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Hi friends,

As a veteran of Gates-style public access computing, I took for granted the desirability of Windows in Public Access Computing. My reasons for assuming this included:

1. Usability. Familiarity of patrons/staff with Windows.

2. Support. The PAC configuration tool and the ability to find SOMEBODY with windows experience.

I'm working with a non-profit and there are some Mac-evangelists in the mix. They are insistent on Macs. Are there good reasons to build a public access library lab around Macs?

Any ideas or comments?

Thanks people.

Joe

We have 2 Macs in our library, mainly because we figured the schools were using them and we wanted to give students to opportunity to work on school projects here too. But I would be thrilled if they went away tomorrow! People who use Macs are comfortable with them, but many users don't even realize there is a difference between these machines and everything else in the library, and then wonder why things don't work exactly the same. We had to buy external floppy drives because they only came with CD burners (which has also been a headache - people want to burn CDs but don't know how!). They are up in the Children's area, and we are finding online games don't work well on these either. My opinion is, in a public library, PCs are the way to go.

Maybe technology selection will become more and more like print materials selection -- a library subscribes to mainstream publications (Time, USA Today or NY Times...), but also has some small-press alternatives, too. A library has 8 PCs but 2 Macs and a Linux machine, too. The difference is, of course, that carrying a small-press title involves a lot less support than carrying an "alternative" computer.

We have 8 public access computers: 2 Gates PCs, 4 other PCs, and 2 iMacs (which we got through a school district grant). While the iMacs are very stable (i.e. they seldom "crash") and they run well on Apple's wireless Airport, they are nearly impossible to secure. Since we are right down the street from the middle school, we are inundated after school every day with kids who want to go online. They are constantly changing the iMac desktops, icons, etc. Part of the problem is that our staff is not iMac knowledgeable. Also we cannot get these machines to print to our network printer, and they do not send email reliably (which I think is related to the wireless component - but since it's intermittant, it's become a nightmare to troubleshoot). If they did the latter, I would make them email only express stations and not even worry about sign-up. Like someone said above, if they left tomorrow, I'd be happy!

I think this, like all debates, goes back to your community of users and the services that you provide for them - if Macs make mroe sense for that, then use them. If not, explore the alternatives.

Here are more resources for securing Macs from an article on the America Connects web site (by wy of CompuMentor):

[url http://www.americaconnects.net/resources/securing.asp ]http://www.americaconnects.net/resources/securing.asp[/url]

FoolProof Security (http://www.smartstuff.com/fps/fpsinfo.html)

"FoolProof desktop security, the number one used security software, is currently available as a cross-platform license for Mac OS 9.2.2, Win 95,98,ME and 2000 with development currently occurring for Mac OSX and Win XP platforms. Known for ease of use, startup protection, multiple security levels and complete management of the desktop during usage, FoolProof is priced by node and by enrollment. Full 60 day evaluation copies are available at [url http://www.smartstuff.com. ]www.smartstuff.com.[/url]"

Some desirable features include the "quick keys" to turn off the security for a short time (about 1 minute) in order to get into a program or to open a CD to load a new program. Also, having two passwords to get into the program admin is useful. One password allows access to turn the program on and off, while the other is an administrator password that allows more changes in the program settings.

Overall, we recommend FoolProof because of its dual-platform capability, good security and easy to configure.

Works on Windows 95/98/2000/XP and Mac OS 6.0.5 - 9.2.2

Allows remote administration with Windows NT without additional software

Looks and feels exactly like the regular computer. If a feature is disabled, the user can still see it (the menu or control panel) but cannot make changes.

Assimilator

Assimilator is the Mac equivalent to DeepFreeze. It simply restores the computer to its initial setup condition during its initial startup each day. Similar in nature to DeepFreeze, except it gets the image from a server and not from the workstation hard drive. Thus a new item simply needs to be added to the image on the server and then next time a machine is Assimilated it will contain that image. Thus one can force a lab to be assimilated in the middle of the day if a teacher needs that software right away.

* Costs $499 for unlimited license

Macintosh Manager

"Mac Manager provides a Mac OS interface with desktop security, accountability, personal folder settings with disk quota, e-mail, network control tools, screen saver with screen lock all in one package. Users are limited to launching and using applications, documents, control panels, and Apple Menu Items made available through customized setups. Users can be restricted on Open and Save actions to a floppy disk, personal folder, drop folders, open only folders, and public folders." (Quote from [url http://www.elsinc.com/macman.html ]www.elsinc.com/macman.html[/url])

For an all-Mac lab, Macintosh Manager allows you to secure Macintoshes allowing users to run predetermined applications and other system functions in selected types of user environments. Like "At Ease" (the predecessor to Macintosh Manager) those environments include panels, restricted finder, and full finder access. It also "locks" the users out of critical system software components making it much easier to keep systems running a peak performance. Finally, it allows users to save their work at the server, so that a user can go to any workstation on the network, sign in, and get to their work. The client for Macintosh Manager is built in to OS 9, while the server is part of the AppleShare IP, which must be purchased separately. This software was previously offered for the Mac OS X Server 1.0-1.2 platform only. Apple then released version 1.3 of Mac Manager that will run on workstations with Mac OS 7.6.1 and newer. The newest client/admin version for AppleShare IP environments is 1.4.1. The current server version (1.2.2) will operate on AppleShare IP 6.x. Macintosh Management Server version 1.2 will operate on Mac OS X Server 1.2.

* Cost Mac OS X Server v10.2 (10-User Lic.) $499.00

Macintosh Manager 2.x is available now. Mac Manager 2.x supports client workstations ranging from Mac OS 8.1 through Mac OS 9.x. The server piece of Mac Manager 2.x is available only on Mac OS X Servers (v10.x). See (http://homepage.mac.com/carson/mm/default.html)

Macintosh Manager training resource

( [url http://edtech.sandi.net/presentations/macmanager/ ]http://edtech.sandi.net/presentations/macmanager/[/url])