[Oz-teachers] Apple really is changing the way we use computers

[Chris Betcher]

I agree with you Bruce.  Having switched just over a year ago, I cannot
believe how so many schools continue to shackle themselves to the clunky,
Windows OS, where working with media and being creative seems far more of a
chore.  My own school included!  I am the IT Coordinator here and also the
only one on the premises with a Mac, and I constantly find people coming to
me with tasks and questions about how to do things that, sure, can be done
on both platforms, but are just so much more clumsy on a PC.

Anyway, this is not the place to start a Mac vs PC debate.  People should
use whatever they like, but after so many years on Windows, I AM super
impressed with where the Mac platform is going right now.

Re your comments, I blogged about something along these lines the other
day... 
http://betch.edublogs.org/2007/08/08/little-things-that-make-apple-great/

The courier arrived this morning with my shiny new versions of iLife and
iWork... I ordered them the day they were released.  They are all now
installed and running nicely,  Had a quick explore and they look great, but
I can¹t wait to get home and have a really good play with them.  So far, I
like what I see!

Chris


On 9/08/07 6:00 PM, "Bruce Fuda" <Bruce.Fuda at canberra.net.au> wrote:

> Hi all,
>  
> Apple have timed the release of their new iMac with the '08 versions of their
> iLife and iWork suites, as well as making some significant upgrades to their
> .Mac service. With Leopard (their next version of OS X) due out in October, I
> know what I'm going to be asking for when Christmas comes around.
>  
> If you've got about an hour and a half, and reasonable bandwidth, I'd
> recommend checking out the video at this link:
>  
> http://www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/keynote/
>  
> It's a recording of their "Special Event" - the release of the iMac - and what
> Steve demonstrates is mind-blowing. Whilst the new iMac is sleek and sexy, the
> really amazing thing to watch is how simple and powerful the new iLife suite
> is. After watching this video, I can guarantee that you'll be asking the same
> question I have for a couple of years now - why is it that there is still so
> much anti-Mac feeling in the general community, and more relevant to us, in
> schools?
>  
> We either spend $$$$ on buying proprietary applications for our Windows
> systems, or spend hours and hours looking for open-source solutions that cost
> us nothing but get us to our end result eventually, when if you buy a Mac
> everything we're looking for comes in the box. The ease with which digital
> media can be manipulated in this new version of iLife really is phenomenal,
> and the amount of quality work you could get kids to produce in the limited
> time we have (and this is especially relevant in a high school context) is a
> real eye-opener when you consider how long you can spend in computer labs
> while kids do video editing or audio manipulation assignments.
>  
> I'd be interested to hear whether other people agree that the potential for
> these products in a school context is amazing.
>  
> Bruce Fuda
> Classroom Teacher
> Stromlo High School
> Canberra, ACT Australia
>  


---
Chris Betcher
Sydney, NSW, Australia
chris at betcher.org
www.betchablog.com

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