October 18, 2000 - Affordable and reliable, easy-to-use computers are now a reality at the Jules Verne Secondary School in Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany, thanks to the deployment of 'thin clients'. Thin clients are low-cost, low maintenance computers that are networked into a centrally controlled server within the school. In a project that is the first of its kind in the Federal Republic of Germany, National Semiconductor, the world's leading thin client technology enabler, and the Bertelsmann Foundation, the biggest private operative foundation in Germany, are using this thin client technology to bring computing power and Internet access to the Jules Verne School.
In the thin client network, one central computer (server) stores all the data and executes all of the software programs. Data and programs are accessible via screen and keyboard on an unlimited number of thin client terminals throughout the Berlin school making expensive maintenance of individual PCs a thing of the past. Initially, two computer rooms, classrooms, laboratories, the library, literary caf?nd the staff-room will be integrated into the school's new network.
At today's opening ceremony, Klaus B?ger, Berlin's Senator for Schools, Youth and Sport, underlined the importance of new media in education. According to Senator B?ger this should be a given also for general education. He praised the Jules Verne Secondary School for its outstanding work. Furthermore, B?ger pointed out the advantages of the media project: "The new network technology is innovative, allows for quick and flexible exchange of information and offers excellent opportunities for instruction."
National Semiconductor and its project partners (DGW Datennetze GmbH, Infomatec IAS GmbH) have together invested DM 200,000 in the sponsored project. National leads the way with its family of highly integrated Geode? processors for thin client technology to deliver affordable computing power within the reach of schools worldwide.
Detlev Kunz, Vice President and General Manager, National Semiconductor, Europe, explained, "we believe it is vital that the younger generation has the possibility to use the newest technology for the Internet and computer aided education. When technology is accessible, easy-to-use, and reliable, pupils, teachers, and administrators can push the boundaries of learning to new heights. The concept of thin client addresses the challenges of technology in education: cost of computers, installation and maintenance; training of teachers, data security and overall reliability. These are the basic thin client benefits we are able to demonstrate with our ThinClient@School? initiatives all over the world."
The general manager of the Bertelsmann Foundation, Dr. Andreas Schl?ter, pointed out the educational benefits of the new network technology: "Working with the thin clients enables a networked team experience to learn together and from each other. This enormously enhances the abilities of the students to communicate with each other." Furthermore Dr. Schl?ter explained that the reliability of this new technology is the key benefit in order to convince even skeptical teachers to adopt it for their daily classroom work.
Since one year the Jules Verne Secondary School already belongs to the global 'Media Schools Network' initiated by the Bertelsmann Foundation. This initiative comprises a network of the twelve leading so-called 'media schools' in the Federal Republic of Germany. The Bertelsmann Foundation supports the work of the global initiative with half a million Deutschmarks. In a countrywide contest the Jules Verne School had been able to qualify itself among 110 applications.
About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor provides system-on-a-chip solutions for the information age. Combining real-world analog and state-of the-art digital technology, the company's chips lead many sectors of the personal computer, communications, and consumer markets. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $2.1 billion for its last fiscal year and has about 10,500 employees worldwide. Additional company and product information is available on the World Wide Web at www.national.com.
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