Mac OS or Windows laptop for Corona homeschooling?

My 4th grade daughter desperately needs a laptop for homeschooling. Since I personally only work with Apple devices and only have a Windows PC for gaming, the question arises of what should I buy my daughter. School says Windows, but I have no idea if I have to configure something. But Mac should work just as well for school, or at least I can operate and configure it blindly via the terminal. So why such a Windows box? Where is the advantage there?

I would find out whether the programs are not also available for an iPad and then I would recommend an iPad because you have the opportunity to write later in class there. Use an iPad yourself and it's really great!

There's no advantage but money. In principle, it doesn't matter, the school recommends Windows because the school has little money, which is why you tend to go for something cheap that everyone can afford.

At the moment I would not tend towards a MacBook with an M1. At the moment you can't run Windows on Macs with the new processors. There's the possible case that you have to install Windows to use a certain application that works with Intel Macs via Bootcamp with M1 it is not yet possible

The (video conferencing) runs in the browser anyway, the OS doesn't matter.

Office365 and other office packages are available for all platforms.

Mac is usually more expensive (with the same performance) than Windows.

I do not understand that, too. Because Microsoft Office also runs on the Mac and online class programs also run on the Mac. Maybe it would be good to ask the school why it has to be a Windows laptop.

The "advantage" of Windows is the use of proprietary software that teachers can sometimes use. Or at least have heard of it.

But in order to be able to work sensibly and effectively, this is not necessary at all. There are really excellent (free) programs. Both under Windows, OSX and Linux.

E.g. The MS Office alternative LibreOffice is widely known and is available under several OS. Or the many open source programs in general.

I would therefore possibly resort to a decent (and free) Linux OS. Everything you need is actually included.

Another advantage: the hardware requirements are significantly lower.

An already somewhat older notebook can be used here optimally (and cheaper). Or an energy-saving "endurance runner" with 4 cores and 4-8GB Ram and an SSD. That is basically enough.

I use the https://linuxmint.com/...uxmint.com on my old PC (C2Q, 4x3Ghz, 8GB DDR3).

That has a pretty catchy and clear user interface. There are a lot of useful programs (in German) included right from the start, or they can easily be installed later.

Of course, you can also do a lot via the terminal, but here a lot can also be done by "dragging the mouse".

And since no Windows games run on it that easily, you may have more control in this regard.

However, you can try to make various (necessary) window programs run under Linux using https://www.pcwelt.de/...90018.html. But that doesn't work with everything.

However, there are also some smaller games that can be installed directly afterwards. And many browser games work too. But you can ("try") to draw limits here via user rights as well as via "parental controls" (e.g. URL blockades).

And if you "need a little more", you can also find games on the https://www.gog.com game platform that are https://www.gog.com / games? Page = 1 & sort = popularity & system = lin_ubuntu, lin_mint, lin_ubuntu_18 (which are based on "Ubuntu" => "Mint"). https://www.gog.com / games? Page = 1 & sort = popularity & system = osx_106, osx_107 you can also find there.

There are also a greater number of tutorials that can be used:

https://www.google.com/...nprogramme

There I also found special Linux distributions for children and school purposes (Edubuntu and Doudou):

https://www.pcwelt.de/...19464.html

https://www.pcwelt.de/...90288.html

However, your daughter will also have to learn to use the keyboard. And also learn how to use the mouse to make drawings and sketches on the computer.

You can also connect and use a graphics tablet under Linux. Likewise a scanner, a printer, an external webcam, a smartphone, or an additional tablet PC (with iOS or Android), etc.

And it is also possible to install a Linux and a Windows in parallel and then select the OS via boot manager when starting.