education

08/23/2006, 6:35pm, EDT

Wednesday, August 23rd

Free MacBook to all Ringling Freshmen

The Ringling School Of Art And Design in Florida is loaning MacBooks to all incoming freshmen who are enrolled in the first year of their Core Studio Program. The laptops are free of charge, but must be returned upon graduation (or dropping out); each MacBook includes a host of pre-installed software, including Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office. The MacBook was chosen for its ability to run both Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows and its portability, according to the school. The new MacBooks will help the school integrate technology with learning and ensure that its Student to Computer ratio of 2:1 continues. Meanwhile, the Australian education departments seems to have declared war on Macs, according to a new report. The report claims dwindling support for Macs and that some Macs are being replaced by lower cost desktop PCs.


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Macs at School
0
08/23, 8:36pm, EDT
Back in the day at the art college I went to, the Mac Plus' were most popular for term papers. Fortunately, as a work-study student a little later in the computer lab, I could learn MacDraw and Adobe Illustrator 88 while making minimum wage...

Of course back then, we thought MacPaint was greater than sliced bread!
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined Aug 2005
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We tried this once...
0
08/24, 12:56am, EDT
My college tried a very similar thing with Apple's G4 ibooks two years ago, but has just now decided to discontinue the program because of the rapid changes/obsoletion of hardware. Now students must purchase their own apple upon entrance to the school. Also, almost all of the ibooks purchased then have died. Mine still works, but I'm in the minority.
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Joined Aug 2006
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Rapid Changes/Obsoletion?
0
08/24, 4:39am, EDT
That's odd.. Macs seem to last WAY longer than PCs. I can run recent software of 5 or 6 year old Macs. Try that on a PC.

Please elaborate.
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Joined Jul 2005
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In other news
0
08/24, 8:13am, EDT
In other news: 34 of Australia's largest school systems attacked by a worm exploiting known holes in Microsoft's Windows desktop software.
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Joined Oct 2005
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iBook G4s
0
08/24, 9:49am, EDT
They had tons of issues; and I agree that expecting 4 useful years with software updates installed is reallly reallllly pushing it. 2 years, tops. The average Mac user upgrades every 9 months when Apple gives birth to a new system. Don't argue me on it, I've seen it alll too often. How else does a company sell $120,000 worth of $99 iPod Nanos in 12 hours upon launch? Suckers!
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Re: ibook G4s
0
08/24, 11:00am, EDT
Sorry, but I don't believe you and I will "argue you". Please show me a study that concluded the average Mac user upgrades every 9 months.

Expecting 4 useful years out of a Mac is easy. My G4 733Mhz can still surf the web, read email, handle database and software development, run MS office, just fine thanks.
Professional Poster
Joined Sep 1999
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re: ibook g4s
0
08/24, 12:58pm, EDT
I agree with hayesk.

All of my Macs have been in use for 4+ years before I decide to upgrade. I just retired my 700Mhz G4 iMac only because I got a deal on a refurb Intel iMac.

And my 20GB 2nd gen iPod is still effortlessly crankin' out the tunes & podcasts ;-)
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Joined Mar 2003
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Um
0
08/24, 2:03pm, EDT
Why wouldn't you be able to run recent software on an older PC (around 5-6 years old)? Windows XP has been around for numerous years - it's the longest period an operating system by Microsoft hasn't been updated (still). Could you list some cross-platform application that simply won't run on an older PC but will on Mac? I can tell you that my friend's 933Mhz P3 (6.5 years old now) still runs everything fine.
Junior Member
Joined Jul 2002
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Free laptops for clowns!
0
08/24, 4:43pm, EDT
Honk!
Junior Member
Joined Jan 2002
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Just sold my PowerBook G4
0
08/24, 8:12pm, EDT
I sold my 3 year old PowerBook G4 for enough money that it paid for my brand new MacBook. Try that with a 3 year old PC laptop... Good luck!
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