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RSS FeedBest computer for teachers: Mac vs. PC
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| Mac | 34% | 41 votes | Total: 120 votes | |
| PC | 66% | 79 votes |
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Add to FavoritesAs a former MS Office (PC) software instructor, six months ago I would have said that the PC offers the better platform for teachers. Two months ago, however, I became sick and tired of Windows' Vista continual slow boot up and frequent annoying updates as Bill Gates and his crew tried to stay one step ahead of the Widows code hackers.
So I "took the plunge" and bought a Power Mac (with everything). The only "looking back" I have done was to load Windows Vista and the legacy PC programs onto my new Power Mac for use in my consulting business. Now, months later, my advice to teachers is to run quickly to your local Mac store and buy the best Mac you can afford.
Here are some of my reasons:
Speed and power.
As PC desk tops and note books boot and struggle to capture their "bloat-ware," grope around for their WiFi channel and ask the user if it is ok to load the last Windows update (that had slowed your computer down to a crawl hours before), the Mac simply chimes awake, ready for duty. Mac's new OS X (10.5) literally runs rings around Vista in terms of speed and operating convenience. New Mac users will have absolutely no problem transitioning to the Mac desk top.
Web access and performance.
Your new Mac comes with the slick Safari web browser with fast loading web pages and seamless compatibility with your operating system. I downloaded the Mac version of the Firefox browser that carries over all the good things I liked in its PC version. My web experience with the Mac has been trouble-free and nearly 20% faster.
Built-in features/free software
Teachers will like Mac's built-in calendar scheduler, address book and great sticky notes and note pad program (that even has a spell checker). If you have a pop mail e-mail server, Mac also comes with a very nice e-mail management program. If you want to stick with your Hotmail account, Microsoft also does Messenger for Mac.
Also, if you're looking for a very good (and absolutely free) Mac office suite, you can download the Open Office package of applications (a great word processor, a spread sheet program, and a presentation program), all of which produce MS Office compatible files. (Log on to http://porting.openo ffice.org/mac/downlo ad/index.html for this truly astonishing free program.)
Backward compatibility.
As you grab the brass ring of the wonder world of Mac, you might need to keep at least one foot anchored in PC land where most people still live (poor souls). Mac has you covered with its "Boot Camp" program that allows you to boot up Windows and do the equivalent of giving your Mac a frontal lobotomy.
One problem with Boot Camp is that you cannot run your Mac system at the same time. I opted for a third party Mac program called Parallels. This program allows me to keep both the Vista and the Mac operating system running on the same Mac computer. With Parallels, teachers will be able to log into the PC network and run all the clunky programs that it takes a full-time technician to keep going. By way of full disclosure, however, to run Windows under Parallels, you have to buy a copy of Parallels ($90) and you must load a licensed copy of Windows ($90-$120). My experience with Parallels and running Windows on my Mac has been totally positive and relatively trouble free.
I have found that Windows Vista runs somewhat smoother and faster on my Mac than it ever did on my PC, and after successfully downloading a Parallels upgrade, initial problems with the program freezing up have disappeared.
Classroo m grading/Microsoft for Mac
There are also numerous commercial and shareware programs for teachers who want to use their Mac to keep student grades. One place to go is the On-line Teacher Resource at http://www.teach-nol ogy.com/downloads/ma c/grading/ . On the other hand if you're a fan of the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, you'll love MS Office for Mac. It has all the functionality of the MS Office suite with the slick and pleasant feel of the Mac operating environment - plus you can work across Mac and PC platforms to open and maintain your files.
Product support
If that HP Pavilion PC note book of yours starts flickering after 14 months of use, or the hard drive breathes its last, you'll need to box it up, insure it and, assuming that you were fortunate enough to get through to a technical assistant, agree to pay a minimum $100+ limited warranty repair charge.
Not so with Mac. From your first day of purchase at your local Mac store, you'll be hooked into a support system that actually supports you and cares about your experience with their product. Just call your Mac store and take it in for repair.
If cost is your bottom line
Mac sells a superior product and gives outstanding support. Their computers cost more (sometimes twice as much) than PC's. I have over $3500 invested in my desktop system (that includes the $800 23-inch HD monitor). Teachers wanting to buy one of Mac's superb note book computers should be prepared to spend at least $1100 for its least expensive MacBook. Its top-of-the-line MacBook Pro stars at a whopping $2000. (It's 17-inch model costs about $2800!) If cost is your bottom line, then, you'll probably want to stick to a PC.
On the other hand, if you look at your Mac purchase as a worthwhile investment that gives you more power and the ability to take advantage of both the Mac and PC world of computing with unsurpassed product support, spend more and you'll get more.
So the very best computer for the teacher who wants to employ the power of the personal computer to the environment of the classroom is definitely the Mac. Mac does everything the PC can and more. It is worth the extra cost to have the extra-special computer.
Learn more about this author, Jerry Curtis.
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PC
The debate of Mac vs. PC will wage on forever. Despite the benefits of both, Mac fanboys/fangirls will always go around spewing their views on why Macs are the only real good computers, and PC users will throw them in the ground for liking Macs. Teachers, however, should consider both sides, and do in-depth research on both.
I am writing this article on the PC side for a multitude of reasons.
1. Compatibility.
Mac computers often do not have all the peripherals you need in order to hook up a projecter, or scan a document, or hook up multiple flash drives. You need to buy extra for that. Most hardware and software is built for a Windows environment, and often compatible in a Linux environment.
2. Price
This is the deciding factor in most peoples purchases relating to computers.
Macs are bloated. And with this economy, who can afford something that expensive, especially when they can get the same thing a lot cheaper? Macs are easily two or three times the price of the hardware, probably even more. And if you say "A License to windows costs more", the school will usually cover it. And If not, there's always Linux. Ubuntu offers an easily solution, and most Mac software is coded for Linux as well. And if not, there is an equivalent for you. A linux box can cost around 400$ that would be equivalent hardware-wise to a $1400 Mac PC. Save the 1000$, pocket it, and use it for some fancy toys for the classroom.
And sure, Apple offers 100$ off to all teachers, but it still doesn't make up for the problems they have.
3. Service
PCs can have a piece replaced much easier than a Mac. Monitors != Computers. Pieces are fully replaceable in most any given PC. Macs however, need to be sent back to the company when you want to repair them.
Despite my views, it's all a matter of personal preference. If you want less functionality because you're afraid you may break something, a mac is for you. Or, if you need high-end graphics processing, a Mac is for you. If you want all your students' projects to work the way they made them, a PC is for you. If you want to install whatever you want, a PC is for you.
Honestly, Macs are great computers. But they have awful pricing, and the market isn't pro-mac yet. In a few years, this will most likely change, but Windows and PCs dominate the computer world right now, and it sometimes is best for one to just ride the wave.
If the school covers the entire cost, go nuts and buy a mac. Or, buy a computer with double the power of that mac for the same price. It really is all preference and application. What do you want, and how will you use it? This will add weight to both sides of the Mac vs. PC scale.
Learn more about this author, Matthew Garrett.
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