[Publib] PC v Apple

[Scott Bonner]

We do not have any Apple computers at our library.  If we were buying new, I
would advise against them, even just getting a single one for our mac
users.  Apple computers are more expensive by far (I can buy 2 or 3 Windows
PCs for the same price), are only compatible for a small minority of users
(without spending even more money for compatability software), would never
work with our necessary software (PCRes, LPT:One, etc) and would create
headaches for staff (learning a new OS well enough to help patrons, endless
talking about compatibility, how to decide who gets access and when,
explaining why this computer is for one kind of user while those are for
others, etc.).   It just would not be worth the cost, in money or staff
trouble, to supply compatability to the few people who come in with
documents in proprietary Apple formats.  It is far easier to explain to the
mac users how to make their documents compatible -- though they never seem
to successfully do so, for whatever reasons, and many seem miffed at the
very idea that we don't keep macs on hand just for them.

If I had to add a new OS, I would prefer a user-friendly Linux distro like
Ubuntu - much cheaper, far more options, easy to make compatable with
Windows users, and would make a minority niche of library patrons very
happy.  But, it's still not cost effective, for some of the same reasons
that Macs aren't cost effective.  I would like having a linux machine
available at work, but we probably never will.  It doesn't matter that I
prefer Linux, or that I use linux at home, or
that linux has various advantages over the other niche computers (Macs) like
being cheaper and more easily made format-compatible; overall, Windows
machines are simply the most cost effective and least painful for the
library at this time.

Hope that helps.  Now that someone has expressed an opinion in the
inexplicably sectarian PC-versus-Mac wars, the umbrage taking will now
commence.

(Which is Catholic and which Protestant?  Mac is more "One Universal
Church", while Windows takes all comers, either hardware or software, but
I'm sure others will argue the other way.  Linux distros must be Pagan.)

-- Scott



On Sat, Nov 29, 2008 at 4:07 PM, Hopkins County - Madisonville Public
Library <library at publiclibrary.org> wrote:

>  Curious mind asking. Are there any libraries that offer Apple computers
> for public use either to supplement, or even instead of, PCs? I have noticed
> that we get a few patrons who are Apple users, and have been thinking about
> the possibility of perhaps buying one that dual boots as a Windows system.
> Thought I'd see who was doing what before I take the plunge!
>
>
>
> Terry Caudle
>
> Hopkins County - Madisonville Public Library
>
> library at publiclibrary.org
>
> www.publiclibrary.org
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Publib mailing list
> Publib at webjunction.org
> http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
>
>


-- 
Scott Bonner, Adult Services Librarian
Richmond Heights Memorial Library
8001 Dale Avenue, Richmond Heights, MO 63117
Phone: (314)-645-6202  Fax: (314)-781-3434
sbonner at rhmlibrary.org
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