Should teachers boycott PCs and start buying Apple en masse?

[Orlandodem]

Can we put a dent in the wallet of Bill Gates? I know he's not CEO of Microsoft but at the very least this is another way that 4,000,000 teachers could make a statement against RTTT and the Billionaire Boys Club.

[Donnachaidh]

1. it's not up to the teachers - it's up to the admins

And I know from my school district that Dell and other companies offer far better prices on computers than Apple. These folks are working with limited funding, and Appke hasn't offered real good prices to any of them.

[underpants]

2. Can they afford Macs?

They spend enough of their money on their job as it is

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Macs are far less expensive, especially for teachers

Apple gives an educator discount. Plus they always have freebies they throw in.

Bought a new computer yesterday. Got a printer and an iPod Touch free. And some software. Plus $100 off for educator discount. Ended up saving over 30% of retail cost.

Before my husband became a Mac owner, we both bought computers one year. Mine was a Mac that cost twice what his PC setup cost. Within a year, he was beginning to replace components. Five years later, my Mac still ran great with no problems and his PC system was fried. We did the math and he had spent more than I had and had nothing. That's when he bought a Mac.

[underpants]

12. That is great about the educator discounts

Yes Macs are clearly superior it is just that the upfront cost is prohibitive to many.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. The discount used to be bigger

Now they throw in freebies with a reduced discount.

[Dinger]

18. IOur School HAs Always Had Macs

We have a lab with PCs, but our classrooms, offices, and most labs have always had Macs. They're excellent. I have always had a Mac. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. We have Macs for the kids in the classrooms and the lab

And all the teachers and the office use PCs. They are crap. I was in two buildings last year and had a PC in both classrooms. Neither one worked. Put in work orders constantly. One unit was only a year old and the tech staff kept telling me it was under warranty and would be replaced. But it never was. It was very frustrating because we do EVERYTHING online these days. All of our paperwork is online. And I played games all year trying to find a working computer I could use for 30 minute spells to get my work done.

Finally in March, I was told I would be getting a new computer to replace the one under warranty. It never came. Then during the last week of school, the tech staff showed up to pick up the new computer cause the building was closing. I told them I never got it and the tech laughed and asked if I didn't just take it home. I said no, I don't use piece of crap PCs in my home. But if it had been a brand new Mac, I would have been very tempted. LOL

Between the crappy PCs I have had to deal with at school and our overworked and overwhelmed tech department, I'd much rather have a Mac on my desk.

[Warpy]

3. Linux is getting better and better

and I have to say the transition from XP to Ubuntu was a hell of a lot easier than the transition from XP to Win 7, an OS that still drives me nuts as so many of my favorite features are missing from it. It drives me so nuts that I'm typing this on a refurbished Dell with XP, a machine I bought online for peanuts when my old XP box cooked itself.

I can see Linux eventually taking over a large part of the market, the school market included, as Microschlock continues to produce bloatware full of cutesy features that nobody wants and lacking the good features it used to have.

[RC]

5. I second your Linux.

I am satisfied with my Ubuntu PC box. The FTP program KompoZer is better than any windows equivalent.

[pocoloco]

10. Ubuntu for several years but would now suggest LinuxMint

for the Linux newby. It's basically Ubuntu with almost everything
you need already installed and ready to go.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Been there done that for years now

I don't buy PCs. I bought a little PC notebook last year and it's garbage. First and last PC I'll ever own.

I'm replying on my brand new iMac, bought tax free yesterday. :bounce:

[Mika]

8. An important tip for your new iMac.

Keep it cool.

Every now and then regularly vacuum out all of the air vents - do not blow air into the machine to clean dust.

A known issue with iMacs (including the newest models) is heat screwing with the LCD/vid control card.
I've had a few screens go bad - and they are EXPENSIVE to replace.
I'm posting with an iMac connected to an Acer monitor because the iMac screen is flickering and displaying vertical colored lines (common w/ overheated imacs).

Otherwise, its a great machine.

:hi:

---

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Thanks for the advice!

:hi:

[LiberalArkie]

11. Another one to consider it the mac mini.

A great little machine, especially if you already have a monitor and USB keyboard and mouse... I love it.. I also go a mac book pro when I finally gave up on windows.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. That was my intent

I was going to buy a Mac Mini and a monitor, etc. But with the sales tax forgiven and the freebies thrown in, I got more than I wanted for less than the Mini setup would have cost me.

[stray cat]

6. Maybe we can boycott funds for education to so we can be both free and broke

[msongs]

13. yeah let's teach kids to use something with less than 5% market share. ok nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Macs are a lot more user friendly and better for kids

especially kids who don't have much experience with computers. Very few of my students have computers at home. So I prefer using Macs at school.

[RC]

16. That's great till they get a job and have to use a Windows machine.

Learning in easier when you don't have to unlearn a bunch of stuff.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. LOL never a problem yet

I learned on a Mac and then my district decided to give us all PCs for our personal use. I quickly learned they sucked. Other than that, it was a very smooth transition.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. Bang for the buck, PC still kick Apple's butt on a daily basis as all around machines

Linux is getting better, but triple net, the PC with Windows is still the right answer

[MadHound]

25. That's the flaw, "all around machines."

Let's say that I hypothetically agree with that statement.

The fact of the matter is that in an educational setting, Macs are better suited. First, Macs excel at presentation and graphics type programs. That is always where they have made their bones. That is exactly what computers in classrooms, especially elementary and middle school classrooms use computers for.

Secondly, the cost. Apple has always given deep educational discounts, in fact they give away a hell of a lot of computers.

Third, durability. Macs last, that's a fact. While I rarely see any PC's still working after ten, fifteen years, I do see Macs that old, in the classroom and doing work. Furthermore, Mac's lack of viral infection is perfect for kids and the internet.

And education is one area where software for Macs exceed.

So, while maybe PC's are all around better, Mac's are much better in the classroom.

[mzteris]

21. No. What a ridiculous idea. n/t

[alp227]

23. First time I encountered a PC for student use on campus? High school. LOL

(This coming from a lifetime Windows user who's put up with the Macintosh in the classroom.)

I guess if the tech support doesn't want to deal with viruses or the usual PC idiocy they might as well get Macs for the classroom. In some cases (like computer programming class) you might need PC or Linux or Ubuntu, because Mac might not suit the class needs.

[Hannah Bell]

24. yes (even though jobs is a school deformer too, just on a smaller scale).

if you can do it, it's a good idea.

hit the sob's anywhere you can -- is always a good idea.

i notice some of the usual suspects are horrified at the thought.

only the violence & economic warfare of the rulers is sanctioned.

when the peons fight back, it's anathema.

to some.