Opinion
Choosing a PC for my kids
We’ve had an old Windows XP PC on the kids' desk at home for a few years now. I think it’s getting on for 8 years old – and it’s done them well. After all, the CBeebies website is pretty lightweight stuff!
But, my daughter is now 6. She’s using the SMART Board at school, and has discovered that she can do lots more things on the computer at home. She’s writing ‘stories’ in Word (including pressing the space bar lots of times until she gets a ‘finger space’ between every word!). She’s playing some of the Windows Games. And, here’s where this article starts, she’s discovered GOOGLE!
She loves thinking of her favourite topics and googling them to see what she can find. And there’s only so many times she can type in ‘Fairy’ before she sees something that we don’t want her to.
So, we need to think about some decent Parental Control Software. Given that the PC is really old and frustratingly slow, then I’ve come to the conclusion that a new computer is needed first (that should keep Alistair Darling happy – I’ll be doing my bit to spend our way out of a recession!). But, what computer should I buy a 6 year old?
I think back to my childhood, and my first instinct is something old and very cheap. We always made do – and the one she’s got at the moment sort of works – she should just be happy! But then, things are different today and, despite what Hazel says, I’m not my dad.
I also run a local IT company – so I should be giving my children a headstart when it comes to their IT education. Again, Hazel points out that I shouldn’t expect my daughter to be sorting out the IP Address allocation at her school. But, that doesn’t deter me – I want to give my kids the best opportunities I can – so a new computer it will be.
But, where do I start? I can get a small Windows Vista PC fairly cheaply these days. Something like an Acer Aspire – it will set me back a couple of hundred pounds, and Windows Vista has some great Parental Controls built in. Likewise, there’s some good bargains to be had with an Apple iMac. OK, so it’s all relative – the iMac will set me back a good £600+. But, the Parental Controls are very good in the Apple Operating System.
Both of these options carry the same advantages and disadvantages – namely that it’s something different. If my daughter can be completely comfortable using different computer systems when she’s younger, then she won’t be fazed by anything she uses in the future. That’s the upside – get her using ‘computers’ in general, rather than learning Windows XP only.
But, therein is the negative – at school, they’ve got lots of Windows XP PCs. And I’ve seen her Junior School for next year – and those ‘antiques’ couldn’t run anything newer than Windows XP either! So, for the next 5 years at school, she’ll be using Windows XP. If I want her to focus on her education, rather than the IT that she uses, then I should be providing her with the same tools that she’ll use in school. That’s the same philosophy as we use in business – look after our customers' IT, thus leaving them free to focus on their business. So – by giving my daughter the variety of using an AppleMac or a Windows Vista PC, then am I disadvantaging her in her everyday use of computers at school?
That brings me onto the new Asus Eee Top – an all-in-one PC and screen that runs Windows XP. It will cost me less than £400, and it’s got a full touch-screen too. It will be like a cross between a Windows XP PC and a SMART Board – I’ll install the SMART Board software, and she’ll have pretty much the same tools as she’s got in the classroom. All I’ll need to do then is install some third-party Parental Control Software and I think that’s the decision made.
And, I think my 3-year old son will be quite comfortable using a touch screen. He’s getting the hang of the mouse – but it takes time. He is, however, much better at helping with the CAT5 cabling – give him one end, and he’ll happily pull the cable through the floorspace back to the patch panel !
Keep an eye on these newsletters though, because I’ll write an update next year to let you know how it’s actually working out (and whether I did get an iMac in the end!).
Steve Coburn,
Managing Director
projectfive
.
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