[iDC] Undermining open source: iTunes U

[Patrick Lichty]

Tiff,

Excellent post.  Thanks on this.

I have mixed feelings about the idea of a mandatory laptop policy.  It _is_ 
quite useful to have your own machine.  I've believed in having 90% of my 
own equipment for years (and nearly gone broke doing it).  

But then, on the other hand that brings in the access issue, where 
populations that could be admitted won't because of the cost.  Perhaps with 
private institutions like SAIC, this might not be an issue as a public, but 
I make no assumptions.

The other thing that this seems to bring up are infrastructural concerns.  
Is one of the reasons why students are required to get their own computers 
is to minimize ITS support and displace P2P sharing risks?  I realize that 
these might be off-the-wall issues, but these are questions I have.  I'm 
just not quite convinced that a mandatory laptop policy proportionally 
benefits the student for the capital outlay.

Secondly, in regards to learning in and of itself, I've found that the mode 
of computer access makes little difference to the process.  Actually, I like 
the comaraderie that a lab creates - it forces a communal learning 
environment, and I might actually be in favor of this as opposed to the 
'individual' approach.

At places like BGSU, incoming students have an orientation program in the 
week or two before coming into their first undergrad/grad year.  This could 
be a really good opportunity for an intensive on basics of computer 
integration and workflow.  Another though might be establishing a 
"Computational Foundations" track which is doing almostt nothing except 
getting the students and faculty up to speed and _creating_ an integrated 
methodology that establishes the insitution's methods and prctices for 
workflow and workgroup protocols rather than letting the software solely 
define it.  I think this is a place where the institution could potentially 
lead industry, rather than the other way around.

"Introduction to the pencil?"  Balderdash.  Tell them they call it, "Drawing 
1"  Then call the class Digital Art Foundations...

Underground/Open Source?
For gaming, I'd probably recommend the tools they give you with Unreal or 
Half-life.  But that's just one...

Imaging - The GIMP does all right.
Audio - Audacity
3d - Blender is really amazing
Interactivity - Processing/JavaSDK
Physicomp - Wiring
VJ - Keyworx
VR - Blitz3D (it's only $100, and it's pretty easy to propagate).

And there are tons of littel widgets around.
Not sure on how to replace DreamWeaver, but I'm sure there is a great 
package for web coding.