June 16,2000 UNT Inhouse publication: Building university's computers on campus increases quality, savings

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Building university's computers on campus increases quality, savings

Hidden on the fifth floor of the General Academic Building is UNT's own computer factory — the Microcomputer Maintenance Shop (MMS).

More than 1,000 computers a year are pumped out of this small, two-room shop, where half a dozen staff members and 10 students work. And the best part of this little secret is that it's been around since 1986.

"It's almost unheard of for a university to assemble its own computers," says Jim Curry, MMS director. "When this began, there were fewer than 500 computers and I sweated over every one. Now there are 8,864 computers throughout the university that we produce and maintain."

Originally, the Department of Computer Sciences cared for the computers bought by the university, Curry says. But as the university obtained more computers, the one-man operation in the computer sciences department became an independent entity.

"When MMS began, computers were something that only eggheads and nerds used — you had to get into the nuts and bolts of computers and computer language," says Monty Slayton, the computer systems manager who oversees the building of UNT's computers. "Now computers are used by everyone, and as usage has grown, so has the need for people to care for them."

Most universities buy commercial ready-to-use computers, but by building them internally UNT improves quality and saves maintenance money.

MMS also repairs the hardware for off-the-shelf models such as Macintosh computers.

Before the UNT-made computers are ever assembled, Slayton goes through months of quality comparisons of everything from the CD-ROMs to the motherboards.

After selecting a group of potential parts, he puts them through rigorous testing. Using programs created by UNT faculty members, he puts computer component candidates through hours of wear and tear.

"It's no small task," Slayton says. "But the end results are high-quality computers that can take a real beating, whether they're running nonstop for days on end or placed in high-temperature corners smothered by books and papers."

Computers that came off the MMS assembly line in 1986, and those produced in the 14 years hence, have proven to be reliable. Only a few dozen of the 8,800 UNT computers need service in a typical week.

"We use the finest components to make high-quality computers," Curry says. "And we must make sure these computers work with every type of software or operating system."

Although Curry and Slayton are proud of MMS' evolution, Curry did not envision such a major role for MMS at the beginning. He had just earned a master's degree in physics at UNT when he began the one-man shop.

Slayton had a bachelor of business administration from East Texas State University, where he also studied graphic arts. He combined his studies with his interest in computers. At the time, computers were just a hobby.

"I started by playing around with a Commodore 64 — taking it apart and putting it back together," Slayton says. "That was back when a hard drive was something you did on a Sunday afternoon road trip."

For Curry, what began as a small labor of love has grown into a vital asset for the university.

"So much has changed in just the last decade with computers and with us," Curry says. "When I think about the future I'm just amazed."