Microsoft products now available as a donation for computer labs

Our Microsoft catalogue has changed a lot over the past six months, and one of the new things you might see are products labelled "Computer Labs Only".

These donated products can only be used on computers that are available to an organisation's beneficiaries or the general public and not on computers assigned to staff members or volunteers:

Note: "Computer Labs Only" products do not come with software assurance.

 

What is a "Computer Lab"?

Despite what the name might suggest, it doesn't have much to do with science!

A computer lab is a space where computer services are provided to a defined community. More specifically, it is a set space where several computers are provided by an organisation and made available to a specific group of people. Most of the time, acceptable use policies will apply, and sometimes time limits will be enforced to ensure fair access to the largest number of people.

In most cases, you will have a set room called the "computer room" or something similar where people can go and use the computers to conduct personal business, do research, complete online training, search for jobs, etc. Computer labs can have both desktops and laptops available for people to use.

Organisations that have computer rooms tend to include:

  • Universities or community colleges
  • Aged care facilities
  • Employment assistance organisations
  • Libraries
  • Community drop-in centres
  • Youth program facilities
  • Migrant assistance centres

 

If your organisation runs a computer lab, view the Microsoft donations available on our website and see how much you could save through TechSoup New Zealand.

If your organisation would like to set up a new computer lab for your community, you might consider buying refurbished computers to save on hardware costs as well!