Next Year She’ll Try for Ditto Machines

For politicians and technology junkies alike, the cause of computers in the classroom has become a popular bandwagon. And on Tuesday, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D--Calif.) will leap aboard by introducing the Computer Donation Act of 1996, aimed at encouraging companies to donate computers and software to schools, libraries, public housing authorities and other governmental entities.

The bill would extend a lucrative tax write-off now enjoyed by only computer manufacturers to any qualified company that gives away nearly new computers. But Boxer’s bill defines “nearly new” as equipment or software as old as three years--and critics say the measure may thus do little more than saddle schools with antiquated equipment.

“It’s ridiculous,” says Jan Davidson, founder of Torrance-based Davidson & Associates, a leading educational software developer. “It’s a way for the politician to say we have a better student-to-computer ratio. It’s not bringing people into the Information Age to give them [2- and 3-year-] old computers.”

Boxer spokesman David Sandretti says he doesn’t see the three-year limit as a problem. “What we are talking about is the current generation of computers,” he says.

THIS WEEK / ONLINE

* Today: TerraQuest begins hosting a 10-day journey to the Galapagos. Catch daily digital dispatches as the crew explores the volcanic islands of the equator. Internet. https://www.terraquest.com

* Today, 5:30 p.m.: 1996 U.S. national figure skating champion Rudy Galindo talks about poverty, skating with Kristi Yamaguchi and being gay. America Online. Keyword: Wide World

* Tuesday: Throughout the day, Robert Ihrie will discuss the ordinance he wrote for St. Clair Shores, Mich., that allows parents to be prosecuted for their children’s crimes. Internet. https://www.pbs.org/newshour

* Friday: Throughout the day, journalist Haynes Johnson will discuss his book “The System,” which examines the inner workings of the American political system. Internet. https://www.pbs.org/newshour

ON THE NET

* Want to watch live baseball games on the Web? At the Instant Sports Web site (https://www.instantsports.com), it’s not quite TV, but for those with Java-enabled browsers, it’s pretty close. View an animated version of baseball games in progress, complete with statistics and scores as the game proceeds.

* Southern California is the unofficial capital of the vanity license plate. For a selection of some of the most clever, visit https://www.gointeract.com/knx/license. A new set of plates is posted each month, and archives are also accessible. Example: 2QAYL (“Took you awhile.”)

* Truth can be stranger than fiction, especially when it comes to lawsuits. For excerpts from court filings ranging from the important to the ridiculous, check out https://www.courtnews.com/lawsuits. Cases are organized by topics (celebrities, Hollywood, politics & business), and a few gems are highlighted each day.

* Site suggestions can be sent to cutting.edge@latimes.com