jpj@mss.UUCP (J. P. Jenal) (06/21/84)
As part of the continuing debate regarding AT&T's ability to market its own Operating System in an intelligent manner, allow me to relate the following anecdote and issue a plea... I had been discussing several points with the good folks at UniSoft when we got stuck on the issue of paying for a source code license - that is, how much should such a thing cost an educational institution? When pressed on the subject, the UniSoft rep suggested that I see what AT&T was charging. Being brave, if somewhat foolhardy, I decided to do just that. Upon striding up to the nearest man in a blue suit, a Mr. Vuksanovich to be exact, I asked what AT&T was charging educational institutions for a source code license. He asked me what University I was with. I replied, somewhat proudly, that I was not with a College at all but rather a High School. "Well then," he harrumphed, "you don't qualify as an educational institution!" Imagine how surprised all of my A.P. kids are going to be. When I pressed him further, he suggested that since we weren't a degree granting institution, AT&T wasn't interested in us. (Odd, since two weeks earlier the local AT&T rep had bought me breakfast to gather my comments on the 3B2) When I protested his (il)logic, he simply turned away saying that no high school would be willing to pay the $800 anyway! Not a terribly enlightened attitude. After I had cooled down somewhat, I returned to get this fellow's correct name so that I could pass his comments on to others who might be interested. In the process of so doing, I spoke with his boss - who was at least willing to listen. He suggested that I write a paper outlining my position on the subject and this article is my first step in that direction. I realize that most of you reading this are well removed from things of a high school nature but I would like to elicit your responses. I feel that it is time to get more high schools in touch with better hardware and more sophisticated software. The Advanced Placement people are helping to show how things *ought* to go - by making Pascal the language for the A.P. test (as opposed to Basic - which is what is so often seen at this level) as well as suggesting better systems, but they could use some support. High schools in general, and small schools in particular, are always strapped for cash - larger corporations are always looking for ways to lower their tax liabilities and find qualified people. Why aren't these needs being pulled together - by giving good students the chance to use good equipment? Apple has made a stab at doing this - they donated a IIe to every elementary and secondary school in California. If they can do it, why can't AT&T? Or DEC? Or IBM??? Let's get some equipment (and time from concerned people as well) down at the level where it could fire some imaginations - hell, most any high school would pay $800 for that. Comments, suggestions and flames welcome. -- Cheers... Jim Jenal (aka ...!scgvaxd!mss!jpj) Mayfield Senior School ( " ...!ihnp4!mss!jpj)