X-Message-Number: 4603 Date: 04 Jul 95 01:31:28 EDT From: Mike Darwin <> Subject: Recent Research Results Well, it looks like Paul Wakfer and I were right. There has just been completed a carefully controlled study funded by the U.S. Government which proves our long-held contention about computer users. Without further ado, I reproduce the research conclusions forthwith: "Student Writing: Can the Machine Maim the Message?" By Marcia Peoples Halio. Academic Computing, January 1990. "Dr. Halio is assistant director of the writing program of the English Department of the University of Delaware. Freshman students all use word processors and each student may choose either a Macintosh or IBM-PC hardware. The professor looked at the work habits and grades of the students on the basis of their choice of computer. She found that the students who chose IBM-PC computers wrote at an average grade level of 12.1 on the Kincaid Scale (college level). This set of students routinely picked essay subjects such as nuclear war, teenage pregnancy and capital punishment. Average spelling errors were 4 per essay. Students who picked Macintoshes wrote at a Kincaid Scale of 7.95 (eighth grade). Macintosh students wrote simpler sentences, had weaker openings and misspelled at a rate of 15 errors per essay. They routinely picked essay topics such as movies / television, rock music and fast food. She concludes that the Macintosh group were remarkably different than the IBM-PC group in work habits, attention span and seriousness of purpose. She coined the moniker: "MacStudent to describe the latter group." Of course, it goes without saying, I use a PC. It is obviously of critical importance that those of you trying to decide on cryonics service providers factor this into your decision making process. Otherwise you might end up getting a MacFreeze, a MacCryopreservation or even (God forbid!) a MacSuspension. Mike Darwin "Mike Darwin: Not always right, but NEVER wrong." Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=4603