More Napalm, Please.

[mister_slim]

The New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com) has an editorial up, Ground Rules for the Windows-Macintosh War (http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/26/technology/circuits/26POGUE-EMAIL.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1117203344-Ll8jrdfYJRJt9gmV2a3DNw). Most of the points are quite applicable to the Xbox 360/Playstation 3/Revolution war. More commentary at Slashdot (http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/27/200212&tid=109&tid=3).

Don't make grandiose purchasing plans by guessing on technology's future.

"We want the kids to learn what they'll one day use in the business world," however, is NOT a good reason [for standardizing on Windows in schools]. If you think you know what anyone will be using in 2020 (when today's first graders will graduate from college), you must have a heck of a magical crystal ball.

Truth is, by 2020, no operating system will look anything like it does today. By 2020, we may well be using holography or tablets or glorified cellphones instead of computers. Claiming to know what company's operating system today's kids will be using when they graduate college, or how that software will work, is nonsense.
I suggest that we ignore the article and instead argue the quantity and quality of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo propaganda and lies.

[TheEpicOfTyler]

I don't want to register.

[Heretic Machine]

The article is bullshit. Although the same operating systems won't be in use when the kids get into the real world, they'll still have valuable experience with the machines, which SHOULD evolve as they learn. Meaning that they shouldn't just be thrown at an operating system at any point in their life, but rather learn it slowly as the technology changes.

If you grew up on Windows 95, you had no problem switching to 98, and then no problem switching to XP. I doubt anyone who has used XP will have a problem with Longhorn.

[kizke]

I don't want to register.

That's too bad. The New York Times is a great resource.

When I look at all the lies and general bullshit that's pimped out by Microsoft and Xbox, I gain more and more respect for Nintendo.

I just hope the Revolution does what Nintendo hopes it will. I want a new renaissance of honest, high-quality gaming...another Super Nintendo era.

[Heretic Machine]

When I look at all the lies and general bullshit that's pimped out by Microsoft and Xbox, I gain more and more respect for Nintendo.

Ya, it's better to make vauge references to how great your mystery (which may or may not be vaporeware) console will be... How it will change something entirely which has been on fundementally the same evolutionary path (the one setup by YOUR company) for a couple of decades now.

[chechenepiphany]

I don't want to register.
use bugmenot

[mister_slim]

The article is bullshit. Although the same operating systems won't be in use when the kids get into the real world, they'll still have valuable experience with the machines, which SHOULD evolve as they learn. Meaning that they shouldn't just be thrown at an operating system at any point in their life, but rather learn it slowly as the technology changes.

If you grew up on Windows 95, you had no problem switching to 98, and then no problem switching to XP. I doubt anyone who has used XP will have a problem with Longhorn.
No. The point of education is to learn generalized skills. Students should learn how to type and use a word processor, not how to use a MS keyboard and Word. A lot of drivers can't drive a standard, and it doesn't matter because their car has an automatic transmission. But if they need to borrow a car, having a generalized skillset may be important.

Personally, the experience of using Mac OS and Windows in school demonstrated to me that both sucked. When OSX came out, I had a good understanding of the problems of both OS9 and Windows, so I switched to a Mac.

[Morrolan]

Is Holography even a word?

[DevDict]

ho·log·raph·y
n.
A method of producing a three-dimensional image of an object by recording on a photographic plate or film the pattern of interference formed by a split laser beam and then illuminating the pattern either with a laser or with ordinary light.

Maybe, just *maybe* he is right. However for the same reasons he stated schools don't have to use Mac. In fact, let's wait to 2020 untill the OS he describes appear and still not buy them and wait for 40 020...
Windows is the most widespread OS so no wonder it's used in schools.

[TrackZero]

I suggest that we ignore the article and instead argue the quantity and quality of Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo propaganda and lies.

Game on! (Kidding.)

Article is semi-relevant, and makes some good points. Not directly applicate to the next-gen systems though, as the article is using a scale of 15 years away, while we're focusing on hardware that will all be out by the end of 2006 (at the latest). We also do have a clue about what to expect next (except for that damn revolution controller).

Still, good read.

[Savok]

The New York Times publishing shit, there's a shock.

[mkelehan]

I like how this post links to oranges, and tells you to ignore them and think about apples.

[Stryfe01]

It's all retarded! LOL Seriously. In my schools we used MAC's period. Apple was the one who had the contracts with the schools. At home we used windows. Does it fricking matter ? No. People will choose what they are comfortable with. It's as plain and simple as that. Not to mention that anyone here who owns a MAC, uses a Windows machine somewhere else. So what's teh big deal ? All can, and will coexist as long as people have a choice.

All you MAC haters, bah...grow up. All you Windows haters, bah...grow up! It's dumb to argue these points. Though I always get a good laugh at you guys going back and forth.

[AbeLincoln]

The debate on mac or windows in schools was more relevant back in the day when you couldn't take any file from a PC and use it on a mac, that's not how it is anymore so it doesn't matter.

[Shifteh]

I used a MAC in school, but I sure as hell dont now. Also, what the hell kind of reasoning is "You cant use that to teach them now, we wont be using it later!"

Well lend us your fucking time-machine and we'll get on acquiring those OS' from 2020.

[Crabby]

It is the same reasoning that could justify me not wanting to learn anything about any scientific field because later on, you know, there will be advancements.

Nothing developed for computers is just going to "pop in" overnight. Which is the picture that is being painted. We all get hooked and suddenly when aliens subjugate us we have to learn completely new stuff.

[bumgut]

The New York Times is worth registering for. It's free and should be on your bookmark list. I'm not even fucking American and I can see that!