Most schools have not "gone" to the Mac platform. Most schools started with the Mac platform when they first started getting computers, but many have switched to PC since then.
ponyo
Lifer
- Feb 14, 2002
- 19,688
- 2,811
- 126
Do you even know why Macs are used in school and how it came about? Did you know Apple had the highest education marketshare until couple of years ago when Dell overtook them? If you know any history about Apple and education, you wouldn't be making such dumb comments. Maybe you should learn something about Apple and Macs before you bash them with uneducated comments.
Is this a computer for the students home?
What programs is he going to use? Why specfically is he required to have one? Most of the popular programs use crossplatform file formats anyway.
What programs is he going to use? Why specfically is he required to have one? Most of the popular programs use crossplatform file formats anyway.
My "dumb" comments are that the school's limited funds are FAR better spent on PC solutions than Apple... TODAY! How the hell can you argue with that, Clyde?
ViRGE
Elite Member, Moderator Emeritus
- Oct 9, 1999
- 31,516
- 167
- 106
actually, that's inaccurate and slices away all the important facts that influence businesses using PCs over Macs. Plus, if there was any merit to this argument, Big businesses wouldn't be buying from firms like dell or HP, they'd be buying up cpus and motherboards by the hundreds and making their staff build PCs cuz at the same pricepoint as some organizations spend on workstations, you could definitely have a better machine built.
At the core of it all, is support and headcount. It is always always always headcount or support. Large enterprises don't use Macs simply because it takes longer and costs more to integrate them into an enterprise network than PCs. It's much easier to find documentation on using windows machines and dropping them in eDirectory/Active Directory than it is to get docs on macs. Heck it's leagues easier to find documentation or find a consultant using a windows platform than anything else. Anything that isn't readily suppported or well documented = more man hours which = more $$. It actually has very little to do with the workstations themselves or their performance, rather, it's a matter of cost to integrate.
Schools on the other hand are in a much different environment. They rarely have any truly competent staff onhand because they rarely are able to match the higher salaries you find in corporate america. Plus, they tend to draw on the academic community more, people who are socially uncomfortable having to work with strangers or more hesitant to be opening up support requests. Because of this, there isn't an incentive beyond actual workstation qualifications to choose a vendor. Support costs would be roughly equivalent either way.
Looking at it from a rational perspective, Macs fit educational systems much better than PCs. They are simple and competent enough for basic computing tasks which have never required a new computer. They integrate easily enough into LDAP for basic administration. They come with competent development tools for programming/math related fields. They sit on a fundamentally more secure operating system (os9) or a well known system for academia (osx). They are, arguably, more competent for high end calculations. They're also easier to deploy physically because everything is pretty much USB/firewire.
Plus they fit in better with the "hip" student crowd nowadays. I'd rather have my tax dollars spent on 700 dollar macs that students might use than 400 dollar paperweights no one wants to touch because mommy and daddy have a newer one at home.
Boze
Senior member
- Dec 20, 2004
- 634
- 14
- 91
I'm sorry Macheads, but Ornery is just plain right here.
FACT: Comparable performance Macs cost more than their PC counterparts do.
FACT: Most schools are moving to PC solutions nowadays.
PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING FACT: Graphic designers are just jackasses that won't admit Apple is no longer King of Photoshop.
There is absolutely no reason at all for anyone to own a Mac in this day and age. Windows XP is rock solid, just as solid if not moreso than OS X. The only reason Apple hasn't faded off the planet into silent obvilion is the iPod and iTunes.
FACT: Comparable performance Macs cost more than their PC counterparts do.
FACT: Most schools are moving to PC solutions nowadays.
PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING FACT: Graphic designers are just jackasses that won't admit Apple is no longer King of Photoshop.
There is absolutely no reason at all for anyone to own a Mac in this day and age. Windows XP is rock solid, just as solid if not moreso than OS X. The only reason Apple hasn't faded off the planet into silent obvilion is the iPod and iTunes.
0roo0roo
No Lifer
- Sep 21, 2002
- 64,795
- 84
- 91
just get him a mac. you don't have to worry about him not learning pc, no kid is that sheltered. and no, we aren't forced to manually input irq/dma settings these days, those "skillz" are useless. for school the mac will do whatever he needs to do... knowing how to eek out a few more fps in counterstrike isn't such a valuable skill u know lol
I grew up on an apple IIC, then Macs both at home and school. Yet somehow I know how to use a windows PC. I know, it defies logic. But I promise, It's true.
Adul
Elite Member
You can build older Quicksilver G4 systems - I'd check ebay for those parts. If you're looking to build a G5, you probably will pay more per processor than what it costs for a new one.
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