Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site uvm-cs.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!dartvax!uvm-gen!uvm-cs!punia
From: punia@uvm-cs.UUCP (David T. Punia)
Newsgroups: net.cse,net.college
Subject: On required pc's (ref UVM & AT&T)
Message-ID: <378@uvm-cs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-May-85 09:54:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: uvm-cs.378
Posted: Fri May  3 09:54:47 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 5-May-85 02:18:54 EDT
Organization: University of Vermont
Lines: 51
Xref: watmath net.cse:380 net.college:719


	Much as the pocket calculator became the technical tool of choice
during the 70's, the personal computer is becoming the tool of choice in
the 80's.  Granted, the costs are drastically different, but so are the 
capabilities.  When you get right down to it, the micro can be a fantastic
productivity enhancer.  Given the work load demanded of the typical student
in an engineering curriculum (as I once was), I would grasp any affordable
opportunity to improve my personal productivity.  I can't count the hours
I could have saved had I owned a micro with a decent graphics package and
word processor.

	Students in the engineering and business disciplines will find
themselves inexorably involved with personal workstations, should they
choose to remain with their chosen carreer paths.  The sooner they become
comfortable and conversant with the technology, the sooner they will
make it work more effectively for them.  

	As an educational tool, the micro can open new worlds to a 
student (am I getting carried away?).  There is no questioning the
old axiom about pictures and words.  We are already using computer
based instruction in some of our curricula.  The degree of comprehension
and the speed at which one rises on the learning curve seems greatly
enhanced in an environment where, for example, a math student can
type a function into a micro, see the curve immediately (almost), 
change a variable, and see the effect right away.  Integration?  Gee,
look how the computer fills in the area under the curve and tells me
what it is!  Numerical analysis?  etc. etc.  The real power of the 
machine comes into play in quickly evaluating the "what if's" .
All this without having to deal with queueing, load averages >50, 
and the lack of privacy inherent in public terminal rooms.

	For what students are paying to go to college these days, I 
think they need to get the greatest possible return on their money,
hard-earned or otherwise.  The extra cost of a personal workstation and
the improved productivity it allows makes it attractive purely from a
cost/benefit viewpoint.  That it can be used to significantly improve
the process of learning (given the right software), and that it is not
a resource that is paid for and left behind makes it a valuable addition
to the chest of tools these future professionals will leave here with.

	Or they can sell it at the end of four years and recoup some
of the investment.
-- 
REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR FAVORITE DISCLAIMER

David T. Punia, Dept. of Computer Science & Electrical Engineering,
The University of Vermont, Burlington, VT   05405  
802-656-3330

USENET --> ....!decvax!dartvax!uvm-gen!punia
CSNET ---> punia@uvm