[ILUG] [OT] computers in schools..

[Donncha O Caoimh]

I'm helping a local Gaelscoil buy computers. Most of them will be
running Windows, but there's going to be a Linux server in there too
doing the important bits. (that was the on-topic bit)

What's bugging me is the fact that it turns out they must buy computers
with Pentium III CPUs! I was planning on using Celeron chips, and even
had a quote for same, but it seems that Dept. of Education Guidelines
stipulate the use of Pentium III chips. 
I haven't seen the guidelines, and maybe they recommend "Pentium class"
CPUs, which I would categorise the Celeron as.

Has anyone else come across this already? And more importantly, if they
ignored such "guidelines" and went for cheaper CPUs were they eligible
for funding/reimbursements/etc from the Dept. for those computers?

Donncha.
PS. and there, didn't once mention corporate conspiracies, or leveraging
government dept. to do the bidding of big multi-national companies.. :)