Help!

[EJBasile]

I have two friends who are computer/tech ed. teachers at the middle school in my town. The computers in the computer lab (iMac 333mhz) have to be replaced, but they want to put in PCs (compaq). Both the teachers are die-hard mac users. What are some good arguments to make the school not buy PCs?

The Tech Lab has mostly 700mhz eMacs, 4-5 iMac 800mhz, and 3 Powermac G4s (400mhz, but upgraded to 1.7Ghz because school only wants PCs now), and a 1ghz xServe. As you can imagine, eventually they too will have to be replaced.

Some of the reasons they have come up with....
- Very close in pricing
-They (the teachers) can maintain the comps, will not have to pay the tech. people
-Virus Protection
-eMacs take up less space than bulky PCs

 

[crazzyeddie]

Uh how about the fact that all the computers are already Macs? Imagine the costs of teacher training and the time needed to teach the students how to use the new PCs...

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

Although the inital price seems to be less, in the long run macs always cost less.

 

[EJBasile]

Uh how about the fact that all the computers are already Macs? Imagine the costs of teacher training and the time needed to teach the students how to use the new PCs...

All the teachers have macs, but I would they they are converting them too. The office, media center, and high school have converted.

 

[wordmunger]

Not only will the lab have to pay for PCs, but also to buy new software to replace the Mac software. This replacement cost will mean that the PCs will actually cost more than Macs. Couple that with increased maintenance costs, and it's easy to argue for macs on a dollar-cost basis.

 

[numediaman]

Best reason is security (that is, viruses). Once the Macs are up and running there is a lot less support needed to keep them clean.

I'd ask whether the school is ready to invest a lot of money in techical support.

 

[Drgnhntr]

You have the right arguments, I think your problem will be trying to find someone to listen. Organize parents into writing letters or calling the school board. Talk directly to the school's principle or school board and see if you can get a member to agree with you. Normally members on a school board are elected officials who have to take their students well-being and education into account first and foremost or answer to the voters. Show that macs are similar priced or cheaper, offer less "down time" and need less support. This all means more money for kids and more opportunties for the kids to learn.