The following letter was sent to the technology
coordinator and members of the school board of the South
Kitsap (WA) School District in response to Macs
under fire in South Kitsap (WA) School District. A few
clarifications have been added between
[brackets].
January 25, 1999
Good Day,
As a Network Administrator for a heavily Mac-based
organization, I was particularly disturbed to hear that your
school district was implementing an anti-Macintosh
policy.
Apple's Macintosh has always been a few years ahead of
the rest of the [personal] computing industry, with
the first Graphical User Interface and 3.5" floppy (1984),
the first dual monitor support (1987), the first CD-ROM
drive (1991), the first 32-bit OS (1992), the first
graphical web browser (1993), the first RISC-based personal
computer (1994), etc.
I tell you this to address the oft-recited rationale for
moving to PCs from Macs: that we should teach our children
the tools they are likely to use in the business world.
First, since our children will not enter the business world
for years to come, it is impossible to teach them using the
exact tools they will encounter then. We can only hope to
expose them to the best, most innovative technology
available to give them the framework for understanding and
using new technologies later in life. Secondly, since Wintel
does lag so far behind the Mac, I can tell you from
experience that my Mac experience from high school in the
late 80's best prepared me to use Windows 95 and 98. I
actually had less trouble learning Windows 95 coming from a
Mac background than did some of my cohorts who had used DOS
and Windows 3.1.
Apple continues to lead the industry in important
paradigm-shifting innovations, making Apple, and by proxy
the Mac platform, extremely relevant. Succinctly, where
Apple goes, the rest follow. As an industry watcher, I can
tell you that this basic truth is unlikely to change anytime
soon.
I would hope that you fully investigate the Macintosh as
an excellent tool for instruction and learning. Further, I
would hope that you not be swayed by the ignorance and myth
so easily propagated about the Mac by those who should know
better. Keep in mind that if organizations believe those who
would tell them that the Mac is dead, and base their policy
on that belief, they help create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
If instead the organizations investigate all options and
solutions, and keep an open mind about technology, they will
make better decisions and Apple will continue to thrive.
Should you have any questions regarding the Mac or if I
can be of any assistance to you in implementing an
intelligent Macintosh strategy for your district, do not
hesitate to call me at 301-863-6686 x1024.
Sincerely, Michael Skinner Network Admin. RBC Incorporated 44423 Airport Rd Suite 200 California, MD 20619
Gone fishing for the summer, 6/13/00.
"Even on the Macintosh, where things are generally considered to be
easier, Murphy's Law seems to work overtime."
Advice presented in good faith, but what works for one may not work
for all. Computers are like that. Please report errors to
Dan Knight
.
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