Apple has confirmed that it's taken the number one spot in the western European education market. Apple's education market share in western Europe is now 15.2 per cent, relegating Dell, with 14.7 per cent, to second place.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2005-10-12
"Still, this is good news for Apple."
Yes, but is it good news for us?
When the BBC Micro dominated educational computing in the UK, it was good for Acorn, and it may have been good for the BBC, but was it good for the UK, or for the students?
One of the most important guarantees of our freedom in the digital era is the dominance of the computing market by open systems - that is, standard hardware and a variety of OSs and software that will run on it. 15% of education is probably, just about, acceptable. Any more than that, and we will need an ODF regulation to prohibit public institutions buying hardware which is tied to any particular software.
I am not arguing that Apple should adopt a different business model, nor am I saying people should not be able to buy systems made to that model. That's for the market. Nor am I saying that no pulblic institution should buy any proprietary systems.
I am saying however, that it is not in the public interest for closed systems to command any more market share in public institutions than this.
Just as proprietary formats are not a problem if there are just a few special purpose documents. But when they get to be too large a proportion, ODF needs to be mandated.
What about Windows, you will ask? Yes, that is exactly the problem. It is bad enough that we have a closed OS. At least however it leaves you free as to your hardware, and your hardware can be used for something else if you feel like it, and open source software is available for it in large quantities. Its not good, but its more open than Macintosh.
What's good for Apple is not necessarily good for us.
Member since:2005-07-12
What's good for Apple is not necessarily good for us.
ACK.
But what's good for Microsoft, Dell etc. is not necessarily good for us, too. So why should we buy into an OS monopoly?
What about Windows, you will ask? [..] It is bad enough that we have a closed OS.
Most parts of OSX are open source. So what about Windows?
At least however it leaves you free [..] your hardware can be used for something else if you feel like it,
And with Mac's, you can't? *LOL*
1. You're freedom is limited by driver support on each side of the "fence". Since there's less different hardware configurations on Apple, it might be easier to get a proper driver for Mac hardware..
2. Why can't you use Mac hardware not for something else? I started using Linux on my Mac in about 1997 (possibly 1998, I don't remember that well). I installed BeOS on the same hardware, too. Then there's BSD, etc. etc.
and open source software is available for it in large quantities.
You can compile most open source softare on Macs. Actually, if you look at OSS software not specially written for Windows, you need a good portion of luck and "hacks" like CYGWIN (or comparable solutions) to be able to compile/run them on Windows. E. g. I tried to compile an OSS ARJ tool for Unix in CYGWIN to be able to decompress ARJ archives on Windows without user interactions. It did not compile. 
Furthermore, the number of software titles is not related to the quality of the software and the usefulness for a given problem area/task/business.
(Having large numbers of - mostly boring - game titles available for Windows might be a selling point in the home user market but it's useless in the edu market).
Its not good, but its more open than Macintosh.
You're measure of "openness" is quit limited by you're personal choices, it seems ..
Member since:
2005-08-23
I think the reason Apple has such a high percentage in schools and universities is the exclusion of OEM PC's and focusing on brand PC's. Btw. from what I've gathered this is about computer labs etc. not what students own.
Still, this is good news for Apple.
Edited 2006-02-04 16:29