We have 2 iMacs (first generation, 233 MHz) and 4 iMacs (second generation, 266 Mhz) in our lab. Except for one hard disk failure - replaced under warranty - the machines have worked well. All of them are running the suite of language kits under system 8.5.1. They are conected via 100BaseT to the network and provide video and audio served via Appleshare 6.1 in excellent quality - in in full screen mode under QuickTime 3 (not really streaming!) - as well as a number of standard applications used in a language resource center. We have made a decision to serve video from the streaming QuickTime server coming with OSX. Since we are beta testers for OSX, the streaming technology has been available to us for a while. We have tested live video streams coming off the air as well as coming off a VCR - and the results have been very good. Some of you may have seen Steve Jobs demo at MacWorld in January with about fifty iMacs showing different parts of the same video file simultaneously from a G3 server. It works on both platforms. The only current drawback of this technology is its current inability to stream MPEG1 materials - the format of most of our digitized video holdings. Apple has promised this capability for later this year. We do have a Microsoft video server running on our NT Server. This environment works just fine, too (except for Macs, of course!) - but, without going into details here, is fairly primitive in its capabilities when compared to QuickTime. It has its problems with MPEG, too.... In the long run, the issues concerning computers in the lab will be very different. Most regular services will be delivered via the network to end users utilizing browsers on all kinds of platforms. The lab will be a production point, delivery point, and testing point. Some of the the less commonly taught languages will probably remain in a lab situation because of special configurations required. Some controlled testing and research may also remain in the lab. But the bulk of present services available in the lab will probably be moved to the network and with that directly to the end user. Several institutions are already in a state of what I call "parallel technonoly," i.e.conventional services are still available in the traditional language lab situation, whereas full digital services are available simultaneously to those users who have appropriate network connections and capable machines. From a price/performance point of view the iMac is definitely a superior choice for labs as well as end users at this time. The one thing I really worry about is the level of software erosion in the Mac environment - the number of active software developers and available programs is much smaller than in the Wintel world. Apple will have to make enormous efforts to convince developers to develop in "multi-platform" mode and consider browser type-of-environments the ultimate vehicle of delivery. This approach may be the solution to Apple's long term presence in the education market. Otmar Foelsche