Houston U. Students find PCs easier to use...

Bergermeister · 10-06-2006, 09:07 AM

Yep. The dudes and dudettes of Houston State University find PCs easier to use.

Also, I love the line about due to low demand, fewer students choose to sign up for Mac accounts.

Is this a campus of geniuuses?

Chucker · 10-06-2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

In order to access the Apple Macintosh computers on the SHSU campus, students must acquire a "Mac Account" through Computer Services.

A "Mac Account"? So, in other words, the IT department is too stupid to set up a proper cross-platform network? LDAP? OpenDirectory? ActiveDirectory? Hello?

monkeyastronaut · 10-06-2006, 10:49 AM

omfg this is horseshit!!

Quote:

The fact remains that most students have no use for the flashy visuals and complicated graphics programs that Apple's Macintoshes are so famous for carrying. They may be more appealing to the eye, but Macintosh computers have yet to produce any real educational or basic functional value for the majority of college students.

oh! those flashy visuals make my computer SO hard to use! the dock becomes larger when my mouse pointer goes nearby the icons! TEH HORROR!

Quote:

Based on the number of Macs versus the number of PCs on campus, students seem to experience much more difficulty in operating the Apple system as opposed to other more standard systems.

"We definitely receive at least two to three calls a day for help with the Macs," Kaleb Cuevas, sophomore psychology major and Computer Services employee, said. "It's usually because of something like the operating system messing up. But it's often because of user error too."

"because of something like the operating system messing up." nice, we're all professionals here.

Quote:

According to Cuevas, PCs could be described as more business based than the Mac, with an emphasis on typing-based programs such as Word. With the majority of college students' assignments focusing on word-based projects and papers, the PC logically provides a much better means of producing their work.

yeah, because, you know, there is no Word for mac so basically if you have a mac and you want to write a paper, you're screwed.

i won't bother to read the rest of it. sorry for the grouchiness.

aiolos · 10-06-2006, 11:40 AM

What a retarded article, I left a "nice" comment on him.

Bergermeister · 10-06-2006, 11:44 AM

How much $$$ did MS pay H.U. to run the story?

Splinemodel · 10-06-2006, 01:00 PM

Darn, this is in the Houstonian. Macs are in trouble. The glut of positive press from small players like the New York Times and the WSJ doesn't have a chance at keeping-up the public's favorable opinion of Apple.

Guybrush Threepwood · 10-06-2006, 04:26 PM

Hmmm...

That's funny. Sacramento State University is slowly replacing Dells with all iMacs. College students don't like Macs my ass...

wirc · 10-06-2006, 07:01 PM

Seems to me that the only problems people are having are the ones with interfacing with the All-Powerful Dominion of Gates. A typlical response: "I can't read the attachment you just sent me. Why is your stupid computer so stupid? And what the hell is a PNG?" And so often, they remain convinced that something has to be wrong. Sigh... I'm just going to go back to my room with a Hoegarden and watch Exposé in slow motion.

Aurora · 10-06-2006, 07:21 PM

The decline of America is clear here, Im sure most of these fools voted for Bush twice.

Placebo · 10-06-2006, 08:37 PM

You must remember that for the grand majority of use, Windows is easier to use than the Mac simply because it's a more linear operating system. Things like not having wizards and being able to have a program open without any windows open: these are things that people are generally confused by.

hypoluxa · 10-06-2006, 08:56 PM

that was the most hysterical article Ive ever read!... I almost can't believe it is for real!

1337_5L4Xx0R · 10-07-2006, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurora

The decline of America is clear here, Im sure most of these fools voted for Bush twice.

ROTFL!

backtomac · 10-07-2006, 08:47 AM

The issue at HSU probably stems from a lack of knowledge about macs.

If I were the head of marketing at Apple I would develope a demo days program that would target universities around the country. People could come and try the different products. I would have an expert around to show users the capabilities of Macs. I would demo Parallels and boot camp. Sort of like a traveling Apple store. There could be a drawing for a free iPods to help ensure a good turn out.

gregmightdothat · 10-07-2006, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by backtomac

The issue at HSU probably stems from a lack of knowledge about macs.

If I were the head of marketing at Apple I would develope a demo days program that would target universities around the country. People could come and try the different products. I would have an expert around to show users the capabilities of Macs. I would demo Parallels and boot camp. Sort of like a traveling Apple store. There could be a drawing for a free iPods to help ensure a good turn out.

You are aware that Apple does that reguarly?

Last two times they did it at my university they gave out free iPods.

backtomac · 10-08-2006, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregmightdothat

You are aware that Apple does that reguarly?

Last two times they did it at my university they gave out free iPods.

Nope, shit I'm just out of touch. I better crawl back into my cave, winter is approaching.

Bergermeister · 10-08-2006, 05:48 AM

Perhaps they should visit Houston U!

gregmightdothat · 10-08-2006, 07:35 AM

I have a feeling that that article was written by a young Paul Thurrott.

lakingsfn · 10-08-2006, 02:58 PM

Okay, I got my Mac Mini less than a year ago and have had no problem doing the "simple" things that they talk about in the article. I've even taught myself to use Pages and Keynote because I didn't want to spend the $$$ on Office for Mac. It's not that hard and I'm far less frustrated with my Mac than I ever was with my PC's because of hardware/software problems. These people just need to get a clue.

wirc · 10-08-2006, 04:00 PM

I'll say it again, the problems these people are having stem from an inability to interact with a Microsoft-dominated culture. The lack of competition has led to the whole ecosystem of printers and exchange servers all but excluding the Mac. Similarly, if these people have even heard of OpenOffice.org products, then they'd know about all the difficulties Microsoft creates in it's attempts to have control of the market.

bborofka · 10-08-2006, 05:25 PM

Ok, this article is a pile and it's easy for us to sit here and laugh at it. Logical fallacies galore. But it's really not about the students finding PCs easier to use, it's about the IT dept. finding Macs more difficult to support.

Like it or not, this is the same attitude across IT departments everywhere. Can you blame them? The Mac benefit is not apparent to those who are looking for the most cost-effective way in establishing a workstation/server setup and the easiest way to support them. Yes, there is still stigma lingering and stereotypes from the past, as this article proves. But Windows prevails not because of any superiority over the Mac platform. It prevails because it works, it's familiar, and it's cheap.

Unless Microsoft seriously shoots itself in the foot (which it just might be doing with Vista), or Apple more aggressively pursues enterprise (which it seriously needs to do... Xserve/OS X Server isn't just going to sell itself to the masses), things will stay like this for a while. Hopefully more and more college students will continue to buy Macs and the "halo-effect" grows, and things might change.

Chucker · 10-08-2006, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bborofka

Like it or not, this is the same attitude across IT departments everywhere. Can you blame them?

Yes, you can.

Placebo · 10-08-2006, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aurora

The decline of America is clear here, Im sure most of these fools voted for Bush twice.

Your President is a professed Mac user.

Guybrush Threepwood · 10-08-2006, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chucker

Yes, you can.

Can you elaborate a little more, please?

May be a dumb question, but does the IT department from most companies/educational institutes usually control what kind of hardware/software they buy, or is it from someone that usually has no clue?

I haven't the slightest idea about how IT departments work, so I was just wondering. I was under the assumption they just work with whatever they are given by those from the top and don't really have a choice.

Chucker · 10-09-2006, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guybrush Threepwood

Can you elaborate a little more, please?

May be a dumb question, but does the IT department from most companies/educational institutes usually control what kind of hardware/software they buy, or is it from someone that usually has no clue?

I haven't the slightest idea about how IT departments work, so I was just wondering. I was under the assumption they just work with whatever they are given by those from the top and don't really have a choice.

This has nothing to do with hardware. If they aren't capable of implementing an LDAP-based authentication system that works across multiple operating systems, something Windows (ActiveDirectory), Mac OS X (OpenDirectory) and Linux and others (OpenLDAP) all support, then yes, they are too blame: they are incompetent and ought to be fired.

MajorMatt · 10-09-2006, 10:14 AM

I hate how people expect Mac OS X to act like Windows ...

**JeffDM** · 10-15-2006, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Placebo

Your President is a professed Mac user.

That's quite a tangent from what you are replying to. I haven't seen a profession of using Macs, but I have seen a statement of him saying he mostly uses a Dell.

Placebo · 10-15-2006, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MajorMatt

I hate how people expect Mac OS X to act like Windows ...

In a lot of ways Windows is easier to use. For example, Disk Image-based installs in Mac OS X... what the fuck?

stustanley · 10-16-2006, 09:01 AM

Quote:

"We definitely receive at least two to three calls a day for help with the Macs," Kaleb Cuevas, sophomore psychology major and Computer Services employee, said. "It's usually because of something like the operating system messing up. But it's often because of user error too."

How many call do they get a day about windows pc's?????

and I would also be interested to know what percentage of students have/use mac accounts!

stu

Bergermeister · 10-16-2006, 10:11 AM

I like the way he said "it's usually A" and then "but it's often B, too." Sounds like he is trying to sway the data.

How often does the system mess up on a Mac? It is beena long time since I have had to fix my system. A real long time.

backtomac · 10-16-2006, 11:59 AM

Came across this link at Ars where Mac purchases at Princeton now at 45%.

Maybe the students at Princeton are smarter than those at Houston U.

edit Link:http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...006/10/16/5625

AsLan^ · 10-16-2006, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Placebo

Your President is a professed Mac user.

You don't suppose he might be Moe do you!?

10-06-2006, 09:07 AM	#1
Bergermeister Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Southern Paradise Posts: 4,648	Houston U. Students find PCs easier to use... Yep. The dudes and dudettes of Houston State University find PCs easier to use. Also, I love the line about due to low demand, fewer students choose to sign up for Mac accounts. Is this a campus of geniuuses? Teacher: "What state do you live in?" Calvin: "Denial."

10-06-2006, 11:44 AM	#5
Bergermeister Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Southern Paradise Posts: 4,648	How much $$$ did MS pay H.U. to run the story? Teacher: "What state do you live in?" Calvin: "Denial."

10-06-2006, 01:00 PM	#6
Splinemodel Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 7,037	Darn, this is in the Houstonian. Macs are in trouble. The glut of positive press from small players like the New York Times and the WSJ doesn't have a chance at keeping-up the public's favorable opinion of Apple. Cat: the other white meat

10-06-2006, 04:26 PM	#7
Guybrush Threepwood Registered User Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sacramento Posts: 1,104	Hmmm... That's funny. Sacramento State University is slowly replacing Dells with all iMacs. College students don't like Macs my ass... "If I had played my career hitting singles like Pete (Rose), I'd wear a dress." - Mickey Mantle

10-06-2006, 07:01 PM	#8
wirc Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 302	Seems to me that the only problems people are having are the ones with interfacing with the All-Powerful Dominion of Gates. A typlical response: "I can't read the attachment you just sent me. Why is your stupid computer so stupid? And what the hell is a PNG?" And so often, they remain convinced that something has to be wrong. Sigh... I'm just going to go back to my room with a Hoegarden and watch Exposé in slow motion. MacBook Pro C2D 2.4GHz and a battle-scarred PowerBook G4 1.33GHz "When you gaze long into a dead pixel, the dead pixes gazes also into you"

10-06-2006, 11:40 AM	#4
aiolos Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 158	What a retarded article, I left a "nice" comment on him.

10-06-2006, 07:21 PM	#9
Aurora Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: S.C-Yahooville Posts: 1,116	The decline of America is clear here, Im sure most of these fools voted for Bush twice. VOTE OUT ALL INCUMBENTS! Its the only way we can clean up Congress.

10-06-2006, 08:37 PM	#10
Placebo Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: http://tinyurl.com/fswz7 Posts: 5,725	You must remember that for the grand majority of use, Windows is easier to use than the Mac simply because it's a more linear operating system. Things like not having wizards and being able to have a program open without any windows open: these are things that people are generally confused by.

10-06-2006, 08:56 PM	#11
hypoluxa Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Portland OR Posts: 407	that was the most hysterical article Ive ever read!... I almost can't believe it is for real!

10-07-2006, 08:47 AM	#13
backtomac Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,943	What I Would Do If I Was Head of Marketing The issue at HSU probably stems from a lack of knowledge about macs. If I were the head of marketing at Apple I would develope a demo days program that would target universities around the country. People could come and try the different products. I would have an expert around to show users the capabilities of Macs. I would demo Parallels and boot camp. Sort of like a traveling Apple store. There could be a drawing for a free iPods to help ensure a good turn out.

10-08-2006, 05:48 AM	#16
Bergermeister Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Southern Paradise Posts: 4,648	Perhaps they should visit Houston U! Teacher: "What state do you live in?" Calvin: "Denial."

10-08-2006, 07:35 AM	#17
gregmightdothat Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,704	I have a feeling that that article was written by a young Paul Thurrott.

10-08-2006, 02:58 PM	#18
lakingsfn Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 141	Okay, I got my Mac Mini less than a year ago and have had no problem doing the "simple" things that they talk about in the article. I've even taught myself to use Pages and Keynote because I didn't want to spend the $$$ on Office for Mac. It's not that hard and I'm far less frustrated with my Mac than I ever was with my PC's because of hardware/software problems. These people just need to get a clue. http://homepage.mac.com/lakingsfn/

10-08-2006, 04:00 PM	#19
wirc Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 302	I'll say it again, the problems these people are having stem from an inability to interact with a Microsoft-dominated culture. The lack of competition has led to the whole ecosystem of printers and exchange servers all but excluding the Mac. Similarly, if these people have even heard of OpenOffice.org products, then they'd know about all the difficulties Microsoft creates in it's attempts to have control of the market. MacBook Pro C2D 2.4GHz and a battle-scarred PowerBook G4 1.33GHz "When you gaze long into a dead pixel, the dead pixes gazes also into you"

10-08-2006, 05:25 PM	#20
bborofka Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chico, California Posts: 220	Ok, this article is a pile and it's easy for us to sit here and laugh at it. Logical fallacies galore. But it's really not about the students finding PCs easier to use, it's about the IT dept. finding Macs more difficult to support. Like it or not, this is the same attitude across IT departments everywhere. Can you blame them? The Mac benefit is not apparent to those who are looking for the most cost-effective way in establishing a workstation/server setup and the easiest way to support them. Yes, there is still stigma lingering and stereotypes from the past, as this article proves. But Windows prevails not because of any superiority over the Mac platform. It prevails because it works, it's familiar, and it's cheap. Unless Microsoft seriously shoots itself in the foot (which it just might be doing with Vista), or Apple more aggressively pursues enterprise (which it seriously needs to do... Xserve/OS X Server isn't just going to sell itself to the masses), things will stay like this for a while. Hopefully more and more college students will continue to buy Macs and the "halo-effect" grows, and things might change.

10-09-2006, 10:14 AM	#25
MajorMatt Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 1,051	I hate how people expect Mac OS X to act like Windows ...

10-16-2006, 10:11 AM	#29
Bergermeister Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Southern Paradise Posts: 4,648	I like the way he said "it's usually A" and then "but it's often B, too." Sounds like he is trying to sway the data. How often does the system mess up on a Mac? It is beena long time since I have had to fix my system. A real long time. Teacher: "What state do you live in?" Calvin: "Denial."

10-16-2006, 11:59 AM	#30
backtomac Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3,943	Isolated Case Came across this link at Ars where Mac purchases at Princeton now at 45%. Maybe the students at Princeton are smarter than those at Houston U. edit Link:http://arstechnica.com/journals/appl...006/10/16/5625 Last edited by backtomac; 10-16-2006 at 01:42 PM..

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