Macs Vs. Pcs In College Labs

pluperfect

Jan 31 2005, 08:58 PM

I go to a college that has several PC labs throughout the campus and in at least two of these labs there is a section of Macs. These are G4 towers and they are at least 10 times more advanced than the rest of the PCs. However, the majority of the students use the PCs (which are also the majority in the lab) and they sometimes even wait in a line to use them when there are several Mac stations open!

It seems that many people simply refuse to even partake in the ease of use and faster computing of the Macintosh because they are so used to PCs. Perhaps they think that Macs are not compatible with all their PC work but I find that they are compatible with mostly everything these days. This was not the case in the early '90s, but since Steve Jobs returned they have made great strides towards integrating themselves with the common user market.

Does anyone else see examples of this in a college or other lab setting?

MajesticTreeFrog

Jan 31 2005, 09:01 PM

QUOTE(pluperfect @ Jan 31 2005, 04:58 PM)

It seems that many people simply refuse to even partake in the ease of use and faster computing of the Macintosh because they are so used to PCs. Perhaps they think that Macs are not compatible with all their PC work but I find that they are compatible with mostly everything these days. This was not the case in the early '90s, but since Steve Jobs returned they have made great strides towards integrating themselves with the common user market.

Does anyone else see examples of this in a college or other lab setting?

People don't want to take the time to get used to something different. And really, you can't blame them. If all they are doing is trying to print a report, it makes sense to just use what you know.

On the other hand, the people waiting in line are stupid.

thatguycalledrob

Jan 31 2005, 10:49 PM

Well, if you're at a large campus with a small centralized IT staff it makes sense to have a larger pc network. Microsoft Active Directory makes it easy manage a lot of things, like lots of computers/printers/sub-domaints/file and web servers/backup and security routines. I haven't seen a good mac networking infrastructure. Mac seems to target individuals rather than larger groups. The new macs are probably to satisfy that part of the campus community, they really should invest in higher end pcs though if they are older than 2000.

qwijibow

Jan 31 2005, 11:27 PM

People stick with what they know...

If only MAC and Windows was available to me... although i cannot stand windows, and given the choice, i would rather own a mac... but in college / university, where i just need to check email, i would prob use the windows machine just cos i know how to use it..

if i wasnt in a rush, or busy, id go Mac...

pluperfect

Feb 3 2005, 06:46 PM

One addition in response to the subject of networking Macs. One interesting note is that at this college and my previous college the Macs were hooked up to the network (i.e., internet access and basic necessities) but only through a generic "student" ID. That is, the personal login codes we can use for all the Windows computers are unuseable on the Mac systems. So it does seem like the Mac lags behind Windows as far as networking goes, especially at a large institution as was said earlier. That seems to be one of the only downsides in my opinion (besides the stuff I've mentioned in other posts about Macs).

tattoopunk

Feb 3 2005, 06:59 PM

Ah this is a classic...
I believe that PC should be used for most of the computers for two main reasons. They're cheaper to purchass and maintain, and most people know their way around them. I do believe though that macks should be used in every art department acrost the nation. That is what they are designed and optomized for. Graphics=Mac's Everything else=PC's

MajesticTreeFrog

Feb 3 2005, 07:17 PM

QUOTE(tattoopunk @ Feb 3 2005, 02:59 PM)

PCs are cheaper to purchase, but much more expensive to maintain. The earlier networking problem isn't the Macs, its your IT dept. Macs run on UNIX, which is BUILT for networking. Hell, people are buying mac minis for use in colocated server farms.

tattoopunk

Feb 3 2005, 07:20 PM

Forgot about them, I guess in my own personal exerience, when people who don't know macs usethem, they tend to need a lot of work, though if youre running Panther those issues don't really occure very often.

spacewaste

Feb 3 2005, 07:26 PM

Hmmms...In the begining of time...The pc was just a rip off of the mac... And now look...The pc is killing the mac in almost all computer stores....But the mac is slowly making a comback...In another 20 years we should see much improvement to the mac to pc difference... and to the topic at hand...Most people only use pcs because they are MUCH less complicated to use and lets face it...Most of the world are not very good with technologie (the population in general) cuz inside my whole town I doubt more then 5 people own a mac computer... For the two reasons of lack of advertising and o complicated and expensive... Hopefully that will one day change...

tattoopunk

Feb 3 2005, 07:33 PM

Actually, I think most people use pc's because they can play games

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xboxrulz

Jan 17 2006, 09:55 PM

well, this is a proof that Microsoft has been brainwashing people to only use Windows and nothing else. They'll just be afraid to use a Mac/Linux or any other Windows competitor.

It's pure FUD that M$ spread...

xboxrulz

Sarah81

Jan 17 2006, 04:13 AM

I don't use the computer labs on this campus very often. The only time that I do use them is for creative writing, when my teachers tell me to bring in enough copies of my work for the entire class. Seeing as I pay over 300 bucks a semester for access to computer labs, Internet access, etc., I'm obviously going to use school computers for that massive print job (think up to 20 pages, times about 25). Yeah - the school provides the paper for lab printing, so I go there for larger jobs.

Mostly, we have PCs in the labs. There are some Macs, but it's about a five-to-one ratio. Maybe four to one. I'll use Macs if PCs aren't available, but I usually end up going into the lab when it's not very busy anyway. I prefer PCs in general, but I *do* realize that the software I use (usually Word, at least in the labs) is the same on either system.

That, and a lot of the Macs in the lab I use most often are covered with these weird, circular scratches - almost like someone tried to wipe the screens clean with steel wool or something. Weird.

qwijibow

Feb 4 2005, 11:10 AM

Cames consoles already have ethernet...
NetBSD and Linux can be installed on the playstation and Xbox.

when Games consoles come with keyboard + mouse, they will be just what ive always wanted...
a PC that comes without bundled MS software

Then MS will go and ruin it be releasing Windows for Xbox.

then PC's and games console's will be the same thing.

LOL

MajesticTreeFrog

Feb 3 2005, 10:28 PM

QUOTE(tattoopunk @ Feb 3 2005, 03:33 PM)

Actually, I think most people use pc's because they can play games

True, but as consoles get better and better, that may change. I know a lot of my friends have stopped playing PC games outside of MMOs and FPS games. And that is because both really need a keyboard+mouse. As soon as a keyboard + mouse becomes standard with a controller on consoles, PC gaming's days are numbered. Even the better resolution thing will go away with HD TV.

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