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Apple: Get ‘em when they’re young

Oct. 22, 2008 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

No, really. Get ‘em when they’re young.

I know I’ve been harping on Apple a lot lately, but sometimes this stuff just falls in your lap. Case in point:

Field trip to the Apple Store

Take your students on a Field Trip to an Apple Store for an unforgettable learning experience. On their Field Trip, students can create something amazing right on the spot. Or they can bring in a project they’ve already created and turn our store into a theater, sharing their achievements with parents, teachers, and friends. No matter which option you choose, everyone will have a great time.

Sorry, but that’s disgusting, and just about as bad as putting a Coke machine in an elementary school. Shame on them for this.

Discuss this Article 111

mikegalos@msn.com
on Oct 22, 2008
OK. That's just creepy.
chuckb84
on Oct 22, 2008
Bizarro world continues, but Mike has joined. "as bad as putting a Coke machine in an elementary school". and it's "just creepy". Guys, it might be fun for the kids. Just fun and perhaps even a wee bit educational. Lord knows the schools already do lots of worse things for field trips. I don't think it will be -extremely- useful, but "creepy". Guys, you need to get out more.
Ocean
on Oct 22, 2008
Were you saving this? It was all over the 'blogosphere' a while ago. Methinks you'd rather talk about anything other than the stellar results Apple posted yesterday. Why don't you engage your readers in a discussion of *that* ?
lehenbauer
on Oct 22, 2008
Yeah, um, when I was a kid? We went on a field trip to a dairy? And I've been drinking milk to this day. Maybe you'd like it more if people could go on field trips to the Microsoft stores.
panzaman
on Oct 22, 2008
yes Paul, but this happens in all different kind of fields, here in England a restaurant chain, Pizza Express, has kids mornings in which primary school classes go in to spend the morning in the restaurant they gat to make pizzas, cakes, they get free pizza, free drinks and few gadget from the restaurant chain. Is not just apple that is "disgusting" is the corporate mindset.
gorath
on Oct 22, 2008
I don't think it's creppy, just very, very strange. Most school trips I went on took us somewhere were we got to see how something was made. Is the purpose of this trip to turn kids into consumers?
au071
on Oct 22, 2008
Guess that where all the future geniuses will come from.
Ocean
on Oct 22, 2008
>Most school trips I went on took us somewhere were we got to see how something was made.< What they do: >>a big-screen presentation of work that the students have already done in class (Keynote/PowerPoint, movies & more) or hands-on creation sessions that allow the kids to make new projects in the store.<< ***Again...why all negative posts about Apple when they just had spectacular news yesterday?*** Ask yourself that.
Dipsh t Admin
on Oct 22, 2008
Apple isn't wrong for offering this, but I'd be mighty upset if my school board decided to spend money and waste educational time on such a field trip.
Dipsh t Admin
on Oct 22, 2008
"Ask yourself that." OK, I did. What am I supposed to do now? You know, if you don't like the content, you don't have to keep coming back. Simple as that.
scoobyclub
on Oct 22, 2008
Well perhaps they should go to MS Stores, oh they don't have any. Shame. Apple has long been associated with education, this is just an extension. I suppose the schools could take kids to PC World etc to play with Vista and learn how anti-virus software works. You might want to pump them with Prozac though, the ambience is a bit depressing.
Ocean
on Oct 22, 2008
>I suppose the schools could take kids to PC World etc to play with Vista and learn how anti-virus software works.< This is like awesome in 10 or 11 different ways.
tayme
on Oct 22, 2008
I don't think that this is any more of a problem than Microsoft offering discounted software to students, teachers, and educational institutions. It is just a marketing ploy....nothing creepy about it, mikegalos. But, since you are or were an evangelist, I guess that is like a televangelist calling the old rock group KISS creepy...because it is an acronym for Knights in Satan's Service. Baseless cause for spreading FUD, which is what you have done, Mike, by calling it creepy. --tayme
deepfry
on Oct 22, 2008
But at least at the food store they would learn how to make a pizza, which if they pay attention would allow them to go home and make pizzas and maybe help feed someone - what educational benefit is there to going to a computer store? I agree with those that say fine for them offering it, it's just crazy that anyone would actually take them up on the offer....
mikegalos@msn.com
on Oct 22, 2008
tayme There's a big difference between taking 7 year olds to a museum to see art or fossils as a school activity and taking them to a retail store for a morning of sales pitches. I'd hope you actually know that and are just being fanatically devoted to the Apple brand. The alternative that corporate sales pitches are acceptable as elementary school education is just too depressing to contemplate.
daveinla
on Oct 22, 2008
somebody have the pills please ??? I guess they don't brainwash the kids in the Applestore, rather do some educational games I guess. There's nothing indecent or immoral in going to an Applestore !
Waethorn
on Oct 22, 2008
....and THAT'S why the american education system sucks.
Ocean
on Oct 22, 2008
>a morning of sales pitches< Somebody failed to read the website.
tayme
on Oct 22, 2008
@mikegalos - I believe that it is obvious that I am not fanatically devoted to the Apple brand...Just as obvious as it is that you seem to be fanatically devoted to the Microsoft brand...furthered by your current or former title as an evangelist. Much like an earlier post...when I was a kid, schools went on field trips to many commercial places...Based on my daughter's experience...they still do. This is no more "creepy" than that. Now, do I think that they should be wasting dollars on that...not at all...but it is not "creepy" in any way. --tayme
chuckb84
on Oct 22, 2008
Why Paul might be just a touch biased: http://www.winsupersite.com/images/blog/winsecrets_sp1_29books.jpg
mikegalos@msn.com
on Oct 22, 2008
ocean Actually, I DID read the website. And what I saw was precisely a series of hands-on demos designed to get the kids to whine at their parents to buy them a Mac. A multi-hour long commercial aimed at children. You really think that's valid education for elementary school students? Really?
mikegalos@msn.com
on Oct 22, 2008
tayme When you were a kid your school took you to retail stores for a few hours of sales demonstrations? What hell-hole of a school district did you suffer through?
panzaman
on Oct 22, 2008
...guys. but even if they do convince few children/parents to buy some Macs...what's wrong with that??? at the end we're all going to win, Apple increases their market penetration, Microsoft will have to work their butt off to keep ahead of them and the consumer, by result, gets more choice and better products...those children will be grown up at one point and will be able to make their mind up, based on what they need a pc for, on which platform to invest.
scoobyclub
on Oct 22, 2008
On serious note, I think what Apple is doing is no better or worse than any other capitalist pig company However, I read in a newspaper today that a member of parliament was complaining that some primary school kids are being left behind because they don't have access to a PC. Now if I were running the government I would help the children's future by ripping out all the computers in primary schools and not buying any more. Make them a computer free zone. Kids will have plenty of time to learn about computers when they get into their teens. When they are young they should be doing proper playing and proper learning through the teacher and other kids, not at a keyboard. Guaranteed, this new generation of kids wouldn't have half the social and health problems that the current generation have if this were implemented and we would save a ton of money to boot. We would also be encouraging the kind of creativity that enriches the world rather than just making it faster and more efficient. Rant over.
Lindy
on Oct 22, 2008
You people need help in a REALLY BAD way if you think this is creepy. So elementary kids go to a computer store and are shown how they can be creative with a computer and that is creepy???????? Apple use to own the schools for years and upon years. My high school, way back in the day was loaded with Apple IIe computers. Do you really think its a sales pitch? 25 or so kids would be going NUTS 2 min into a sales pitch. I know I have 3 elementary kids. Maybe they should go to the local MS office and play some Saints Row 2 or Halo 3 on the 360's they have in the conference room, that is until they RROD and they have to leave. Paul you SERIOUSLY need help brother in the WORST kind of way. Dam what a freak show this site has turned into!! It was amusing at first but its getting "creepy". I once heard someone say "better living through chemicals" when talking about depression medication, maybe its time to get some?
mikegalos@msn.com
on Oct 22, 2008
Unbelievable. Simply un-freakin-believable. The Apple-fans in residence really do seem to think that schools should send elementary school students to a retail stores for hands-on product demos as a valid part of a good education. This explains so much about the "knowledge and competence are bad" theme that's become so pervasive in society over the last few decades and justified considering George W. Bush and Sarah Palin as acceptable leaders. Just unbelievable.
Lindy
on Oct 22, 2008
The Apple-fans in residence really do seem to think that schools should send elementary school students to a retail stores for hands-on product demos as a valid part of a good education." You sir are simply a moron. Did anyone say "schools should send" or that we think it would be a "hands-on product demo". NO we did not. The broad brush BS does not float Mikey, no one said any of that. I think is OK, nothing special, something for them to experience, like going to the fire department or train museum, or a fish hatchery or a company that makes bread. Just things to see and experience. A 1/2 hour trip to play with computers is NOT and Education. Yeah unbelievable.
Waethorn
on Oct 22, 2008
"A 1/2 hour trip to play with computers is NOT and [sic] Education [sic]." So school time for "NOT an Education", eh? ....and americans wonder where their tax dollars.... Next up - bring your kid to the toy department of Walmart day.
Lindy
on Oct 22, 2008
Yeah that 1 hour trip to the Apple Store to play with computers, education games, take pictures whatever is cutting so much out of the school year. My kids get 4 or 5 short field trips a year....about a days worth total, maybe. They went to a local news station, talked to the weather gal and such and were bored out of their heads. I can guarantee if we had given them the choice to go play with computers for an hour they would have chosen it. Yeah Creeeeeeeeepy. You ladies still sleep with a night light on?
mikegalos@msn.com
on Oct 22, 2008
Careful Waethorn Apparently thinking that kids should get an education in school rather than an hour long commercial for a retail product that their parents can buy them proves that you "need help in a REALLY BAD way" and should be taking psychoactive medication. (Or maybe it's the lack of psychoactives that makes some of us think schools are supposed to do education)
Mirek2
on Oct 22, 2008
So? It's like a computer lab for those poor schools who don't have one. I think it's a good thing. Besides, how is this any different from having PCs at school? Should computers, then not be used in school, in your opinion? Second of all, they're not forcing it on schools, nor paying them. It's completely voluntary...
Waethorn
on Oct 22, 2008
"It's completely voluntary..." So is giving up your personal privacy to Google. It's completely voluntary for you to use Google. They're just using you in return though.
Lindy
on Oct 22, 2008
LOL The microsoft Mikey logic twist. If you cant answer the direct point, spin/slant it baby! If you really think a free 1 hour field trip to play with computer in a creative way is "CREEPY" yes you NEED help. Mike you already needed help, so you just need more now.
Waethorn
on Oct 22, 2008
"maybe it's the lack of psychoactives that makes some of us think schools are supposed to do education" Welcome to the Ritalin generation.
scoobyclub
on Oct 22, 2008
Mike likes to make up phrases that he thinks we ought to have said such that he can then let loose on them. It's one hour for freaks sake and it is probably more educational than much of what makes up the syllabus in many schools these days. Come to think of it though it probably does come under religious education.
robertsjoe
on Oct 22, 2008
I bet if it was to a Microsoft store we wouldn't hear a word from you. Fanboy. Then again, a Microsoft store would be a slum.
robertsjoe
on Oct 22, 2008
Why not try and post some original content on here? 95% of posts are re-blogs of others' work. Some unbiased commentary too would be a welcome change. And maybe try and tip the balance to more Microsoft and Windows related stuff (align more with the title of the re-blog) than it currently is? I guess not when Microsoft is your master.
rtkachuk@shaw.ca
on Oct 22, 2008
A field trip to a computer manufacturing facility is educational. A field trip to a computer retail store is not.
shark47
on Oct 22, 2008
robertsjoe, Or you can just stop reading. Unless, of course, Paul has tied you to a chair in his basement and has forced you to read his blog and comment on it? Or is this part of your job? Commenting on anti-Apple articles and trying to destroy the credibility of the author? The anonymity doesn't help, does it? Wow. A field trip to experience the Reality Distortion Field first hand. I thought RDF was fleeting. From the comments of some people here, apparently it's not.
gorath
on Oct 22, 2008
Hehe, I remember my school ussed to take the kids to Alton Towers (a large british theme park) at the end of each school year, basically as a treat. However, They still sent the same boilerplate consent letter to parents... "Dear Mr/Mrs whatever, the school is planning an educational visit to Alton Towers on such and such date" Lol, educational visit to a theme park! We get to learn how bad it feels to ride a rollercoaster after stuffing our faces stupid with sweets (candy)!
robertsjoe
on Oct 22, 2008
@shark47: "Commenting on anti-Apple articles and trying to destroy the credibility of the author?" Now you're being melodramatic. Commenting on anti-Apple posts is not OK, but writing anti-Apple posts (like this blog) is? All I said was that I bet if Microsoft did the same thing we wouldn't hear a sound out of WinSuperSite.
shark47
on Oct 22, 2008
Because you don't bother to read them, "robertsjoe". Paul has criticized Microsoft on numerous occasions either on his blog or on the TWIT site. Some of the criticism was uncalled for too. So don't give me this "Paul only writes anti-Apple posts" arguments because those are the only ones that you read. He has been extremely critical of the XBox group, the Windows Mobile group, and even the Windows group at times.
Master3
on Oct 22, 2008
No it is not a good thing to take kids to a store for this. There is no educational value and Im sure the point would have been to just introduce a brand to them more than anything else. That would be the same if it was Best Buy or the GAP.
joe-dokes
on Oct 22, 2008
Gee Paul, Where your outrage at MS Gee MS has been doing this for years. http://blogs.msdn.com/alfredth/archive/2006/02/23/campus-connection.aspx Or why go to MS when MS can come to you!! http://tabletpceducation.blogspot.com/2005/05/microsoft-tablet-pc-school... FYI Paul, Pull your f-ing head out. Virtually every business offers these kinds of things. My kid as a kindergartner visited a Trader Joe's. I visited Disneyland on several occasions, they actually have a pretty neat tour on the runnings and technology of Disney. Oh yeah, and then they turn you loose in the Park. In elementary school we toured a McDonalds, in Cub Scouts we toured a Pizza Hut, and in Auto Shop in HS we toured a GM dealership. Really Paul, The only thing sad about Apple's program is your outrage.
robertsjoe
on Oct 22, 2008
@shark47: "Paul has criticized Microsoft on numerous occasions either on his blog or on the TWIT site. Some of the criticism was uncalled for too. So don't give me this "Paul only writes anti-Apple posts" arguments because those are the only ones that you read." Oh please. He may take a dig at MS now and then. But look at it without your MSFT colored glasses for a minute. I'm sure if someone did a count of anti-Apple vs anti-MSFT posts you'd see the scales heavily leaning to anti-Apple. The amusing thing is that the MS guys here are so blind.
.Chris1990
on Oct 22, 2008
Paul, you think this is bad? I've seen a 5 year old with a cell phone and a 7 year old with a myspace account. So this is nothing. Ever thought that this could be educational? Edcuational games. Beats going to mcdonalds and eating that crap. I dont get why you bash apple so much, if you "hate" them so much why do you cover apple news in the first place? Do you go to the apple site and search for silly mistakes? Paul, get off your ass, stop being a geek and spend time with your wife and kids. By you not spending time, and bashing apple, I find that "discussing"
Lindy
on Oct 22, 2008
@chris1990 oh dont say McNasty is "crap" because Shark and Mike take their Zunes there and eat the good food and Zune out. @Joe Dokes nice find, doubtful Mike and the others blasting this as some kind of brain washing gig, even have kids. Kids go to all kinds of places like a few have mentioned, and usually all of them have some kind of educational factor to them. My sons scout den just went to a grocery store and learned all about how fresh produce comes in and is prepared, facts and figures about how much per day, per week etc. If it was a bath house I could see the "creepy" factor, short of that Paul treats Steve Jobs and Apple like he is a jilted lover. If anything is "creep" its his obsession.
benjwah
on Oct 22, 2008
My class actually went to the Coke factory on a field trip when I was about 7. And let me tell you, I've been enjoying 20 years of delicious coke flavour ever since. Life goes better with Coke. Corporate brain-washing aside, yes it's creepy, but just about all corporations market to kids. My First Sony, anyone? Name a large corporation and they're doing their best to claw out the brains of our little ones and replace them with a collection of slogans and "opinions" for the to live their life with. Fortunately, the younger they attempt to get the kids, the more likely, and the earlier they see marketing for what it is: Bull-poop.
.Chris1990
on Oct 22, 2008
Kids of today are screwed. (see bellow) they are getting worse and worse. i graduated High school back in June, (class of 2008) and from my 4 years of school year, 3 dealing with the freshmen, I have to say the 2005-2006 freshmen were the best. Fact I have a few class of 2009 friends. My senior year (last year) was great expect the freshmen. All they did was wine, moan and complain. Show off their ipods and zunes. Being a full blown 90s kid was great, We were nothing like the kids of today, and wernt like the kids of tomorow. So could this help kids, may be, but what kids really need is some good old fashion 90s educational stuff. Some of you older people may disagree but come on, the days of 10,000,000 page books and woman in gray dresses, red lipstick and gray hair with glasses are long over. The internet is today. Most of my time in the school libary in the late 90s was in the computer lab, around the time of the internet boom.
.Chris1990
on Oct 22, 2008
@ Lindy I work there, and I grew up on them, (Not "grew up" on them, i mean I never ate at another fast food place during my childhood besides Taco Bell and subway. Mcds, Taco Bell and Subway were the only ones i ever went to) so I do prefer them no matter what, (Employee discount too) the only thing si- or what paul will say Discussing. Zunes? Please, I see more people bring in laptops at my work then crappy zunes. and who the hell are Shark and Mike

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