etc.

    1. Re:Prerequisites. by Lemmy+Caution · · Score: 3, Funny

      There's one skill you can teach to get people ready for the opportunities in the booming computer industry: "Hindi for beginners" and "Basic business Russian."

  3. WEPOS by rowanxmas · · Score: 3, Funny

    So back in the day my roomates and I designed an Operating System for the 21st Century, it was called: WEPOS.

    WEPOS is the Warcraft, E-Mail, Porn Operating System.

    I think that an off-the-shelf WEPOS system should facilitate all needs of the locals.

  4. Re:Web and EMail is where it's at by Dark+Paladin · · Score: 3, Funny

    And teach people HOW NOT TO SHOUT.

    I'd include more, but the LAMENESS FILTER piped up.

    --
    52 Weeks, 52 Religions with John Hummel
  5. call them "certifications" by utexaspunk · · Score: 4, Funny

    call them "certifications" and make stupid little "certificates" for them to hang on their walls. maybe then a local business will try to get all their employees "certified". it seems to make the people in my office think they're competent... you may also want to offer testing.

  6. Re:Our community lab... by Xerithane · · Score: 3, Funny

    Building a Webpage Without a star-pattern as a background nor using the blink tag. would be a better course.

    Just my $0.02.

    --
    Dacels Jewelers can't be trusted.