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From: garys@bunker.UUCP (Gary M. Samuelson)
Newsgroups: net.college,net.cse
Subject: Re: Re: Univ. of VT chooses AT&T pc's
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Date: Wed, 1-May-85 14:00:36 EDT
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Posted: Wed May  1 14:00:36 1985
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> I'd like to make a point which is rather obvious, but no one has mentioned 
> yet.
> 
> If the goal of a school is to get more (micro)computing power for its
> students, it can do it two ways.
> 
>     1) Shell out its own hard bucks and buy a system (say a micro network,
> 	or a Unix box, etc). This system will cost the University money
> 	Right Now ...
> 
>     2) Make the student shell out his own hard bucks and buy a system (say a 
> 	micro). This system will cost the student money Right Now ...

> The parallels in the text were intentional. 

The parallels break down when you realize that the university gets its
own hard bucks from the student.  So in case one, the student is out
some bucks (you don't think the cost of the system has no effect on
tuition, do you?) and the university gets to keep the computer.  In
case two, the student is out some bucks (probably more), and the
student gets to keep the computer.  The student has to decide whether
owning a computer is worth the extra bucks.  If not, then the next
decision is whether to find a different university, a different major,
or simply gripe a lot.

The complaints about having to buy a personal computer as part of
the cost of getting an education seem to be predicated on the notion
that someone *owes* the student said education.  To which I say,
nonsense.

No doubt someone will point out that the student doesn't pay the
whole cost of education.  To which I say: it would probably be
better if each student *did* have to finance his or her own education.
Now *that* would be an educational experience.

Gary Samuelson