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Concerns about LCD durability

topgunn

topgunn

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 5, 2004
1,556
2,060
Houston
I am wondering if any of you out there have small children (ages 2-4 or so) who use a computer with an LCD. I have two young children who have recently developed an interest in educational software and, despite my best efforts to teach them otherwise, love to touch things on the screen. Since we have a CRT, the biggest problems this has caused to date are fingerprints. However, I was considering getting an iMac to replace the family computer but I am concerned about how well the display will hold up.

The kids are quite tame for the most part and are never on the computer unsupervised. Do any of you see a problem with having an flat panel iMac in this environment or should I stick with a CRT? I would really prefer an LCD because the CRT takes up so much room and the iMac is much more aesthetically pleasing which is important to us for a computer that is in an open area of the house.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
The two problem's I'd be scared about with "festive" kids :) is that fingerprint smudges are harder to clean off an LCD, and since it's lighter, it can more easily be tipped over. The former is not a big deal -- if you clean it with plain water every week or two, you should be fine. The latter...hmmm...I would think carefully about.

It's also possible, I guess, to break an LCD by pressing on it too hard, but I don't see that as too likely.

Hmm...I just thought of this, and I haven't been up close to an iMac recently, so I don't remember. The G4 generation had a plastic or glass sheet in front of the LCD, IIRC, which would really obviate any concern except tipping it over. Does the G5 also have this?
 
iGary

iGary

Guest
May 26, 2004
19,580
7
Randy's House
eMac.

I thought about the same thing recently. Then I had an ADULT client come in my office and poke my iMac. :mad:

I almost ripped his arm off.
 
Sutekidane

Sutekidane

macrumors 6502a
Jan 26, 2005
936
1
I dunno, though LCDs definitely don't have the resistance of a CRT, I think they are much more durable then everyone makes them out to be. If you're really worried about it, I would go with an eMac, the new ones seem to be great.
 
wordmunger

wordmunger

macrumors 603
Sep 3, 2003
5,124
3
North Carolina
I've had a lot more CRTs burn out than LCDs. My wife uses LCDs (G4 iMacs) in her lab at a college, and they take tons of abuse. All in all I'd say LCDs are more durable, but the eMac is probably a little tougher than an iMac. It probably depends mostly on your kids. I didn't have a problem teaching my kids not to touch the screen.
 
zelmo

zelmo

macrumors 603
Jul 3, 2004
5,490
1
Mac since 7.5
My little guy is 4, and has been using our G4 iMac for about a year now. About a month ago, I glanced over to see him slapping the display with the flat of his hand, to which I reacted with my legendary calm and serentity. :rolleyes:
My wife went to restrain him, and I heard her mutter an "uh-oh" under her breath. Apparently, our little angel found a ballpoint pen and had been busy drawing circles on the display prior to slapping it around. All of this occurred in a matter of perhaps five minutes at most, mind you, and is not typical behavior for him.
At any rate, I had visions of having to buy a new G5 :p while my wife tried to clean the screen of the ink swirls. Alas, she employed a few of those "gentle to the skin" diaper wipes and a modest amount of elbow grease, and the display was as good as new in a minute or two.

Those LCD's are tougher than you might think.
 
Sun Baked

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
An eMac is a good alternative, plus it has that low center of gravity that won't get knocked over by the midgets.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
iGary said:
eMac.

I thought about the same thing recently. Then I had an ADULT client come in my office and poke my iMac. :mad:

I almost ripped his arm off.
Click to expand...

Next time, try saying to him, "You're so sexy. I want to show you mine. Will you show me yours?" :D

Back to my comment about the plastic screen, there have been a lot of refurb iMac G4s online....might be pretty good for little kids! :)
 
iGary

iGary

Guest
May 26, 2004
19,580
7
Randy's House
mkrishnan said:
Next time, try saying to him, "You're so sexy. I want to show you mine. Will you show me yours?" :D

Back to my comment about the plastic screen, there have been a lot of refurb iMac G4s online....might be pretty good for little kids! :)
Click to expand...

LOL.

Seriously, though (and no, I'm not trying to bring the LCD poke thread back again) this guy like jammed his finger right in the middle of an image I was reviewing with him. I visibly flinched when he did it.
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
iGary said:
LOL.

Seriously, though (and no, I'm not trying to bring the LCD poke thread back again) this guy like jammed his finger right in the middle of an image I was reviewing with him. I visibly flinched when he did it.
Click to expand...

Now what would be really funny is if you got a touch-screen mod for your Mac, and programmed it to say, "Hey quit poking me!" or "Mom, she touched me!!!" every time one of your clients touches it. Kinda expensive for a practical joke, but I'm sure you see the merit. ;)

The eMac is pretty good for durability though...I wonder about Mac stuff in general, though, and white and cleanliness. I have enough trouble myself with keeping the handrests on my iBook clean...I wonder, with children... ?

One of the advantages of doing my playing-with-kids on the weekend at a camp 100 miles away from my iBook! :D
 
topgunn

topgunn

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 5, 2004
1,556
2,060
Houston
Thanks for the replies. I am encouraged to hear that LCDs may be tougher than we give them credit for. I guess I didn't think about this but at work, we give all of our construction superindentents laptops and they do not treat them very kindly. Aside from having mud caked on the screen, they are in great shape and these guys are the WORST about having to touch the image to illustrate what they are referring to.

Now I guess my main concern is the iMac tipping over. I wonder if the 20" would be more stable than the 17" as its heavier or if it would be less stable since its center of gravity is higher.
 
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