High schools should require the purchase of a computer, like most colleges... use standard formats such as PDF, & HTML, & use x-plat apps, & let the students & their parents choose what they want.

Alternatively, the classes could be separated into those with their own computers vs. communal school-owned ones.

I think Mr. Wood has got his arguments upside down. He seems to think that Apple should get into the commodity PC race and start to price gouge. Then, he might argue, if they are price and feature competitive, they might compete. This is backwards for 2 reasons: first, from a mac-user perspective, if macs don't provide added value, who cares whether schools buy macs or Dells? They're the same. Second, from a IT perspective, if macs and dells are equivalent, buy Dells because are the common choice (and no one gets fired for buying Dells).

Apple can't win trying to compete for the low end. It must provide added value. That's what the new line of iBooks provide.

If this guy's idea of a wonderful technology program is Accelerated Reader, I feel SORRY for the kids he teaches. Heck, give 'em a piece of paper and let them skill and drill themselves to death. This lack of vision is the reason that the educational system in this country is in real trouble. We need to realize that the TOOLS are what make the difference....kids don't give a hoot about platform. The features on the new ibooks are great. As for Dell, we priced comparable machines based on like specs and the Mac came out ahead. Apple....get on the stick and get aggressive with your marketing. You have to let the masses know how superior your tools are. I do not see ANY ads in the education journals that decision makers read. I know that this traditional medium may seem mundane, but this is reality.

This is my reply to the author:Steve,

I just read your article on Apple Education being dead, and I have to wonder if you really did any research on the iBook pricing comparisons before you wrote the article up. My girlfriend needs to purchase a laptop for College next year, and we did tons of research comparing laptops. She is a Windows user too, so she considers buying a Mac laptop with great hesitation. We went to IBM and Dell's education stores on the web to compare prices. I definately suggest you do the same because what you will find is that at every configuration price point for the iBook (I think there are 4 different ones), the iBook beats the Dell and Compaq hands down. In fact, the iBook with 128MB of RAM and a CDRW came out to $1549 in the Apple Store for education. A similarly equipped Dell came out $1959. The difference? Firewire still wasn't included, Ethernet was not built in, no wireless built-in antenna, no dual-USB, no iMovie, the chasis is 12x10, 6.2 pounds, and a lot bigger than the iBook...did I mention its not as durable for a school enviornment as an Apple iBook in polycarbonate plastic? The Dell also had a 700Mhz Celeron and 66Mhz system bus, which is easily toasted by the iBook's 500Mhz G3 and 256K on-chip cache. The only plus side for the Dell was that the screen was 14". But why would a 7 year old kid in elementary school, or my girlfriend who has small hands, want to carry a huge portable like the Dell around school like that everyday? The IBM was even more competitive with the Apple, but it was over $3000! My girlfriend was astonished about the iBook because she always thought Apple products commanded a huge premium too. So I find your article to be mostly false, and lacking real research. Just because everyone stereotypically thinks that Apple products command a price-premium does not mean its actually true. As college students, my girlfriend and I find the iBook to be a steal at this price for education!