Internet Cafe held at Chats

Cutting-edge Macintosh computers sat on tables normally covered with food at Chats yesterday, as students sipped free coffee, surfed the World Wide Web and played computer games at the Internet Cafe. Apple Computers, Chats and The Book Store's Computer Connection sponsored the Internet Cafe in order to educate students about Internet technology and advertise the latest Apple computers. Apple student representative Jason Pareti, an Engineering sophomore, roamed Chats throughout the afternoon, helping students use innovative new technology like video conferencing. Apple representative Richard Dennison explained that video conferencing was created for medical purposes, but has since been utilized for social and educational purposes. "It enables you to video conference over the Internet [in] real time, sound and video," Dennison said. "It also works over modems for Macs and PCs." Dennison added that this video chat room is worldwide and can easily link countries such as Israel, Canada, Japan and Brazil. Karl Kinscherf, Apple's higher education account executive for the University, said the Internet Cafe is a national promotion which is tailored for individual universities. The sponsors carried out the cafe theme with menus listing Web sites of interest under the categories of "Appetizers," "Desserts" and "Entrees." "We wanted some fun but also creative stuff," Kinscherf said. He added that the Computer Connection, Career Planning and Placement Service and the Philadelphia Museum of Art were among the links on the Internet Cafe's Web site geared for Penn. "At the University of Maine, we had different links on our menu and home page," Kinscherf said. "For example, instead of J. Crew, we had the home page for L.L. Bean." Engineering freshman Ron Hung happened to spot the event while walking by Chats yesterday. "[The] Internet is very important to our lives -- this kind of promotion is good and informative," Hung said. Hung added that while he has a PC and finds them more user-friendly than Macintosh computers, he thinks that "the technology is cool." "PCs really don't have this kind of campus promotion," Hung said. "I think Mac is getting bigger and bigger." College junior Jessica Toney noted that the University's campus seems to be "very computer-oriented." "A lot of people learn something like e-mail here and want to go out on the Web," Toney said. "We're trying to show them what's available." Toney and Pareti were responsible for modifying the Internet Cafe home page for the University. Kinscherf expressed his hope that the Internet Cafe would increase student traffic in the Computer Connection. "If you think about it, right now is a good time to buy," Kinscherf said. "Especially for seniors, it's the last time they can really save before they go off campus and lose the opportunity for special prices," he added. But College senior Justin Shreve disagreed. "It's a little late in the year for this," Shreve said. "No one will be looking to buy a computer now." Dining Services Marketing and Meal Contract Director Adam Sherr said his department was looking to increase student use of Chats by sponsoring the event. "I would define it as successful if people go and enjoy themselves and also if they get a larger awareness of Chats as a place to go for lunch and late-night dining," said Sherr.