Vending Machine Dispenses MacBooks for Student Use

[decay]

http://newsblog.drexel.edu/2013/01/04/ve...udent-use/

pretty cool idea!

[samintx]

That is amazing! Someone will figure out how to get all those macs out of the machine tho...if thieves can negotiate ATMs this should be easy.

[cbelt3]

My company repurposed a sandwich vending machine to dispense wire drawing dies to avoid having a tool crib attendant on third shift . One of the crib guys thought it up. He got $$ for the suggestion. AND got to sleep at night !

[ArtP]

I guess with Cloud computing, usb flash drives and the school network - it is do-able.

Amazing concept - thinking back to when I had to save things to floppy disc in the computer lab when I was in college when I didn't use a typewriter,

I wonder how they handle if you go over the 5 hour check out or if the Macbook is stolen while checked out - immediate charge to student account?

[JoeH]

ArtP wrote:
I guess with Cloud computing, usb flash drives and the school network - it is do-able.

Amazing concept - thinking back to when I had to save things to floppy disc in the computer lab when I was in college when I didn't use a typewriter,

I wonder how they handle if you go over the 5 hour check out or if the Macbook is stolen while checked out - immediate charge to student account?

The library I work at looked at vending machines like these for the laptops we lend, decided the cost was not worth it. We also manage to store behind the circulation counter 4 times as many laptops in less space than one of these take.

With the wireless network available and flash drives, many students find borrowing a laptop as needed works okay. Some do have their own laptop, but use ours instead of carrying it around or when theirs is in repair.

We do have students sign a borrower agreement the first time they take one out. It lists replacement and late charges, but we do get plenty who then claim no knowledge of them. But they do pay attention when they get the automatic notices of overdue charges, etc. After a short time the charges do get placed on their account with the university bursar. And yes, that has included a few total replacement cost charges over the 6+ years we have been lending.

[decay]

Drexel is one of the first universities to require incoming freshmen to purchase a Macintosh computer... early 1984, to be exact.

i have a hunch they know what they're doing.