The expansion of Boise's geothermal heating system to Boise State University gets a boost. A $250,000 senate appropriations bill designated by a committee vote for use on the project will equip seven large buildings to use the technology. The change from traditional heating is expected to save the university as much as $400,000 a year.
Acer's pending acquisition of Gateway name brand and education business may increase its channel presence. However, John Spooner, a senior analyst at the Computer Business Quarterly division of Technology Business Research, a Hampton, N.H.-based consulting firm, said the professional business could be expected to go to smaller direct vendors such as MPC Computers, Nampa, Idaho, which might be looking to expand its channel.