Posted on 02/12/2002 4:51:44 AM PST by Vermonter
Editor's note: AnchorDesk is pleased to present guest columnist Bob Shier. A public school educator for more than 30 years, Shier lives in the Kansas City, Missouri area.
As an instructor of computer literacy in an all-Windows environment, I'm sometimes asked "would I ever consider using a Mac?" My answer: in a heartbeat!
So why am I teaching on Windows machines? Two reasons: peer pressure (we all accept that adolescents are slavishly conformist, but don't always recognize that the herd instinct is still present among adults), and false economies.
OFTEN, "fiscal responsibility" is cited as the reason to choose Windows over Macs. I suggest that there are two kinds of economy involved here: an out-of-the-box economy, and a down-the-road economy.
Of course, schools buy the cheapest boxes they can find--we're taxpayer funded, after all. Windows machines can be purchased for a somewhat lower initial investment.
Almost at once, however, the down-the-road aspect of the platform decision comes into play.
Here's my historical perspective.
FOR TEN YEARS, our school had an all-Mac lab. After a couple of years, they weren't as flashy as the new PCs in other district labs. But they kept chugging along year after year, doing exactly what we asked.
I did all hardware and software support as well as maintenance on the Macs, which amounted to cleaning the mice a couple of times a year and wiping off a monitor screen now and then.
Now that we have an all-Windows environment, I'm lucky to ever have more than 28 out of 30 machines functioning at any one time. Often less. I've started secretly hoping that some students will be sick from school during each class, just so nobody has to do without.
Regardless of how often technical-support people come, or how many things they fix, more problems show up as soon as they leave. If it's not bad memory, it's bad power supplies. If it's not bad motherboards, then it's bad hard drives. And when it's none of those, it's a software glitch that nobody has a clue how to fix.
For the tech support people, the time lag between my reporting a problem and its resolution may seem a minor matter. However, the phrase "mission critical" takes on new meaning as each new crop of impatient, exuberant, and hormonally enhanced adolescents enters my room each period.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT of staff time required just to keep these machines functional is an order of magnitude higher than what we experienced with the Macs. It almost defies belief.
Worse, the false economy of PCs is mostly buried under a ton of paper somewhere in the yearly budget document. In our case, personnel costs come from an entirely different piece of the budget pie than computer hardware.
Along with the false economy with Windows, I also can't find any real academic reason to go with the platform.
Over the past dozen or so years, PCs blanketed businesses everywhere and adults became more technologically comfortable. And parents started telling me to replace my Macs with PCs.
Their admonitions and opinions were not based upon any analysis of the efficiency and efficacy of computers in an educational environment. Rather, it was simply whatever they were using at work and whatever machine their friends had.
THE PARENTAL DEMAND that we teach kids to use "what's out there" is well-meant. It's based upon an understandable desire that children should become employable--that they should be able to conform to the prevalent platform of the workplace. The fact that the "prevalent platform" is in a constant state of flux is another matter entirely.
I'll add that just because you learn to drive in a Ford does not preclude you from eventually driving a Chevy. Same difference with standard productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office, which is available across platforms. But then, any general operation in a Mac application will be much the same in comparable Windows software, even if the exact machinations necessary to effect a result are slightly different.
For simple elegance of design, ease of use, and economy of operation, there's simply no comparison between the two platforms. If you want to work for the machine, go with Windows. If you want the machine to work for you, go with the Mac.
And that's what I really want for my students.
Where does it say I want to convert you? If you don't agree with the subject, there are hundreds of other threads here to visit.
Talk about Jehovah's Witnesses, who's trying to convert who?
Took 9 posts to get to the heart of the matter and the truth.
Actually, that's changing dramatically. Its now most cost effective than ever before to write, edit and produce your own movies (with special effects) on a computer, and the Mac is leading the way. 100+ scenes from Lucas' movie were made on an iMac with OS X and the lastest rendering software. So did the Hobbit. ESPN has done a couple specials, all using iMacs and the latest software -- if your field is visual arts, (which is expanding) then graphics is where its at for you -- and the Mac is simply better- because that's what it was designed to do.
There other fabulous applications - not associated with graphics - mathematica (a word processor for methematicians) which I believe only exists on OS X.
The Objective-C language which Apple is pushing on X is extremely powerful - that's technology from NeXT which Apple has bought. Back then, it was lauded as being 20 years ahead of its time.
They increase costs, require expensive upgrades and repair, and the average score for kids has been dropping since their introduction.
I'd consider an introduction to computers in high school for technical education...but use the years up to that point to teach the kids how to THINK, not input...
Like the housing and property industry which is run by the axium Location, Location, Location the CIA uses Macs because of Security, Security, Security.
The biggest factor in favor of PC over Macs is the availibility of applications. Go to comp USA or Best Buys and look at the size of the pc apps section then look at the mac apps section, EOS.
In some respects what Johnny is learning in school won't really apply to the real world. How much will change in the next 4-8 years between when the kiddie is in HS and when they are in the real world?
As for the Internet, Browsers and emils are pretty generic and the platform doesn't matter very much.
Agreed! The computer can be a valuable tool, but it can not replace a traditional rigorous education.
Oh? Which part(s?) would that be?
To educate the fine students of Maine for challenging careers in janitorial sciences.
I have used every operating system since DOS 3.0, and CP/M before that. If your computers run Win98 or Win2000 they will give you no trouble unless you abuse them.
Macs have a secret appeal for hippies, because they still have a "maverick" image. People who use them have a warm fuzzy feeling because they are defying "the system." But there's no point in training kids to use an operating system that has less than 10% of the market.
And, by the way, the real problem is that you can't easily teach kids to use computers in school, where the teachers probably know less about them than your kids do. They learn much more fooling around with them at home.
Funny you read it that way, I've read: "Macs are for pansies" countless times.
It all depends what your needs are. For me, If I ever need to run Windows, or Linux, I can run it in a separate window and just drag drop to my OS X desktop. I can have access to every imaginable piece of software available to me for both Windows and Mac and run it on my Mac. I'm extremely particular about the monitor. I just happen to like Apple's monitors. Their color sync technology reall lets me see true color. I got a nice fact machine that can do anything and is easy on the eyes. I'm happy.
BUMP!!
Try standing up and stating that position at a school budget meeting and be prepared to run for your life.
I was involved, early on, in our school's technology committee as they ramped up the computer budget. The parents want their kids to have computers and the teachers want only the best and latest..... and somebody else responsible for keeping it working.
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