Originally from Australian Macworld

The Queensland government lets principals give staff their choice of Windows or Mac laptops, great! But look at all the restrictions put in place to get a Mac:

1. A "business case" for a Mac
2. Have to already be using a Mac, no switchers
3. School already has to have 10% of their computers as Macs
4. "The Principal should be satisfied that a replacement teacher will also require an Apple MacBook when taking over the particular teaching role"

What a crazy list of restrictions! Does anyone know what its like in other states?

I don't know about other states but where I work that's pretty much the same list of hurdles people have to jump over to get a Mac.

1 - business case is mandatory and needs to be approved by the state IT manager. Minimum requirement is the use of software that has no windows counterpart/equivalent
2 - full cost of the Mac is up-front and not split over the lease period (for a Dell computer, new users get them paid by the IT department. additional machines are paid in installments over the 3 year lease)
3 - Support is 'best effort' only, i.e. if it breaks and the mac guy (usually me) isn't in then you're SOL.

the place I work at is semi-government (federal)

welcome to the grip of what's commonly known as the lowest common denominator.

Sadly, 99% of IT departments in both large corporates and government alike base their purchasing decision on the biggest dumb ass in the house.

While I don't think that's ultimately a bad thing, where most IT policies fail is in recognizing that about 3% of your office drones are the real movers and shakers. Read: people that make things happen because they are outcome focused instead of focusing on how to quickly climp the ladder.

It's those people that use tools most suited to their jobs... Macs, Windows machines, Photoshop, Microsoft, Office... who cares as long as it gets the job done. I have seen this time and time again.

I think every corporate should have a "rouge rule" when it comes to SOE policies. "Rouge rule" meaning there is a pre-determined group of people that are allowed to use what ever because at the end of the day they get the job done... the rest? well, they just want a Mac because it's cool.

FYI, if your place of work uses Dell and all you do is a bit of word processing, email and spreadsheets, it doesn't really matter what you use... as long as it plays well with your companies IT department shut up and swallow it... don't like it? Change jobs.

Personally, I run my own company and use Macs (most of the time)... while most of my clients are Windows based... welcome to the world or virtualization.

Welcome to Queensland. Please settle into cul-de-sac, purchase home entertainment system and accept status-quo.

Have a nice day™

How about "I want a Mac because all the PC magazines say it's the best Windows computer"?

I used to work for Education Qld (EQ) - 32 years as a primary teacher (the last 10 as an ICT Support Teacher).

The main reason I left was because I used to do 'great IT work' with a wireless bank of 2 dozen ibooks and lots of classroom imacs but changes to the EQ system (MOE for those in the know) made Mac use hard to fit in.

My old school now uses mainly Dell stuff (so tied up it's almost unusable) and the former IT program is almost non-existent.

My old colleagues say I wish you were back here. I'm not blowing my own trumpet just lamenting at the loss of something good.

I took an early retirement from Education Qld and now I work in the Botanic Gardens as an education officer in Brisbane. I use my own mac to create my own stuff for the new job and I'm at peace - sort of.

Paul

Welcome to Texas . . . I mean Queensland.

Most IT departments only know windows. Therefore the choice is windows or nothing.

Wow, thanks for telling us what we want. You are an inspiration to us all.

Children are missing out on an enriched education due to a few bean counters choosing for the lowest common denominator, that disappoints me

Welcome to the real world. Where the only thing that matters is how much money I can stuff in my pockets.

melbourne you can have what ever you want. that sucks for QLD. I know my mum is always complaining about mac support from the edu though, they were given a free upgrade to 10.5 but told not to install it cause its not supported. still isnt

Sounds like the only Mac use (and by extension, the only innovative use of computers) is happening in the private system. Another reason to avoid state schools!

At least things are improving in the tertiary system.

There's an e-mail forum/list for educators using Macs which I know Paul Harrop used to frequent, too. You should read there what the NSW Dept of Education schools are going through.

Second thoughts, maybe you shouldn't.

and guess what ??
there's a town called Texas in Queensland !
down the bottom, close to the NSW border, east of Goondiwindi

so beware !

I was thinking about this on sunday, I was at my Aunty's house and being the family 'geek' she asked me to look at her education department issued laptop which was riddled with viruses and now is going to need windows reinstalling / education department image.

Now if it was a Mac there would be no need for a windows reinstall because there would be no virus'.