I like your post, and instead of listing web sites, I decided to write my own answers - not necessarily directed at anyone - I'm just practicing writing...but I have some thoughts about schools - tech college or liberal arts/science college, etc at the end.
And the rambling starts now:
Answer to Question 1:
Schools and students get a 'special discount' which is pretty small (5% I think) - but a lot of smaller schools I've seen have had Apples only - but that was a while ago. I would think that most would have both now. Most internet startups are more than likely going to have a few Macs around, for graphics work or for work 'only a Mac could do.' So I guess my answer is 'yes.'
Answer to Question 2:
There are very smart people that sometimes get it completely wrong. Bill Gates was quoted as saying a 40 meg hard drive and 640k memory was a massive amount of resource for any user... Which led into the 640k limitation weirdness within a year. Many innovative ideas are created by students at Universities, only to have to sue microsoft for steam rolling over Intellectual Property issues.
Not that I go to Hacker conventions, but a columnist over at MSN Slate did and reported the guest speaker was a Rock n' Roll band member, who stated he wasn't very knowleable about computers, and the last CIA director made an appearance, this segways into 'People Networking' which is extremely important but another topic alltogether - so, I guess there are those that read a lot from books and don't speak publicly but hire popular people to do so for them. Those that learn by trial and error and teach by demonstration or giving problem solving assignments instead of verbose long lists of instruction I consider the better of the two methods. Don't be a Cookbook'er - something we called the new techs if they didn't know the hardware/software and resorted to following exacting instructions without comprehension. I'm a trial and error guy myself, only to RTFM later. Learning by mistakes helps toward comprehension and doesn't rely on the cookbook method. Many thick computer volumes are references - I would die of boredom reading an entire database manual without actually doing anything on a computer.
School Computer classes build familiarity and a 'roadmap to PCs' (sorry!), networks, and the structure or responsiblity domains that exist in corporate IT departments. A ticketing system and means of problem resolution at all levels of the department are crucial for a school program to cover. However, I noticed (as a former IT guy) that the college I was at only had 1 person from the "real world" teaching in the computer dept. I think this is due lack of the right degree, or other credentials. The person with the right credentials for the html class was the woman who taught typing, and had never worked outside of the school. The programming class is/was taught by the math teacher when I was in high school. It's a shame too, because many programmers were programming in languages that were not even being taught or focused on because the school was behind the times...(like only teaching QBASIC and FORTRAN, when Perl and Java might have more workplace demand)
Basics the school should cover (imho)
A basic local network - LAN and other basic types of networks, as well as the end user workstation troubleshooting. Worstation Troubleshooting was part of the curriculum at my old college for two year technical majors in the computer dept. The large lab, was full of students and they took turns donning the 'blue on call' vest. I consider this excellent 'real world stuff' since I had the opportunity to do the work, before the training and this type of application of what they have learned as well as the simple and sometimes painful end-user, which is why we have these wonderful networks in the first place. Database design and use, programming, network administration, were some of the degree paths availiable. I walked into a help desk job at a major law firm, with no school prep - mainly because at the time community colleges and 4 year colleges didn't have any networking or tech classes applicable. Microsoft and other local area companies got together and helped get some schools in the right direction. I honestly can't say if I'm happy or not about 'missing out' on having to get a degree, or a series of certs.
Real world applications include checking to see if the comptuer is on, the monitor is on, and things are plugged in. This doesn't change for the more complicated network equipment either! Its amazing how many Professors, Lawyers, and other 'intelligent' and scholarly people can't manipulate switches and levers. "Tech: If the green monitor light is out, you're monitor is off even though your computer is on, Sir." "Lawyer: I'm just a simple caveman lawyer, your technology frightenes and confuses me." SNL quote.
Tracking, documenting, and assigning end-user and managerial expecations for all levels of IT - from the developer, to the help desk guy is an important and beneficial system and I don't think it was stressed enough at my old college.
I should state that I was a science major at this college and am only speaking 2nd hand from other students and direct observation from the computer labs and a few elective computer classes thrown in. I need to increase my GPA, ...hmmm an html class? It was a 2 year Arts and Science college, with addtitional technical degrees available. The combination of modeling an IT dept based on the student computer labs and other direct applications provided a well rounded start; however, real world teachers were rare...
THOUGHTS ON SCHOOLS
I think that if you are interested in getting a jobby job in the real world with a title like DBA, or PROGRAMMER, or IT Jarhead etc - Go the technical college route, or base it on your real world knowledge and experience, and get those certs your own damn self. Not to say that regular 4 and 2 year colleges don't measure up - cost, length of time may be higher depending.
For those interested in research, teaching, learning for learnings sake - might want to go to a State or other 4 year College. Competition is tough though, it seems like every kid that has played on a PC with internet access while growing up wants in on the computer industry when entering college - From the last part of the 1990's there was a approximately a 60% increase in Computer Science/Engineering applications for major at state colleges - I think this was from US News an World Report.
