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March 24, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
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March 24, 2006
 
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Microsoft to help satisfy tech needs at Hy East and West Class action settlement means $39K for two schools As part of a class action suit settlement , computer giant Mi- crosoft will provide about $39,000 in hardware and software vouch- ers to Hyannis East and West elementary schools. Under the settlement, schools with reater than 50 percent of their students on free and re- duced lunch are eligible for such vouchers, which must be re- deemed by February 2009. Interim Superintendent Tom McDonald said that the paper- work was completed and filed in December, in advance of the Feb. 21 deadline. In the case, Microsoft was ac- cused of using anti-competitive means to maintain a monopoly in markets for certain software, and that as a result overcharged Massachusetts consumers who licensed its MS-DOS, Windows, Word, Excel and Office software. The company denied the allega- tion, but agreed to this voucher system as part of an overall $174 million settlement. The two schools in Barnstable that meet the 50 percent free and reduced threshold are Hyannis East, with 65 percent of its popu- lation, and Hyannis West, with a little more than 50 percent. Barnstable received credit for qualifying Microsoft licenses it purchased from 1996 through 2002. "You gonna buy Apple?" school committee member David Trawler asked McDonald. McDonald diplomatically said that he would leave those deci- sions to the technology coordina- tor. Under the settlement, how- ever, Apple computers would be perfectly acceptable. Accord- ing to the official settlement Web site, qualifying hardware includes "personal computers, laptop computers, tablet PCs and Apple Macintosh computers." Qualifying software includes "any software title, including titles not published by Microsoft. " DS II dstill@barnstablepatriot.com There's no place like Home Show Annual Rotary event this weekend Now that spring has of- ficially sprung ,many folks are getting into that spring cleaning spirit.If aremodel- ing project is in the works for your home or garden, make it a point to stop by the Hyannis Rotary Club's Annual Home Show. There will be 125 booths featuring a wide variety of home and garden displays includingthe latest inhome appliances,landscapingand gardening. A food court will offer sandwiches, pizza and bev- erages and children will enjoy face painting, balloon artists and clowns. The Home Show will be held tomorrow from 10 a.m. until6p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the Field House at Barnstable High School on West Main Street in Hyannis. Formoreinformation,visit www.hyannisrotary.org. Making music and money between stops Proposal to pipe music, programming into Barnstable buses considered By David Still II dstill@barnstablepatriot.com Music by the busload is what a company has in mind for school transportation in Barnstable and beyond. BusRadio,anewNeedham- based company,is looking to line up school districts for a service it plans to launch next fall. There would be no charge to either the district or the bus operator toinstallor maintain the equipment. The captive audience the transportation servicesystemprovides would be reward enough. Stephen Shulman, school coordinator for the company, said that one of the things that attracted the Bus Radio to Barnstablewasits efficient use of buses, which means a consistently high number of students on each bus. SandyGifford,the district's transportation coordinator, heard about the proposal and "thought it was a great idea. "You're givingthe bus driv- ersthe opportunityto have an additional tool," Gifford told the committee."This is atool that will help them." Shulman said that trials in Woburn , Wakefield and Wilmington last year went well, with reported reduc- tions in student problems, and increased awareness of bus safety policies. All of the drivers in the pilot program indicated they would use such a system again, Shul- man said. CommitteechairmanRalph Cahoon wondered about the advertising content. Revenues comefrom adver- tising on the controlled air- waves, but Shulman said the companywouldworkwiththe district to ensure program- ming meets local standards, including the types of song and advertising. "We make our money by sellingadvertising,"Shulman said, "We do share 5 percent of that advertising with the school districts that partici- pate. "We're very aware of what types of commercial's we're going to play," Shulman said. The plan is to have two broadcasts,one forjunior and highschools and the other for elementary grades. "We'dhiretherightDJs and programmers and keep it ap- propriate," Shulman said. Shulmansaidthat the com- panyunderstands that itmay have some students for 15 minutes and others for 45, so themessagesareprogrammed to occur regularly, but each program would be at least an hour long, so it wouldn't repeat. The system works with cel- lular technology and is cus- tomizedforthe schooldistrict. There would be opportunities for the systemto place itsown publicserviceannouncements on the air. Theadvertisingcontentwas estimated at about 6percent, Shulman said, responding to aquestion from Town Council liaison Janice Barton, who's worked in radio sales. Avideopresentationinclud- ing sound clips of the public service announcements and DJ banter was played for the committee, which appeared interested in learning more about the concept. Vice Chair Pat Murphy's background in high tech led to an obvious question about where the money to start this is coming from. Bus Radio is backed by a venture capital firm and is "fully funded," according to Shulman Whilenot disclosing the source, he told Murphy that "he'd be pleased" with the backers. Murphy said that while he doesn't think it's a bad idea, part of the investigation is "understanding who you are, whetheryou'llbe around next year." School committee student envoy Meghan Wareham, a BHSjunior,sawthe presenta- tion and deemed it "a really good idea," as long as what's played iswhat students want to hear. Shulman said that there is an associated Web site for each district where students could log on, make requests and affect what gets played. He saidthat it'senvisioned to become something of a com- munity in its own right, with students making requests and then seeing what come on the next time they get on the bus. The units cost about $2,000 each to install, representing about $90,000 in up-front costs for Bus Radio to equip Barnstable 's 45 contracted buses. Tuesday'spresentation was anintroduction tothe concept and with the encouragement ofthe school committee,more work willbe done to see if it's aroute Barnstable buses will travel. More information about Bus Radio can be found on-line at www.busradio. com. By Patriot Staff TJI@barnstablepatriot If you're Osamabin Laden orWhiteyBulger,where'sthe safest place to hide? In the number one and two slots of the FBI's most-wanted list, apparently. Maybe they should demote these guys and see if that helps.... We were checking the spelling of a popular band when we learned that putting in "Ra- diohead" on a Google search brought 22,300,000hits.Fans of classical music need not fear,however:"Mozart" sum- moned 75,200,000hits....The scammers keep inventing new ways to part you from yourmoney.The latest we've heard of is phony magazine subscriptionrenewals.Keep good records and don't send off apayment withoutcheck- ing ...Plymouth-CarverHigh SchoolClassof 1986members are invited to join their old friendsOct.7atPlimothPlan- tation for their 20th reunion. Call 508-747-3021 or write to pchsreunionf@yahoo.com.... lilt J<^iX \i*> *jf e' Jjfilfe " * k ¦ I 00* JPf piii- ...v:...;. I !Jkt&- ¦- ¦ I ^ ' ^SP* /^tapecodbank.com | Bk«* .^^HtI IMH B ! iyl ll ia^H Ki t iWMur^ i ^W^V^r" ¦ ¦ mK^BmL^ HM /%. 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