nl0s+@andrew.cmu.edu (Nathan James Loofbourrow) (10/01/89)
This is an open letter I received (secondhand) from Apple Computer. It
regards a
set of proposals floating around the House of Representatives which
affect the ability of college students to purchase computers at
university prices. (This, of course, refers to all makes of computer
equipment, not just the Apple stuff.) The recipient and I felt this
might be of interest. (I am not affiliated with Apple, nor is this
posted by their request or permission.)
The letter follows (verbatim):
To: College Faculty and Students
From: Apple Computer, Inc.
Re: Federal legislation to limit your ability to buy personal computers
on college campuses
As you know, Apple Computer and other computer manufacturers work with
colleges and universities to conduct a special program so that you can
buy personal computers for educational purposes at large discounts from
retail price. Some businesses who sell our products at higher prices,
however, are complaining to the federal government about the discounts
made available to you through your university or college. They would
prefer you to buy computers from them at higher retail prices. Because
the Congress has been hearing only from these businessesmen [sic] and
not from the students and faculty, the politicians are now considering
ways to restrict you in the college and university community from
purchasing computers at education prices.
The current proposals being considered would do the following:
(1) prevent students from buying computers at education prices from
your campus reseller unless they get a permission slip from a professor
which states that the computer is required for a particular class; and
(2) prevent college faculty and staff from purchasing computers
through the campus resale program at education prices altogether.
Is it fair that only students who take specific classes be able to buy
computers inexpensively? Should adults be required to get a permission
slip in order to buy a computer? Will faculty members be equally
enthusiastic in using computers for class projects if their right to buy
computers on campus is taken away? At Apple, we believe the answer to
these questions is an emphatic NO. Computers are an educational tool
that you can use for many different productive and creative purposes. Do
you need a permission slip to buy a textbook, a calculator or a
typewriter? No. Then why should you need one to buy a computer?
If you feel as strongly as we do that limiting the sale of computers to
college students, faculty and staff is bad public policy, you need to
let the men and women in Congress know. Your letters will have an
impact. If a Congressman gets letters from you and your colleagues or
fellow students, he will have to think twice about limiting your right
to buy computers. The follwing Congressman [sic] in the House of
Representatives are the most active on the subject:
J. J. Pickle (D-TX)
Beryl F. Anthony, Jr. (D-AR)
Ronnie G. Flippo (D-AL)
Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND)
Harold E. Ford (D-TN)
Charles B. Rangel (D-NY)
Andrew Jacobs. Jr. (D-IN)
Richard T. Schulze (R-PA)
Raymond J. McGrath (R-NY)
Rod Chandler (R-WA)
E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R-FL)
Please write to them at U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
20515. They are all members of the subcommittee which is deliberating on
this subject, the Oversight Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means
Committee. This subcommittee may make a legislative recommendation on it
very soon.
Since Apple is opposing this legislation, we can best coordinate our
efforts with you if you send us a copy of your letters to these
government officials. Please send the copies to:
Chuck Jacob
Apple Computer, Inc.
1550 M St., N.W., Suite 1000
Washington, D.C. 20005
If you have any questions on this issue, you can call Mr. Jacob at (202)
872-6260. Together, we must prevent the Congress from restricting your
freedom to buy a personal computer.
------
Nathan Loofbourrow
Carnegie-Mellon University
ARPA: nl0s+@andrew.cmu.edu BITNET: nl0s@andrew UUCP:
...!harvard!andrew!nl0s+
DISCLAIMER: The opinions in the letter above are Apple's, not mine.d88-jwa@nada.kth.se (Jon W{tte) (10/03/89)
One thing just popped into my head while reading this post: I have bought a SE/30 through educational discount (40 % here in Sweden, although lowered recently) and am very happy with it. Of course a mac is not REQUIRED here since we have free access to several rooms of macs, but it sure helps :') I would NEVER EVER in a billion years buy a computer at the "recommended list price" (these prices are about two or three times higher here than similar in the USA) since I couldn't afford it. The high-charging resellers would earn nothing by limiting university discount sales, in my opinion. Hell, If I hadn't gotten my mac that cheap, I wouldn't have bought that mouse pad from them :') h+@nada.kth.se -- Life's a bitch, then you die.