[weldon]

Maybe... Pixar just announced back in February their launch of a new Linux-based render farm that will be used on their next movie. Somehow I doubt Apple will triumph in the battle to build clusters of cheap, powerful hardware any time soon.

[Par_XI]

In reply to:

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Nasa and the Pentagon use macs, mainly since the launch of OSX, I read several stories at the time about how they were switching to them

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Nasa and the Pentagon use at least 99% PCs.

[Lieutenent_Mac]

Last I recall Novell networks support the Mac, in fact even Windows 2000 server supports Mac. I do not believe that it is a networking issue but an IT department filled with unqualified people. I have been working for three years in IT and have found that 99.8 % of those in the field are not qualified to work in it. In fact allot of firms just, hire people based on knowledge of Windows98. Then these individuals are trained in just one network architecture.
It is sad really,, there really are not any IT based courses in college. The closest you can come to it is the computer science major. However, they really do not do a good job in teaching individuals what it takes to be flexible in the IT industry.

[Lieutenent_Mac]

The United States has the same 2.05% in the world market. So are we not also irrelevant in today?s market?

[MacCheetah3]

Hi
2000 Server does indeed support AppleTalk if that's what you mean. Hmm...I can't quite recall if Novell does...I think so....but I'm drawing a blank. Nevertheless I've heard of client software for the Mac. The college I go to is still quite Windows dominent in training and opinion but they occasionally mention the Apple side.
MacCheetah3
"A man getting hit in groin by football"

[Nobody]

All of our PC's are on Novell the 40 MACs are not. My concern is the blatant sweeping switch of platform that the teachers learn on and the teachers have instructed the students on and what I think is that these students current and future will learn the PC way of doing things then get a job that requires MAC experience but have NO experience on them whatsoever. I do think BOTH platforms should be there for them to learn on and it is important they do learn PC but to totally remove all the MAC's for PC's is insane to me!
We are not a typical high school but not a vocational school either. These students are dedicated to their career that they chose and we strive to prepare then for the work field right out of school and alot have experience enough to not need College. So to me if we teach them MS office in our Business Tech class we use PC. If we teach them Graphic arts and Printing does it matter for them which platform they use?... I think so but i have been wrong before, haven't we all been?

[TomMacs]

Get Virtual PC, Dude!
I hate MS
go to www.maczone.com

[denisincalif]

In reply to:

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Nasa and the Pentagon use at least 99% PCs.

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I can't speak for the Pentagon. But I work at a NASA center and frequently visit other NASA centers. We are given complete freedom as to what type of computer we want on our desktop. Mac's, PC's, and Unix machines of various brands and flavors all happily co-exist on the network and communicate with each other smoothly. You just need professional network administrators who understand their job.
My particular project (about 50 people) is split about 50-50 between Mac's and PC's. I estimate that for my entire center the ratio is about 30% Mac's and 70% PC's.
99% PC's??? Ridiculous!!!

[steve_yezo]

Maybe a lazy issue, the school (A Medical School)I work for we have Windows, Mac OSX & 9, and even SCO running on our network. Most depts use windows for administrative purposes do you really need a powerfull Mac for someone who uses Word or Excell? For the Drs & Phd's thats were you see the Macs running, for research. I run the bookstore and the whole POS system is using SCO(Unix). When I first started 9 years ago the school was about 50-50 mac/win, now it is about 90-10 win/mac. Our new IT Director is big on OSX (bless his soul) and wants to see the swing more even. So final thought your IT dept is full of "HorseDung"

[Nobody]

I wan't to work at your school!!...well I love my kids I think I will stay...I hope those department teachers fight this issue hard otherwise all those MAC's are headed for the dumpster (we recycle of course...even here in Joisey)

[SueG]

Have you tried contacting other public school focus programs? The teachers there might be helpful.
An article from Apple's site.
About this
Information Technology Focus Program.

[wally626]

My NASA center is also about 30% Mac, maybe 60% Windows and 10 % other (unix, lynx, linix etc.) As was stated above we get to buy (within reason) what we need to do the job. Johnson Space Center did force everyone to use Windows (expect the Unix people) and there was a lot of uproar. Our major purchase agreement for comnputers (ODIN) includes both Macs and Windows systems. The contractor is supporting thousands of Mac and Window based computers. It would be interesting to see exactly what the support cost were between the two systems at this level.
NASA also just moved to OS X as the officially supported OS for Macintosh and Windows 2000 for Intel/AMD based computers.
When I was first looking for a job out of grad school I saw a very interesting sight. I visited a site that required everyone to use the exact same model of PC, every PC I saw was unused with the dust cover on it (the exception was a secratary workstation with a Mac which was being used). At another site the company allowed every engineer to choose their computer of choice, some had Macs, some Lisas, some PCs, some engineering workstations. The importatnt thing was that all most all the systems were in use.
I understand that for some types of work, like when you have 500 emplyees doing the exact same job, you might need to choose one hardware spec and software spec, but for many companies and schools there just isn't this need and the choices are mostly based on what the IT head wants not what the employees need to get the job done.

[Nobody]

FRIGGIN PC NETWORK TEC IDIOTS SCREW KIDS AGAIN IN SCHOOLS

In reply to:

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Foster High considers turning down free Macs
2003-06-10
by Nora Doyle
Journal Reporter

TUKWILA -- Some Foster High School teachers are balking at the idea that the school board could refuse to let them accept $43,000 worth of new computers the school was recently awarded through a grant program.

Earlier this year, teacher Jeff Heiman applied for a grant from a nonprofit organization offering 30 new Macintosh computers and six laser printers to a school in an economically challenged community. The Tukwila School District, with a high number of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, fits the bill.

Heiman thought he had found an answer. When he found out in May that Foster won the grant, the math teacher was elated. The extra computers would give the students he'll teach next year daily access to a computer, which they need, he said.

But according to the school technology plan created in 2000, Tukwila schools will move toward using only personal computers, not the Macintosh, for financial reasons, Superintendent Michael Silver said.

The district has a six-person technology department staffed with people expert in PCs, Silver added. Having only PCs allows the district to better maintain, repair and replace computers in a cost-effective way, he said.

But even without the 30 new Macintosh computers, Foster will have a stash of Macs around the school. A caveat of the technology plan allows teachers to keep their Macs at their desks instead of getting a PC if they wish. In addition, the library and a graphics classroom can keep their Macs.

It's silly to turn down the offer of free Macs when the school district has to provide technical support for the Macs already at the high school, said Heiman, who said he didn't know about the Mac rule in the technology plan when he applied for the grant.

``My job as a teacher is to do everything I can to improve the education of kids. In my professional judgment, we need these computers,'' he said.

The superintendent said the district should stick to its plan.

``At this point ... going with one platform for a small school district seems most prudent,'' Silver said.

The matter will be discussed at tonight's school board meeting, when Heiman said he and other teachers will ask the board for a one-time exception to the technology-plan rule prohibiting new Macs.

Heiman said without new computers, the students he will teach next year will have little chance at using a computer as often as they need to because of the school's impending reorganization. About two years ago, the school was the winner of a $427,000 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant that calls for breaking students into smaller groups to maximize the time they spend with teachers. Foster's 700 students will belong to one of three ``academies'' that suits their interests. (The Gates grant does not restrict what kind of computers a school may use.)

Heiman will teach math and Spanish to about 140 students in the Experience Academy, which will try to better prepare students for the life they will encounter after high school.

The problem is that scheduling and other technicalities will not permit students in Heiman's group to have daily access to the school's computer labs, the teacher said. While his students often work effectively in groups at the seven computers he has in his own classroom, that's not enough computers for the days when each student needs one. The 30 computers provided by the grant will make a big dent in the problem, he said.

Nelson Humiston, parent of two children who will enroll in the Experience Academy next year, said he hopes the school board will allow Foster to accept the computers.
``In a time of serious budget crunches in the schools, for them to turn down a gift of $43,000 just seems asinine ... Policy is a nice idea, but reality is that they're going to have Macs and they might as well take the free ones when they can get them,'' he said.
Heiman said he applied for another computer grant, but has not yet been notified of the results.
A school board decision on the new computers is not expected at tonight's meeting.
Nora Doyle covers education. She can be reached at nora.doyle@kingcountyjour nal.com or 253-872-6726.

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[d00d]

I read about that story in Maccentral. I really can't follow their reasoning to be honest.