RE: [WinMac] Re: iMac
David Linsey(linseyda[at]pilot.msu.edu)
Thu, 4 Feb 1999 12:23:52 -0500
> -----Original Message-----
> From: winmac@xerxes.frit.utexas.edu
> [mailto:winmac@xerxes.frit.utexas.edu]On Behalf Of Jeff Johnson
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 1999 12:12 PM
> To: The Windows-MacOS cooperation list
> Subject: [WinMac] Re: iMac
>
>
> Making a floppy drive optional _is_ innovative, especially
> when you consider
> schools which have to deal with corrupt disks, defective
> drives, viruses and
> illegal programs on a daily basis. As a HS tech coordinator,
> I used to spend
> lots of time dealing with students and teachers that had problems with
> floppy disks and drives.
So then wouldn't all of the sudden pulling the plug on floppy disks when the
staff rely on these disks for personal backups as well as transferring files
home be a bit drastic? You make it sound like a solution to the problems
with floppy disks is to remove the drive. If you do not want the students
to use the disk drives you can either get locks for the disk drives or for
the PC you can disable the drive in the BIOS and then password protect it, I
have implemented both before with no problem in situations where disks from
students are not wanted. I understand your thinking however I don't think a
solution to problems with floppy disks is to remove the drives.
>
> It's a major paradigm shift for educators but the increasing
> availability of
> file servers on networks and email do allow for efficient
> transfer of small
> files. For those that still want to use floppies, they can
> get an external
> SuperDisk or floppy-only drive, both of which connect to the
> iMac or new G3
> via USB (another step forward).
Agreed, however you are still going to have those that want personal backups
or to take the files home. Mention lugging around an external floppy drive
and you will get weird looks. Yes USB is a step forward, however this is by
no means an innovative thing for computers, it has been on PCs well before
it made its appearance on the Macs. The iMac just made it crunch time for
all the companies to make USB stuff, which helped both platforms.
>
> It is cost effective to eliminate these devices from the base
> package too.
> And that's a major point for Apple in competing against sub-$1K PCs.
Definitely
>
> Jeff Johnson
> K-12 Account Manager for SE Wisconsin
> Bell Industries Education Division
> jjohnson@wi.net
>
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on Thu Feb 04 1999 - 09:31:19 PST
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