Re: What Apple II to buy if not a GS?

[aa382@freenet.carleton.ca (Marc Sira)]

In our last episode, behrenss@Informatik.TU-Muenchen.DE (Soenke Behrens) said:

>I do not think the Apple // is a wise investment. A cheapo Mac (like
>a used Performa 400) would probably be better ... because of the higher
>resolution it offers, and because of the better sound it offers ... which
>means that edu soft can take advantage of that and be so much more fun.

Kids (wisely) don't care much about resolution and the like, though
sound is a somewhat stronger argument (but GS prices are now reasonable).
The argument against Macs for kids is that they'll turn an inquisitive
kid into a noninquisitive kid, by being user-obseqious at every turn
and effectly killing the hacker-nature before it ever gets off the
ground. A ][ is particularly nice in this regard for reasons we're all
familiar with. The choice then would depend partly on what was meant by
"computer-literate" - understanding how computers work, or understanding
how to click-and-drag - but IMO it also depends on what sort of
learning experience you want to give your kid; the standard it's-all-
planned-out-for-you-just-push-that-mouse-button Mac educational
"experience", or learning through native inquisitiveness and interest,
without well-defined beginnings or endings (rather healthier, again IMO).

I think too many people consider the flash of newer systems and software
and imagine kids will jump on the same technogeekery bandwagon; this
is not the case. It is of course diffcult to think like a kid when you're
not one anymore (somewhat sadly perhaps :). "Fun" is not the same thing
as technical superiority, though.

-- 
Marc Sira                  |
aa382@freenet.carleton.ca  |  "Your god drinks...p-p-peach nectar."
toh@micor.ocunix.on.ca     '