Maine iBook Deal Goes Through

[arn]

http://www.centralmaine.com/news/sto...laptops_.shtml

Despite a budget crisis and fears of manhandled computers and dubious downloading, Gov. Angus S. King Jr.'s laptop-for-seventh-graders program is under way throughout the state.

I know there was some concern about this actually happening... but looks like it's a go.

arn

[SilvorX]

i wonder if theyre using os9 or osx

[Macmaniac]

I'm glad to hear its going through, I was very worried that it would not go through, Those dumb PC senators were trying to kill it! This is great for Apple because this means that all those 7th graders will come back for more Apple products, especially the iPod when they get in High School its the coolest MP3 player around.

Thanks Gov. Angus S. King!!!

[Macmaniac]

Originally posted by SilvorX
i wonder if theyre using os9 or osx

It probably depends on what each school is running and what software they use. Some schools(Like mine) have yet to upgarde to X because they would have to buy all new X apps for the computers. It really depends on how updated the school is and if they share a network with PCs. My school is afraid to upgarde to X becasue they are worried that it won't be compatible with the NT network for the PCs.(Which is old)

[Mr. Anderson]

36,000 more laptops, wow, but I bet this doesn't even effect the apple market share all that much.

What would be interesting to find out is how many of these machines have problems right out of the box - which some are bound to have. Its a nice sampling, I wonder if that info will ever be published.

D

[RogueLdr]

Originally posted by Macmaniac

My school is afraid to upgarde to X becasue they are worried that it won't be compatible with the NT network for the PCs.(Which is old)

At my job we have a NT network and also several Macs in our art department. We've recently begun testing OS X v.10.2 on the network and find it to be MORE compatible with the NT network than OS 9.x. The truly handy part is not having to use Appletalk, but instead using SMB to access the NT servers directly. OS X can see everything on an NT network.

RL

[dricci]

Yep, OS X 10.2 should fit in nicely on pretty much any network.. a lot nicer than OS 9. OS 9 only really had support for TCP/IP and AppleTalk, where with OS X's BSD core, just about any protocol can easily be added on.

As for the software: There's always classic, and educational institution discounts for upgrades I say do whatever it takes to get schools on Mac OS X before they make the mistake of going 1 Microsoft Way.

[SilvorX]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
I'm glad to hear its going through, I was very worried that it would not go through, Those dumb PC senators were trying to kill it! This is great for Apple because this means that all those 7th graders will come back for more Apple products, especially the iPod when they get in High School its the coolest MP3 player around.

Thanks Gov. Angus S. King!!!

lol..uh...the same PC senators who hate microsoft....lmao.....

[Chomolungma]

I don't see how (there are studies out there that will back me up) a laptop will improve a child education. A notepad and a pen in the hand of a child couple with a smart teacher is by far the best tool to teach a child writing, math and science skills. Stop this nonsense, and stop wasting the taxpayer money!

Just my $0.02

cheers

[zimv20]

Originally posted by Chomolungma
I don't see how (there are studies out there that will back me up) a laptop will improve a child education. [snip] Stop this nonsense, and stop wasting the taxpayer money!

it's not often legislatures make decisions based on hard science. more often, it's for political expediency. when it comes reelection time, everyone who sponsored the idea and voted for it can run on an education platform.

[TMay]

I'm not keen on computers as a substitute for a hands on education, but as an adjunct, it allows both the leading and lagging students to participate at an appropriate pace.

Education is best when it matches the pace and interests of the student. Computers allow a fairly straightforward means of tailoring a portion of the education experience to an individual student.

Early reports that I have read have generally been favorable, with a highlight that students assisting in the teaching process was an unexpected benefit.

I say that Maine has done a good thing.