I was glad Apple changed its mind after originally marketing eMacs only to schools. There were certainly plenty of consumers for whom an eMac was just right.
I agree that Apple might as well sell the eMac to anyone who wants one, but I would like to point out that there are a few differences between an ideal entry-level K-12 classroom computer and an ideal entry-level consumer computer:
1. Abuse. There is no pride of ownership at school, so computers have to be durable. The fewer cables, sensitive areas, and removable pieces, the better.
2. Games. Many or most consumers like to play games, where CPU speed and graphics speed can make a big difference. "Edutainment" games that are more likely to be used at school rarely have such needy requirements.
3. Networking. Homes can be networked either with cables or wirelessly. Classrooms rarely have much choice. Depending on the furniture and the number of computers, wireless may be the only choice.
4. Portability. Consumers are likely to get a desktop system if it won't travel and a notebook computer if it will travel. Some classrooms require notebook computers simply because there is no way to get a power cord where the students will use the computers and because computers must be "put away" somewhere when not in use.
5. Software. All our school computers have Quicken on them. I'm thrilled
that 6th graders can work on their taxes at school, but I know it's because our iMacs and eMacs came with the standard consumer software suite and not software intended for use at schools.
