That was 1985, and the computer that sent that typewriter to the scrap heap was an Apple IIe, the educational standard at that time. I was pretty excited about my discovery, committing my entire graduate career to a pile of 5 1/4" floppy diskettes. (They really were floppy then!) I couldn't afford the genuine article, so I purchased an Apple "clone" from a fellow graduate student, whose 1-bedroom apartment was the designated dealership for the off-brand. Today, an ordinary KETS Level 1computer workstation has over 2,000 times the internal memory, and a processor that clocks at more than 1,000,000 times the speed of that clunky little Apple.

The new computers have applicability and importance that has risen exponentially in the 18 years since Apple IIe's were first made. That capability has meant the commitment of millions of dollars in Kentucky tax revenues (the KETS System), and the inclusion of important computer skills in new and experienced teacher standards. It has forever changed the educational landscape, and has added exciting new possibilities for our students.

The road to technology integration is rarely smooth. In the Fayette County Office of Educational Technology, our job is to provide you with the tools, the service, and the support that you'll need to join the revolution begun such a short while ago by the little Apple.

By the way . . . does anybody want to buy a really nice Olympia portable?