| |
VK6BE > IBM 16.04.06 03:43l 35 Lines 1986 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 3F0754VK6BE
Read: GUEST DC9BM
Subj: Re: BBC micro
Path: DB0FHN<DB0NOE<DB0GAP<DB0GPP<DB0LX<DB0RBS<DB0SEL<DB0ZDF<DB0LJ<ON0LGE<
SR1BSZ<CE8FGC<ON0BEL<SV1CMG<VK6HGR<VK6BBR<VK6ZRT<VK6TJ<VK6JY
Sent: 060414/1420Z @:VK6JY.#ALY.#WA.AUS.OC #:13923 [Albany] wFBB7 $:3F0754VK6B
From: VK6BE@VK6JY.#ALY.#WA.AUS.OC
To : IBM@WW
As a teacher I had experience with an early model of BBC Micro when the
BBC Acorn became available here. Why our Education Department chose the
Acorn I could never work out. They were very high priced out here (about
$4000 compared to $600 for the Commodore) and their programming language
was unique.They were supposed to have very good graphics; that may be so
but the graphics of the much cheaper Commodore were outstanding, and the
music capabilities of the Commodore were superior to any other computer I
tried, including the Beeb, with its three channel synthesiser and
sophisticated music capability.The Beeb had only single note capability as
did the Australian made computer used in high schools here at that time -
the Microbee which posed all sorts of problems in usage.
Later we were provided with the BBC Compact. We had four of these and I
think all four were returned for repairs under contract within a few
weeks.They kept breaking down.
I taught word processing to 10 and 12 year olds using the BBC Acorn and
the Microbees against the advice of the Superintendent of Computing in our
Education Department. He said primary children were not capable of
handling computers and we should stick to putting in the discs he provided
and he didn't want us "messing around" with computers. How wrong he was!
As to which is the best type of computer these days it depends on what you
want to do with it. For general use and availability of software I doubt
whether any computer can match the IBM compatible PC. Engineers and
mathematicians in this country seem to go for the MAC but its price in
comparison to the PC puts it out of favour with most computer users.
Just a few thoughts from my experience.Are BBC computers still on the
market? I haven't seen one for many years.
BTW I built my first computer myself. It worked but I would hate to be
stuck with it now.It was very limited in what it could do.
Cheers,
Bob VK6BE.
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
