--- Forwarded Message from John de Szendeffy <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Wed, 1 Oct 2003 16:57:41 -0400
>Subject: Re: #7269.4 Mac vs. Windows (!)
>From: John de Szendeffy <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum    <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>

------------------
> Daniel Tom <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> We have both a Windows lab and a Mac lab.  The Windows lab has 23 
> computers
> running Windows XP Professional and the Mac lab has 17 G4s running Mac 
> OS X.
> Our Windows lab is far more popular than our Mac lab and there are 
> times
> when the Windows lab is full and the Mac lab is virtually empty except 
> for
> the lab monitor.  We have even extended hours in the Windows lab 
> because of
> its popularity and reduced hours in the Mac lab due to less usage.  
> There
> are also more instructors reserving the Windows lab for their classes 
> than
> the Mac lab.

I'm very interested in this topic and why students initially ask for 
PCs.  We have far more Macs than PCs in our labs. Most of our ESL 
students have never seen a Mac. When they do, they often ask for a 
Windows computer because they are familiar with it. We question what 
they want to do, and here are the most common requests:

-They want to use the Internet.
-They want to read Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, etc.
-They want to open a Microsoft Word document (.doc).
-They want to open an Excel spreadsheet (.xls).
-They want to open a PowerPoint slideshow (.pps).
-They want to plug in their USB keychain drive.
-They want to listen to their MP3s.
-They want to access Real, WMP, or QuickTime content on the Web.
-They want to yada yada yada.

Macs do all of these things, but students are often just not aware of 
it. We tell our students that they are here to learn and proceed to 
enlighten them on why we use Macs and what they can do with them. We're 
pleased that many go away saying that they like the Mac experience 
more. But more importantly, if you have resources you've invested in, 
your students need to know that they will suit their needs.  An used 
lab is an incredible waste of resources.

-John
___________________________________________
John de Szendeffy
Multimedia Language Lab
Center for English Language and Orientation Programs
Boston University
ph                      617.353.7957
fx                      617.353.6195
lab                     http://www.bu.edu/celop/mll/
personal                http://people.bu.edu/johndesz/