Press release February 07, 2002

Only the Best for Saxony
Schools of the federal state of Saxony receive exclusive servers by Nutzwerk and MEGWARE computers

After the federal state of Saxony had signed an outline agreement for the use of the security software SaferSurf, Nutzwerk commissioned the MEGWARE Computer GmbH in Chemnitz with the construction of an optimized server. The schools will get this complete system under exclusive conditions. Both partners agreed on determining the best components for the PC-based server during a test period.

The MEGWARE company offers the whole range of a full service provider for the IT sector. Apart from their own production and distribution, the MEGWARE system points provide professional support, including on-site installation. "Within the frame work of this outline agreement we have committed ourselves to delivering only the best of the best for the schools in Saxony", comments Nutzwerk CEO René Holzer on their reasons for choosing MEGWARE as a partner. "MEGWARE has proven over the years that their products reach the end user professionally and with a constant quality", continues Holzer.

The Nutzwerk safety solution SaferSurf School is already preconfigured on the servers that are delivered to schools. The aim of this solution is to make teachers and people in charge at administrative bodies and offices bring the good sides of the internet more into play. This medium ought to be acknowledged as teaching aid and source of information the same way as books, films or a language laboratory. Nutzwerk has chosen a new way to take away the justified fears. A direct and content-related filtering of the data streams and the release of specific internet addresses has some advantages over filter software. "Responsibility lies with the people in charge again and not with any software. A gradual extension of allowed internet addresses up to and including free surfing without supervision enables students to learn how to responsibly deal with the internet", says Ramona Wonneberger, CEO of the technology company.

Especially in Saxony the topic of safer surfing in the internet is highly discussed. Due to the Saxon interest group "Medios" more and more schools are considering to offer their students the use of computer technology also outside lessons. In addition, the interest group is planning to create "media islands" in schools. Even now it can be assumed that computer technology may and will be used by students without supervision. In this connection it would hardly be feasible to monitor the students' activities by supervisory staff. Verbal answers to questions regarding the compliance with the protection for young people in the internet are almost never accepted in applications. According to an internal survey carried out by Nutzwerk, more than 60 percent of the applications are declined only because schools cannot meet these conditions. With SaferSurf School schools and other educational institutions would be able to come up to the requirements of the protection for young people and the Saxon interest group "Medios".

"We are pleased to produce the optimized hardware for schools in Saxony together with Nutzwerk in order to make the use of SaferSurf even easier. The test will show which components are currently the best on the market", says Peter Ißleib, wholesale manager of MEGWARE. "It is intolerable that schools only get second-rate or third-rate quality for their computer room equipment", continues Ißleib.

MEGWARE ist planning to test all product groups of a server based on PC, from the processor up to and including ISDN cards. Following the test period, which is going to take about one month, Nutzwerk will provide a prototype. Afterwards Nutzwerk is going to port the SaferSurf software onto the individual components. The exclusive special price determined by the outline agreement will be kept by all means.