Hi All:

I am seeking recommendations for motherboards (to
be used in upgrading school computers) that meet
the following criteria:

   1. Baby AT (or smaller) Socket 7 motherboard
       supporting classic Pentium (P54C), Pentium MMX
       (P55C), AMD K-5, K-6, Cyrix, IBM, IDT Winchips
       CPUs (support for the AMD K6-2 3D CPUs is
       desirable but not expected) , contain at least three
       16-bit ISA slots and use proven, mainstream
       chipsets and onboard ports.

   2. Suitable for use in upgrading existing computers
       of a variety of case form factors where ease of
       configuration and installation is desirable. However,
       jumperless designs are not desirable because they
       are not sufficiently tamperproof.

   3. Quality, compatibility, dependability and durability
       (as grade school students will be the users) are
       mandatory.

   4. Must be from an established company with an
       acceptable (industry standards) warranty, good
       real time and on-line support and whose products
       have a low RMA rate.

   5. Cost of product is important and will be bought
       in volume at wholesale, with a price ceiling of, say,
       $80 per unit (value is always a factor).

   6. Excellent motherboards with integrated, industry
       standard sound and video chipsets would be also
       be considered.

The motherboards would be used to upgrade a variety of
existing and donated computers for 1-12 grade schools
which require Pentium class, multimedia computers suitable
for Internet use. The flexibility in CPU type is necessary
because the CPUs will be purchased in smaller quantities,
as required, and market price is a primary factor. College
students would provide the labor and retrofitting will be
required. Proprietary system units will not be upgraded.

The College will also have to provide warranty service on the
upgraded computers so no "come backs" is more desirable
than saving a few dollars or getting the latest and greatest
motherboard. Of course, the learning experience for the
student computer technicians is important but we want to
STANDARDIZE on a particular, excellent motherboard
which will be easy to train the inexperienced to configure
and install in cases of various sizes.

Important factors are production efficiency, product quality,
superb layout design, adaptability, supportability, compatibility
with other components (new, used legacy and budget),
durability, safety, and foolproofness (both for the user and
builder). We will trade off support of Super Socket 7 CPUs,
speed, top name brand products, and secondary advantages
for these factors.

As a matter of example, we currently use the Shuttle 569A
motherboards in our own computer service labs (about $70
wholesale).

PC businesses often select a motherboard to standardize
on in their shops and may make certain compromises for
profit concerns and marketing advantages, so their buying
decision may be based on different criteria. Nonetheless, I
am highly interested in the opinions of such businesses.

Thanks, in advance, for your opinions and comments.

Regards,

John Chin

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