Monday, July 25, 2011

An Old Dog Has to Learn Some NewTricks

My boss got our department iPads. Uck.

Let me elaborate. I am a PC girl. Not born a PC girl. I was actually introduced to computers via Apple. I had an Apple II as a matter of fact, but I never got all that excited about them. My coworker deleted her entire hard drive just by dragging it to the trash while she was talking on the phone, for example. Who the heck decided that THAT would be something that nobody would ever do?

I got a PC and never looked back. I like the logic of a PC, mostly because I can figure out how to do most things on a PC without asking anyone. I can play and explore and click all I want, and if I am about to do something stupid, a message pops up telling me so. I also love my PCs because I can play games on them, games that you can't play on Apple stuff.

My biggest beef with Apple has always been their tendency to make you only buy their stuff. If I want a larger hard drive for my computer and it's an Apple, I have to buy a new hard drive from them. If my monitor breaks, I have to take it to Apple or have it fixed by Apple affiliated repairmen. If you think about it, it is an ingenious business model--if you own everything about the product, including all the peripherals, you can charge whatever the heck you want and there isn't a danged thing that anyone can do about it. I don't like that. It goes against my natural aversion to being told what to do.

It's like there is someone selling ice cream. I can buy the ice cream and take it home. If I want chocolate syrup on it, however, I can't just run out and buy my own. I have to buy this special 'approved' chocolate syrup, or else I've violated some sort of EULA that causes my bowl of ice cream to explode. (I am not saying that Apples will explode. Please don't call anyone.)

What if I don't like that 'approved' syrup, I like the one I bought? Then you buy the PC ice cream, and you can pick your own bowl, spoon, syrup, sprinkles, etc., all from different companies that are not paying kickbacks to be affiliated with anyone. That is another thing that I do like about PCs. If I don't like the video card in the computer I have, I can change it myself. Okay, not me, because I couldn't tell you what a video card even IS, but you get my point.

You can see that I have a few strong feelings about this subject. I may sometimes get a little overzealous about it. I apologize for that, because I also strongly believe that people should be able to choose whatever kind of computer they want. I never want to be accused of evangelizing to anyone about their choice of computers and I will never pretend that I am superior to others just because of the computer I use. If Apple works for you and you are happy, that is just fine with me. I am only discussing MY reasons for choosing PCs. Don't hate me, Jillsmo!

But now I have a work iPad. So I have to use it. At least, I have to figure out HOW to use it. I did find the 'ON' button, eventually. It took me a bit, because it didn't look like an 'ON' button, but I did find it. I should probably be embarrassed to admit that. I've found the web browser. I do not like the keyboard. I keep having to stop and switch to the number part and then switch back, and that could present a problem if I am in a meeting taking notes. What I would eventually like to use my iPad for is to complete observations in the classroom, or to eventually administer some quick tests to students(I would really like to be in the room when Apple meets the Psychological Corporation. Talk about proprietary!).

I will say that Apple products are great for small children. My son, who is three, wandered up while I was trying to figure things out. I got up to get something, and when I came back, he had opened a drawing application and was happily drawing pictures. I didn't even know there WAS a drawing program on there.

For a couple of moments, I seriously considered cutting him out of my will.

