🚀 go-pugleaf

In response to Tom Brestel's comments on the use of the Mac vs the
IBM/clones for teaching, I have to say that the Mac is far easier to use
than the IBM types. I've used both types both at my high school and at
the Univ of Colo since their introductions and the STUDENT response (the
most important factor here - not the teacher's) is overwhelming for the
Mac.  A couple of points of fact - 1. CU's physiology lab dropped using
all their IBM's in the labs because it was taking about 2 weeks to get
the students comfortable with the computers before even starting on the
meat of the course.  With the Macs it takes 2 or 3 days to get to the
same point.    2. the open computer lab at the CU library held
about 30 IBM's and 60 Mac's;  only 1 or 2 IBM's were used while students
had to take a number and wait for a Mac.  When polled, the student
response was simply that the Mac's were easier to use.  They've now moved
out most of the IBMs and put in more Macs.
One argument that I hear often is that there's so much more IBM
software.  I agree that there is, but most of it is simply redundant and
the games are part of that count.  There may be 100 word processors for
the IBM and only 25 for the Mac, but most people I know only use one, and
the best one for each machine is almost identical.

The bottom line is simply to find the software and then the hardware to
do the most effective job - in this case teach non-computer stuff by
using a computer - and the Mac does a better job.  The IBM certainly has
many advantages for some things, ease of programming for one, but, just
as there is no "one best car" there is no "one best computer."  Sometimes
you need the ol' pickup and sometimes you need sedan.  My science wing at
BHS is home to 50 Mac's, 5 IBMs, and even 5 or 6 old Apple II's.  They
All get used.  And even many of the Mac's run SoftPC to emmulate an IBM
at any time, and 20 of the machines have Apple IIe cards to run all of
that educational Apple software too.  3 machines in 1 !!  Do that on your
IBM Tom.

(PS I personally own 2 Macs and 2 IBMs, they all get used often but in
different ways)

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Bob Carlisle                                            *
Physics/Astronomy/Computer Technology                *       *
Boulder High School
Boulder, Colorado 80302                                 ***
ph: (303) 442-2430                                      *
email: bcarlisl@bvsd.k12.co.us                        *     *
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