Nazo
Aug 23, 2003, 08:23 AM
I myself have been kind of like a "Macvangelist", trying to get some sense into the people here in Korea. I live in Korea (as most of you may know), and about 98% of Koreans use Windows, or don't use windows and don't know about macs either. Well... that's pretty sad, considering: 1) The incredible stock rises in AAPC (Apple Computers Inc.) and 2) The billions of RPG imitations made here in Korea, such as Ragnorak, Lineage, and so on. I'm pretty disappointed that people bias Apple computers as some random rubbish...
...that was until, I showed up here in Korea 2 years ago.
I was ABHORRED at the state of the school. The computer teacher looked rather confused (sorry Mr. Bilodeau), and the programs sucked. Heck, the computers sucked. They were some new Samsung models, but they ran Windows 95. My God, even as a Mac-fanatic I felt sorry for them as Win-users. These people were so pathetic that they didn't go beyond hotmail.com and MSN Messenger Insta-chat, and a few eccentric people knowing how to use Morpheus and Kazaa. My Gosh, GOOD GRIEF! These people were like the primitive people living in tribal reserves even now... What was their problem?! I slowly absorbed every area covered that year, and it was more eclectic, but still pathetic. The list went something like this:
-Microsoft Word (BASIC)
-Microsoft Excel (BASIC)
-Microsoft Powerpoint (BASIC)
-Hyperstudio (BASIC, very old software)
-A house-architecture program that was good, but 1) Was too hard to use and was made specifically for house-designing purposes, 2) On the box: Ages 9~12.
-2 classes worth of pathetic HTML that pretty much did nothing but waste time
And that pretty much covered it. I thought I was gonna cry when I saw the report card: "Computers: A+." Yeah, he'd better have given me an A. I knew I had to do something. I asked the computer office about Macs, and their response was: "What's a Mac?", then I explained to them about 'Apple Computers', and they gave a noise of recognition, and started laughing at me. I went out of the office, and I explained to some of my friends about the situation. They laughed too. Good heavens, these people needed help. Fast.
The next year, in 8th grade, there was a very... "casual" teacher, who'd occasionally help us go through the 'puberty' stage, teasing people about who liked who, and talking about growing into an adult. He had a furious and short temper, so many people disliked him; I only saw him with oppurtunity in my eye. I went up to him after a few classes of his computer class, and had a talk about technology. We had just finished a movie making project, not even using Microsoft Movie Maker (actually some demo crud downloaded off the net!) ... that's what made me snap. He agreed to listen, for me and my partner had gotten a 21 out of 20 (an extra point for he was so astounded) in the movie project. I gave him a long, looooooooooong explanation about the computer technology in the school. He listened, inserting some of his own thoughts and criticisms as I went, and nodded a lot. I knew this guy could change something, with his daring qualities...
So this made the turn of the tech. here at Seoul international school: I asked Mr. Kaiser (the computer teacher) if I could do a special presentation in one of his computer classes. He agreed, being quite understanding. I presented the class with a slideshow made with iMovie and iPhoto, of all kinds of events that we'd been through so far in 8th grade. The guys really liked the special effects, and the girls couldn't keep their hands off my pretty white iBook =P. Anyways, I thought I'd made a breakthrough, for many people were asking about my computer. After half a year, in a history project (which Mr. Kaiser also taught), me and my group of two others had to do something good, because we were up first. So, I told them about the movie making, and they gladly agreed. We made a hilarious movie, and we got an A+ on the movie, which was ridiculous because no one got past a B+ at best in his history classes.
Other than that, I helped half a dozen other groups to make their own movies inserting sounds, effects, and transitions thanks to my wonderful computer (which I proudly now call Katie), they all got great grades. People started looking into Macs, although some stubborn people still looked down on them. As a conclusion, I brought the year to an end with another slideshow of the end-of-the-year dance, with people dancing. I'd ended just as I started, having nearly 80 people change their minds on Windows and Macs.
Now, Mr. Kaiser still teaches 8th grade (although I miss him from last year), and has bought himself a DVD burner, and has taught himself how to use Windows Movie Maker over the summer. Although he's stubborn and won't change to a mac yet, I'm sure he will change his mind gradually.
I hope this wasn't too boring of an account http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif.... Thanks for reading. I just felt like I had to blurt this out... Aren't I the show-off...
...that was until, I showed up here in Korea 2 years ago.
I was ABHORRED at the state of the school. The computer teacher looked rather confused (sorry Mr. Bilodeau), and the programs sucked. Heck, the computers sucked. They were some new Samsung models, but they ran Windows 95. My God, even as a Mac-fanatic I felt sorry for them as Win-users. These people were so pathetic that they didn't go beyond hotmail.com and MSN Messenger Insta-chat, and a few eccentric people knowing how to use Morpheus and Kazaa. My Gosh, GOOD GRIEF! These people were like the primitive people living in tribal reserves even now... What was their problem?! I slowly absorbed every area covered that year, and it was more eclectic, but still pathetic. The list went something like this:
-Microsoft Word (BASIC)
-Microsoft Excel (BASIC)
-Microsoft Powerpoint (BASIC)
-Hyperstudio (BASIC, very old software)
-A house-architecture program that was good, but 1) Was too hard to use and was made specifically for house-designing purposes, 2) On the box: Ages 9~12.
-2 classes worth of pathetic HTML that pretty much did nothing but waste time
And that pretty much covered it. I thought I was gonna cry when I saw the report card: "Computers: A+." Yeah, he'd better have given me an A. I knew I had to do something. I asked the computer office about Macs, and their response was: "What's a Mac?", then I explained to them about 'Apple Computers', and they gave a noise of recognition, and started laughing at me. I went out of the office, and I explained to some of my friends about the situation. They laughed too. Good heavens, these people needed help. Fast.
The next year, in 8th grade, there was a very... "casual" teacher, who'd occasionally help us go through the 'puberty' stage, teasing people about who liked who, and talking about growing into an adult. He had a furious and short temper, so many people disliked him; I only saw him with oppurtunity in my eye. I went up to him after a few classes of his computer class, and had a talk about technology. We had just finished a movie making project, not even using Microsoft Movie Maker (actually some demo crud downloaded off the net!) ... that's what made me snap. He agreed to listen, for me and my partner had gotten a 21 out of 20 (an extra point for he was so astounded) in the movie project. I gave him a long, looooooooooong explanation about the computer technology in the school. He listened, inserting some of his own thoughts and criticisms as I went, and nodded a lot. I knew this guy could change something, with his daring qualities...
So this made the turn of the tech. here at Seoul international school: I asked Mr. Kaiser (the computer teacher) if I could do a special presentation in one of his computer classes. He agreed, being quite understanding. I presented the class with a slideshow made with iMovie and iPhoto, of all kinds of events that we'd been through so far in 8th grade. The guys really liked the special effects, and the girls couldn't keep their hands off my pretty white iBook =P. Anyways, I thought I'd made a breakthrough, for many people were asking about my computer. After half a year, in a history project (which Mr. Kaiser also taught), me and my group of two others had to do something good, because we were up first. So, I told them about the movie making, and they gladly agreed. We made a hilarious movie, and we got an A+ on the movie, which was ridiculous because no one got past a B+ at best in his history classes.
Other than that, I helped half a dozen other groups to make their own movies inserting sounds, effects, and transitions thanks to my wonderful computer (which I proudly now call Katie), they all got great grades. People started looking into Macs, although some stubborn people still looked down on them. As a conclusion, I brought the year to an end with another slideshow of the end-of-the-year dance, with people dancing. I'd ended just as I started, having nearly 80 people change their minds on Windows and Macs.
Now, Mr. Kaiser still teaches 8th grade (although I miss him from last year), and has bought himself a DVD burner, and has taught himself how to use Windows Movie Maker over the summer. Although he's stubborn and won't change to a mac yet, I'm sure he will change his mind gradually.
I hope this wasn't too boring of an account http://www.pso-world.com/psoworld/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif.... Thanks for reading. I just felt like I had to blurt this out... Aren't I the show-off...