In Computer Stakes, Less Can Be More
The Age
Monday April 1, 1996
IT WAS ONCE the way of things that the family car passed from father to mother to eldest child as the head of the household (to use that quaint obsolete term) went on to bigger and better things. These days, a stronger indication of the hierarchy within the household is who has access to the best computer.
There is evidence that students have the upper hand, being both more demanding and more knowledgeable than their hapless parents.
Children as young as four know that you can't get by with the three Rs any longer, and are adding ROM and RAM to their stock of knowledge. A radio advertisement for a computer sales centre, played with disconcerting frequency, has a precocious youngster insisting to her bemused mother: ``You need a 586, you need a 586, you need . . ." But what do schoolchildren really need in terms of computer hardware and software?
The short answer is, probably a lot less than they would like you to think. So before rushing to equip a student to face the school year in an increasingly computer-conscious environment, parents should seek advice. From experts, from other parents and, most importantly, from the school itself.
All are likely to agree on the essentials. The school may require or encourage students to have their own laptops, in which case this - rather than a home computer - will be the obvious starting point. The use of lap-tops is increasing, not just in private schools such as MLC, but also in state schools. Frankston Secondary College and Northcote High School are just two of many schools whose senior students will become increasingly accustomed to laptops in 1996, while Melbourne Grammar's upper-primary-level students at Grimwade House are looking forward to having their own laptops.
``Computers are revolutionising maths teaching," says Elizabeth Burns, head of maths at Melbourne Girls Grammar, with laptops being used for the great majority of classroom tasks, including spreadsheets and databases. Laptops are so easy to use and so compact that they are undoubtedly a great introduction to computers, quickly becoming as familiar a tool as a calculator - and less remarkable than the biro that replaced the fountain pens of an earlier generation!
The greatest use to which students put their computers, of whatever type, is word processing. Notes, drafts of essays and final presentations can be done faster and easier on the computer and, while students are organising their work, they will also be learning the basics of manipulating files, using a printer and so on.
Word processing is unquestionably the main use students have for their computer, whether it's a laptop or a home computer.
Word for Windows is a widely used software package which has the added advantage of allowing later-model IBM-compatibles and Apple Macs ``talk to each other". It is clearly desirable for the student's computer to be compatible with what's used at school, although computer types there do vary.
As for the basic home computer, the purchase should be considered in the context of the whole family not just the student, because once the computer is installed it will rapidly become an invaluable tool for the entire household. It is helpful to make a list of the components and features you want and to check prices of the package you want with a couple of outlets. As each new model comes out, the price of less-powerful computers drops considerably and you may get a very good deal by buying one of them. This is certainly preferable to buying second- hand, without any guarantee or support.
Again, the use to which you want to put the computer is the determining factor. If you feel at a loss about where to start, the right magazine article or book can be very helpful.
David Miller's How to Buy a Personal Computer is updated regularly, claims to be unbiased and, best of all, costs only $9.95 at the local newsagency. The contents include what you can do with a computer and a checklist for buying items of hardware.
Finally, no matter what line the youngsters may try to feed you, it would be highly unlikely that the school would require them to have access to the Internet and the World Wide Web through their home computer. Schools are making a lot of progress in providing such facilities for their students, limiting access only because of the expense - and also because it's very easy for a student to waste many happy hours surfing the Net! Kids may not like it, but there's still plenty of schoolwork to be done.
© 1996 The Age