=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
This E-mail is Sponsored by: Small Dog Electronics
--> Specializing in New & Factory Refurbished Apple computers <--
Surf to <http://www.smalldog.com> Check out our daily specials!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=962
Haddad: Uncertain Future of Apple in Schools
By Remy Davison, Insanely Great Mac
September 19th 2002
Apple Ed position under challenge, but installed base not dead by a long shot.
Charles Haddad''s latest column concludes optimistically, but the picture he paints
isn''t an especially pretty one.
While Haddad notes that 1990s students worked with Macs at school and then took jobs
on Windows machines after graduation, this didn''t kill Apple.
Nevertheless, Haddad cites the now-infamous Q1 2002 IDC figures on education
shipments, with Dell roughly doubling Apple''s share.
However, these figures are highly misleading. They do not take into account the
installed base of Macs, which, according to some estimates, significantly outnumber
any individual brand of Windows machine.
But there is little doubt the Wintel presence is growing, particularly as pressure
from parents, citing the "business uses Windows" argument, mounts. Schools, of course,
respond to parental pressure. And parents see Windows at work. It''s nonsensical to
suggest, of course, that using a Mac precludes one from using Windows (it''s simply
annoying and less productive when you switch to Wintel). And the argument that "this
is what they use in business" doesn''t wash. When the kids started using computers at
school, they probably used Win 3.1 or 95 and Word 6.
We don''t think there are too many (solvent) businesses out there now using those
Windows versions.
Moreover, as Haddad points out, it''s well known that MCSCs and Windows admins prefer
not to work with Macs in many cases, and they are frequently responsible for
purchasing decisions.
Haddad points to OS X as one technology which makes networking Macs with Windows
machines more seamless, and argues that Apple needs to do all it can to make Windows
networking absolutely transparent.
As Jobs pointed out at both New York and Paris, Rendezvous, and the adoption of this
technology by a number of major printer vendors, is the right road to take.
Personally, what I''d like to see is Windows networking as simple as FireWire
networking: plug in the ethernet cable; the Mac auto-senses a Wintel machine. If it''s
passworded, a dialog box pops up requesting a password. Much like shared volumes on
AppleTalk networks.
It''s not quite as easy as this on OS X, but it''s getting closer. The seamless
printing will see to that shortly.
Haddad raises another issue: teachers. Do they prefer Macs? Are they themselves more
productive with Macs? And are students more productive or proficient with Macs? We''d
be interested to hear the response from the front line.
[ Article revisions with corrections and updates are available on the Web site.
Read and post article comments at:
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=962 ]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Copyright (c) 2002 Insanely Great Mac. All rights reserved. This article
may not be republished in part or whole without explicit written
permission from Insanely Great Mac.
Brought to you by Insanely Great Mac <http://www.insanely-great.com/>
To SUBSCRIBE - send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with subject
subscribe macnews
To UNSUBSCRIBE - send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with subject
unsubscribe macnews
Subscription problems/questions please email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
