(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5)
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By Caroline Gentile ’13, News Editor
The ongoing battle of Mac versus PC has reached CCDS. Over the years, many students have wondered why they are required to buy a Toshiba Tablet instead of an Apple laptop. Some argue that Macs are not only sleeker, but much more reliable and easy to use in comparison to the tablets we use at CCDS. Although Apple computers do have their benefits, Toshiba tablets are not at all inferior to them.
For those who are not educated in the field of computers, Tablets are PCs (personal computers) that have digital ink, which allows users to write on the screen. At CCDS, we use the software Windows 7 on our machines, whereas OSX is used on Apple computers, or Macs. While Macs do not offer digital ink, they do boast some of the best graphics tools in the technology world.
For this reason, Senior Ilana Habib much prefers her MacBook Pro to her school computer. “Because I do so much work with graphics,” she said, “having a Mac just makes sense. Also, I have a seven hour battery life, and my computer is so much faster than any other computer at school.”
Like Habib, Jacob Stafford ’13 favors his Mac over his Tablet PC. “Macs have an amazing trouble shooting program,” he said. “Mine has never crashed. My school laptop has crashed so many times, causing me to lose all my files and redo my work.” Stafford and Habib also agreed that the Mac’s plastic body instead of the Toshiba Tablet’s metal one is a huge advantage to accident-prone students.
However, Macs do have their disadvantages. For example, Apple’s most basic model of its new Airbook does not have a touch screen, digital ink, or a CD/DVD drive. Apple has even made it known that they will no longer support Java, which is a standard programming language that supports parts of the CCDS website like MyBackpack. They are already moving away from Flash, the most prominent video language on the internet.
Dr. Gregory Martin, who used to work in the tech office before teaching ninth grade Humanities, owns both a Mac and a Toshiba Tablet. In terms of education applications, he believes that the Tablet PC is a game-changer because it provides an unmatched array of creativity and productivity functions, regardless of the manufacturer. In fact, people from around the country and world continue to see what one of the world’s greatest technology programs offers at CCDS’s tablet conferences; “Clearly, we’ve earned a reputation for innovation by using Tablets,” Dr. Martin said.
On that note, he said that if Apple made a Tablet device, CCDS would certainly consider using it (the iPad, contrary to popular belief, is not a tablet but an accessory that requires another computer). However, “it’s awfully hard to network, repair, and update Macs in a large-scale setting,” Dr. Martin said. “Though there’s a general sense that Macs don’t get viruses, they do—I got one. In fact, OSX is among tech leaders anyway, the most open to hacking and viral infection. With our move to Windows 7 and MS Forefront, we’ve nearly eliminated viruses and have a very secure network for over 700 machines.”
In order to maintain this secure system, one of CCDS’s policies has been that students cannot use outside machines on the school’s network. Macs (and any other outside machines, PCs included) can no longer link up to the CCDS wireless network. This policy also ensures that everyone has common insurance, a loaner pool, and standard software programs, making it possible for teachers to create a learning environment without having to worry if some students will be able to complete their work.
It is evident that both Macs and Tablet PCs have their benefits and are very good computers. As a result, the argument over which is more suited to CCDS’s purposes will probably never be resolved. However, Dr. Martin affirmed that CCDS is “committed to the philosophy, not one type of hardware over another.”
Photo courtesy of http://www.slashgear.com and http://venturebeat.com
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I’d like to point out that the MacBook Air is not supposed to be compared to a computer like a Toshiba Tablet. It is more akin to a netbook and is geared for the ultra-portable market. If you look at other computers in its bracket, none of them have CD-DVD drives, and it is rated very highly against its competition. Making the comparison between a netbook and a laptop is like comparing a Smart car to a mini van. If you’re buying a MacBook Air, it’s for compactness, not “seating capacity”
Also, Apple computers still support Java, it just does not come pre-installed. (Think back to the era of Shockwave, remember when you had to install that, too?) The reason for this has been explained. Java is not included in Apple’s own software updates (it isn’t in Windows’ either) and so it is better to download upon arrival of the computer as opposed to having an outdated version that could be virus prone or glitchy. Flash is not supported on iPhones and iPads, but works fine on Apple computers. I would also like to point out that it is quickly being replaced by HTML5.
Concerning the maintenance/networking issues, it very much can be done. File sharing is generally easier on Macs, and I have wired my entire house to allow all our macs to talk to each other. I also have set up public servers off of my computer (as most who have used my pictures know) and all of this has been entirely intuitive. One of the schools I attended in Jacksonville actually used all Mac laptops (a similar program to the one we have here, though they were rentals) and that school was the one that actually got me hooked on Apple products (this was 7 years ago).
One last bit about viruses on Macs. For the most part, any virus you get on a Mac is the result of a hole in a program you are using. The Microsoft Office suite is notoriously open, as are some Adobe programs. However, staying up to date on software patches generally resolves these issues.
They are all made by Taiwanese company Quanta anyway.
Its hard to add anything to Ilana’s post. There is just one thing: contrary to popular belief macs do in fact have a built-in digital ink program that is arguably better and more accurate than the windows version. Also people argue that macs are expensive however if you compare a Mac Book Pro that is a similar price to the Toshiba portege we all use you will find that the mac comes with more RAM, a larger hard drive and runs both Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Windows 7 all clear advantages.
Just get rid of the tablets. I haven’t used the tablet function since 9th grade and mine and my friends computers are falling apart because Toshiba is an awful brand.
agreed
Word. We still need computers, but I don’t agree with paying extra for a terrible computer just because we can take notes on it. Almost everyone it seems has a different PC that they use at home and like a lot more than their Toshiba.
Do I think the tablet functions are useful? Yes.
Do I think they’re worth the money we’re spending on them? No.
I think we should drop the loyalty to Toshiba (especially in light of recent issues), and explore other computer brands. I know there are other brands of tablets that are cheaper and better-made. However, unlike some people, I have never found the Toshibas to be unusually prone to breaking. If your computer has parts falling off, it is your fault for mistreating your machine, not the manufacturers. I just think that the school should explore other options, both tablets and regular laptops.
Also, I do like Macs, but as a proponent of open source and free culture, the business direction they’re going in frightens me.
Very fair comment. The new Mac App Store is honestly terrifying. While it is great to be able to download everything from home, I fear for legitimate developers and those who do not want to go through Apple’s infamous phase of judgement before you can actually put anything on the market.