We spent most of today doing a "mock set-up" of all of the computer parts in my house in Kolkata. We took everything out of their respective boxes and spent a few hours connecting all of the devices together on the floor. Setting up everything ahead of time gave good practice so that we could efficiently set up the computer station in Paushi tomorrow.
We connected the printer to the computer and installed the printer software onto the CPU. We then printed a page from Microsoft Word to check if the printer was working, which it was. An SQL database was developed by members of the BRHS iSTEM Club. This database was designed to store data for the Paushi library, and help keep track of the books. I uploaded the SQL file to the computer and ran it using phpMyAdmin.
We tested the borrowed AirTel card on the computer to make sure that the computer could connect to the internet, which it successfully did. I then created a Skype account for the computer named "PaushiLibrary", which was used to test if the headset/microphone and webcam were working. Everything was going well at that point, so we were happy.
In the afternoon, we had a gentleman from AirTel come to set up the new AirTel card that the computer would be using in the village (The card we had been using was borrowed from a neighbor). He installed the software, but gave us the unfortunate news that it would take 3 WHOLE days to "register" the connection. This is bad as we are demoing the project TOMORROW. We spent the next few hours constantly calling the local AirTel center asking them if they could register the connection today. They kept saying that they would do it "in the next 30 minutes to one hour". That was there response every time we called them, each hour. We called the manager of the AirTel branch and told them the urgency of the connection and that we were doing a project in rural India. We said that he would have it done by the morning.
Counting on his word, we packed all of the computer parts and printer back into their boxes ready for set-up tomorrow when we head to Paushi.
We connected the printer to the computer and installed the printer software onto the CPU. We then printed a page from Microsoft Word to check if the printer was working, which it was. An SQL database was developed by members of the BRHS iSTEM Club. This database was designed to store data for the Paushi library, and help keep track of the books. I uploaded the SQL file to the computer and ran it using phpMyAdmin.
We tested the borrowed AirTel card on the computer to make sure that the computer could connect to the internet, which it successfully did. I then created a Skype account for the computer named "PaushiLibrary", which was used to test if the headset/microphone and webcam were working. Everything was going well at that point, so we were happy.
In the afternoon, we had a gentleman from AirTel come to set up the new AirTel card that the computer would be using in the village (The card we had been using was borrowed from a neighbor). He installed the software, but gave us the unfortunate news that it would take 3 WHOLE days to "register" the connection. This is bad as we are demoing the project TOMORROW. We spent the next few hours constantly calling the local AirTel center asking them if they could register the connection today. They kept saying that they would do it "in the next 30 minutes to one hour". That was there response every time we called them, each hour. We called the manager of the AirTel branch and told them the urgency of the connection and that we were doing a project in rural India. We said that he would have it done by the morning.
Counting on his word, we packed all of the computer parts and printer back into their boxes ready for set-up tomorrow when we head to Paushi.
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