Why do Schools use MACS?

[Applepienation]

The only macs that make sense in my school are a bunch of new mac AIO with a built in 1440p monitors for the art room. 

[rambi36]

I think because macs are easier for students and teachers to use. Also they don't have as many issues as pcs, which is kinda not true in my school because a lot of teachers in my school had to get their macbooks repaired because of this grey screen and question mark issue that's bricked them. The 2010 iMacs in our school run really slow and only have 2gb of ram in them, which sucks.  

[-iSynthesis]

Because... Wait... We use HP WinXP with i3s and intel graphics... I'd love a mac

[AleRoss]

We have them too in italy, my school buyied mac books for classrooms and installed on it windows. It's just hopeless, the touchpad doesn't have any features and all just bearly works, it's like emulating bootcamp it's not really a solution.

[IDprofile]

I would imagine that Apple gives schools a major discount as they know that if people in school learn to work with a mac then they will continue to use macs for work.

[GoodBytes]

While I can't comment on every region in the world.

But from what I know, Apple offers either DEEP discount to school, or even get everything they want (iMacs, iPads, iPod Touch) all for free if they sign an exclusivity deal with Apple.

OEMs normally have school pricing, but Apple gives them to free or under cut everyone else with significant margin.

It might sound madness, but for Apple, it cheaper than TV ads, and you make students learn Mac's, and after they finish high-school and goes to college, or want a new system at home, what do they get? Apple. So Apple looses less than a TV ad, and makes it back, and affect huge amount of people at the same time.

A dream come true event for advertisers, and companies.

[mr.skyrim_pc]

Not in my opinion

You're allowed to have your own opinion.

[mr.skyrim_pc]

While I can't comment on every region in the world.

But from what I know, Apple offers either DEEP discount to school, or even get everything they want (iMacs, iPads, iPod Touch) all for free if they sign an exclusivity deal with Apple.

OEMs normally have school pricing, but Apple gives them to free or under cut everyone else with significant margin.

It might sound madness, but for Apple, it cheaper than TV ads, and you make students learn Mac's, and after they finish high-school and goes to college, or want a new system at home, what do they get? Apple. So Apple looses less than a TV ad, and makes it back, and affect huge amount of people at the same time.

A dream come true event for advertisers, and companies.

At least I have not been brainwashed........

[mr.skyrim_pc]

Because... Wait... We use HP WinXP with i3s and intel graphics... I'd love a mac

I cant blame you......

[RatedBlam]

I haven't seen a single school here that uses macs.

And even if the other OEM Pcs would be for example 100 euros cheaper it'll be huge when you have to get computers for all 3 schools and other municipality provided services like libraries.

But as said Apple might have a huge discount, and it's even more possible in America.

[mr.skyrim_pc]

I think because macs are easier for students and teachers to use. Also they don't have as many issues as pcs, which is kinda not true in my school because a lot of teachers in my school had to get their macbooks repaired because of this grey screen and question mark issue that's bricked them. The 2010 iMacs in our school run really slow and only have 2gb of ram in them, which sucks.  

I have the same 2010 imac at school.....it has 2gb of ram and takes forever to boot.

[mr.skyrim_pc]

I haven't seen a single school here that uses macs.

And even if the other OEM Pcs would be for example 100 euros cheaper it'll be huge when you have to get computers for all 3 schools and other municipality provided services like libraries.

But as said Apple might have a huge discount, and it's even more possible in America.

Lucky, I wish my school used PCs.

[mr.skyrim_pc]

While I can't comment on every region in the world.

But from what I know, Apple offers either DEEP discount to school, or even get everything they want (iMacs, iPads, iPod Touch) all for free if they sign an exclusivity deal with Apple.

OEMs normally have school pricing, but Apple gives them to free or under cut everyone else with significant margin.

It might sound madness, but for Apple, it cheaper than TV ads, and you make students learn Mac's, and after they finish high-school and goes to college, or want a new system at home, what do they get? Apple. So Apple looses less than a TV ad, and makes it back, and affect huge amount of people at the same time.

A dream come true event for advertisers, and companies.

I live in california which is totally apple crazy.

[RatedBlam]

Lucky, I wish my school used PCs.

It'd be more or less the same for me whatever they used.

I don't do anything particularly computer related in school. Some basic office usage mostly.

[The_Evenger]

if my school made me do a power point on why my school uses macs, i would just make a power point on why it shouldn't use macs and switch to a windows machine

 

Edit: i put in no suggestions because there is already alot of em'

[LAwLz]

The simple answer is that while it costs more up front, in the long term, it's cheaper and more efficient to deploy Macs as they tend to have a longer life cycle.

[Citation needed]

 

 

Schools in particular use MACs over Windows Machines for a range of reasons.

 

- Hard to get a Virus. Kids, especially young ones will click ANYTHING on the internet, especially if it has pretty colors and flashing lights.

- Support. When it comes to apple products and education, they will fix anything for free, as long as it's under warranty. If a product needs replaced in a PC, you either have to replace it yourself or deal with some company help line for hours on hold. 

- Usability. When it comes to easy interfaces, Mac has the game. Easy to use, friendly. What small kid doesn't know how to use their parents iPhone? It works the same with Macs.

- Setup. Setting up a school-wide login and permission system is a shit-ton easier than windows. 

- Apple Software/deals. For educational purposes, apple offers some amazing deals towards schools for software, as well as they help pay for products like Adobe.

- Apple products are durable. If treated properly (not over heating, not beaten to shit) will last and work for quite some time.

- More locked down. As per my first point, Mac OS is a lot more locked down if the permissions are setup properly. For example, NTFS permissions on Mac are a lot more secure due to the nature of their permissions inheritance system.

 

In short, Macs are better for accessibility, usability, support, and for control as a system Admin. That being said, Macs are a better choice for a school. I do not personally like Macs, but if I were to set up a user system with multiple computers, it'd be with Mac.

Please don't type it MAC in all caps. Mac and MAC are two different things. Sorry for nitpicking but it's one of my pet peeves.

 

For the viruses argument, just lock the computers down. Don't give regular users admin access and you've already eliminated 90% of the viruses. There are a ton of other things you can do as well.

 

School/business support and support for regular consumers are not the same thing. Schools has their own IT department (or hires one) to service their things, they don't call the HP help center if something goes wrong.

Even if your statement was true, do you have any reliable source to back it up with? Remember, support for companies/schools and support for general customers are two different things, so no "well I bought a Mac and I got good support" anecdotes.

 

OS X is horrible as far as usability goes. The one that designed it had obviously never heard of Fitt's law. Just because a baby can use the iPhone doesn't mean a baby can use OS X by the way. They don't even have the same input so comparing them is ridiculous.

I could go more into details about all the annoying things OS X has in their GUI but let's just leave it at "it's not that great, if you like it it's probably because you are used to it and may suffer from Baby Duck Syndrome, not because it's objectively good".

 

Wait... Setting up a school-wide login and permission system is easier than Windows? Let me ask which software you used to do that. Personally I think Active Directory is really good but if OS X has something better then please tell me.

I am not a fan of Microsoft in general but one thing they did a really good job with was Active Directory. It's so powerful.

 

I've never heard of a special discount for Adobe products if your school uses OS X. Got a source?

 

There are a lot of other computers that are durable as well. Pretty much any computer will be durable if "treated properly".

 

The last part about "more locked down" tells me that you have very little experience as a sysadmin. Like I said before, Active Directory is very very powerful. You can lock a computer down however much you want, or you can lock a specific user down however much you want. You can make folder and file inherent the NTFS permissions from their parent in Windows as well. Hell, it's the default setting as you can see in this picture. So yeah, your example is not true at all.

[Probenja]

my school uses celerons. with xp.

My school uses Atom's with Windows 7 aero. So yeah.

[Warcony]

While I can't comment on every region in the world.

But from what I know, Apple offers either DEEP discount to school, or even get everything they want (iMacs, iPads, iPod Touch) all for free if they sign an exclusivity deal with Apple.

OEMs normally have school pricing, but Apple gives them to free or under cut everyone else with significant margin.

It might sound madness, but for Apple, it cheaper than TV ads, and you make students learn Mac's, and after they finish high-school and goes to college, or want a new system at home, what do they get? Apple. So Apple looses less than a TV ad, and makes it back, and affect huge amount of people at the same time.

A dream come true event for advertisers, and companies.

 

I feel like I agree with you a lot... but in Ontario, Canada anyways, most schools use Macs because they get a VERY significant discount on them.  In our school they had both desktop and laptops (came with a cart thing).  It really is great advertising!

 

Some other points the OP may wish to consider:

-desktop macs are a single unit

-generally use less electricity (compared to other solutions at the time of purchasing)

-Less licensing fees for productivity software (i.e. crappy pages instead of Word)

 

 

IMO give every student a real device like the surface pro 2/3, they can do all their notes on it, assignments etc.  Way less paper and way better.  Giving shitty chromebooks or ipads to students is virtually useless and a waste of money. 

[theelitegamer]

i thimk that macs need to be used by schools for the simple fact, that they are next to virus free and anyone could use them, I mean come on, even @Linus gets frustrated with using windows, Mac is aiming for the simple interface, and that's all the schools care about, that anyone can use them. Yeah they are expensive, but would you want to spend 1,000 bucks on a mac and 9/10 anyone could set it up, or have a 500$ windows computer but always have to have to pay someone 25 per hour to be ready if something goes wrong. I have a iMac, I gotta say it never broke down on me, I kindof like that. *still a hard core pc fan though no matter what*

[NInety]

My school has PCs with i7s in them.

[Guest]

My school has PCs with i7s in them.

That's because the school's IT guys like spending government money inefficiently. I would do the same. And if you go to private school it's because tuition is outrageously overpriced and borderline fraudulent so they can do crazy stuff.

[coen113]

because they last longer than windows computers, because of a superior build quality

[Guest]

I have to do a powerpoint project for school on why schools would use macs vs PCs. I cant think of that many reasons for them to use a mac. PIease give me some suggestions.

Last longer, OS X is easier for education- Keynote, Pages, and Numbers aren't as big as Ofice, but they're much more intuitive.

[Guest]

Just sittin here with my octo-boot pc 

[Guest]

i thimk that macs need to be used by schools for the simple fact, that they are next to virus free and anyone could use them, I mean come on, even @Linus gets frustrated with using windows, Mac is aiming for the simple interface, and that's all the schools care about, that anyone can use them. Yeah they are expensive, but would you want to spend 1,000 bucks on a mac and 9/10 anyone could set it up, or have a 500$ windows computer but always have to have to pay someone 25 per hour to be ready if something goes wrong. I have a iMac, I gotta say it never broke down on me, I kindof like that. *still a hard core pc fan though no matter what*

My hackintosh is much cheaper than the cheapest mac