By Avery Maier ’13, News Editor.
Toshiba only sent CCDS 41 of the 176 tablet computers that were ordered earlier this summer. In fact, most of the computers the school ordered to arrive on August 7 had not even been manufactured on that date.
Many students can’t wait until the day they get their new computer. The excitement builds and finally they walk into the tech office and get a brand new machine. However, on August 17, when students eagerly walked into the tech office, their smiles slowly changed into frowns as they learned they wouldn’t be getting their computers that day because Toshiba had messed up the CCDS order.
At the beginning of the summer CCDS places its orders with Toshiba through a website called Richard’s Computers. The computers are expected to arrive 10 days before the tablet training session so they can be prepped for their new owner’s use. This year the computers did not arrive on the expected date.
“We assumed that the usual big truck with the computers would show up,” said Director of Technology Robert Baker. “No truck showed up. We called Toshiba and they said the truck was coming.”
The truck did arrive, five days late and missing 135 laptops. When it was discovered only 41 laptops had arrived, CCDS got Toshiba on the phone.
“There was an error on Toshiba’s part and they aren’t fessing up,” said Mr. Baker.
The manufacturers are building just enough computers to sell so they won’t lose money in the recession. This means that there is no warehouse holding excess computers to fill our order. They are now pooling their resources to get our computers.
Toshiba has been giving CCDS varied promises on when the computers will ship. “Right now I don’t trust anything they have said until we get a tracking order,” Mr. Baker said.
Toshiba has told Baker that there are 44 tablets in the Continental USA on their way now. There are also supposed to be 91 tablets on a “slow boat from China,” Mr. Baker said.
All new students except for 10 received their computers. These 10 students were given computers from around the school to use as temporary machines until the new ones arrive. The plan is to get the computers to the new students first, then the returning students who have ordered replacements, and then faculty.
“Perhaps the most important aspect of this whole process has been the patience of all parties involved,” said Dr. Greg Martin, academic dean, who also helps out in the Technology department. “Everyone has been very understanding that these kinds of problems are often out of our control. Setbacks are a part of life, and we all roll with the punches. CCDS is an academic institution that teaches more than classroom academics, and I’ve been very proud of the way the entire community has risen to the occasion.”
Once the computers arrive, all members of the technology staff will get to work immediately in order to ensure the shortest turn-around time possible.
“Imaging over 100 computers is a detailed and time-consuming process,” said Dr. Martin. “Normally, it takes a few days to inventory the machines, image them, and distribute them. The technology department and Richard’s will get all hands on deck and work through the night to get computers in the hands of students and faculty in as short a time frame as possible.”
Chase Frederick ’14 is one of the students without a new computer. “My computer works a lot better than a lot of other freshmen computers, so luckily [the missing computers] hasn’t posed too much of an issue,” said Frederick. “It has been annoying not having a new computer. It’s something I have been looking forward to for a while, and I have had this computer since October of 2006. A new computer would just be perfect right about now.”
