john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer) (05/14/85)
We've kicked around the relative merits of requiring a student to purchase a micro for several weeks now. If I may, I'd like to turn the discussion to a slightly different subject: Let's assume that it is in the best interest of the student to require him to buy a micro (specifically a PC compatable) to use as a personal workstation, word processor, terminal, and even a game machine. (This a very broad statement which has been kicked around before, so no flames please!) The only question I have is- is the AT&T 6300 the *right* or at least the *only right* machine? UVM claims that the 6300 has one of the best price/performance ratios. Well, it certainly comes with a lot of stuff standard. (But how many students need a clock/calendar board?) I personally believe I could go to my local Tandy store and get a near equivalent p/p ratio from their model 1000. About the only people who'd feel the speed difference are those same few who would trash the 6300 anyway. UVM claims it cannot allow compatables since they will be writing courseware that will take advantage of the advanced graphics capability of the 6300. Geez. Wonderful thing to write software that will only run on one machine and it isn't even the industry standard one. (Please don't give me the "When it's all over they'll only be two companies- IBM and AT&T" arguement.) The PCjr is supposed to have some excellent graphics modes which are not on the PC. How much software uses them? Very little as compatability is the name of the game. Let's say a UVM professor (or student) writes this *excellent* package that on runs on the 6300 in one of the new screen modes. Now let's suppose that a professor at another university (up to it's ears in IBM's) could revolutionize his school's curriculum by running this program. Well, what does he do? Make do with less? Tell hsi board of trustees to scrap all the IBM's? Rewrite the software himself? (oh, ick!) To me the worst thing to do is to write non-compatable software for an IBM compatable. -------------------------------------------- Now let's look at the 6300 itself: Has anyone noticed that in any large group of the machines, there are two different disk drives represented? This worries me a bit for a reason I can't grasp. Now Monmouth College has about 20 of the machines on campus, so I am speaking from experience. I have found that often you will get boot errors (or dos errors) simply because the disk has not been pushed in far enough. (This happens on either style of drive.) Unfortunately this simple problem (which is probably a defect in the drive anyway) is just enough to frustrate the average first or second year student working on an important program. Also have you people really taken a good *hard* look at the keyboard for the 6300? (Yes, there are two styles of it too!) First of all, it perpetuates the brain-damaged IBM-PC layout exactly. Enough has been said in other forums that I will make no further comment. Secondly, it has got to have the worst tactile feedback and contacts in history. (at least on a non-membrane, non-chicklet keyboard.) Of the twenty original keyboards, seven had to be sent back for dead, bouncing, of stubborn keys. I can just see the poor UVM student who is up late the night before the big Western Civ paper is due, writing about "Maie Antoinette's ole in the Fench evolution". (Just the thing for a tired touch typist in the wee hours of the AM. Better issue a spelling checker with any WP software, UVM!) I'd also like to see the quality of netnews articles coming out of UVM after people start using them as terminals! Finally, I assume everyone is aware that the 6300 is made for AT&T by Olivetti. I like AT&T phones (by Western Electric). I HATE Olivetti typewriters. -------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: these opinions are mine alone. They are not only not the opinions of Monmouth College, but many are probably in direct opposition to them. -- Name: John Ruschmeyer US Mail: Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ 07764 Phone: (201) 222-6600 x366 UUCP: ...!vax135!petsd!moncol!john ...!princeton!moncol!john ...!pesnta!moncol!john Silly Quote: "Oh sair, it was Kahn. We found him in an unlinked inode. He put creatures in our bodies... made us post lies, say things, flame things, but keptin was strong..."