[latexr]

Again, that’s not the discussion. See my reply over two hours ago:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47804719

Additionally, the page says:

> more than 50 Playdates have been provided to students

Provided. To me that doesn’t seem like the students are paying for them. From other comments in the thread of former Duke students using iPods, it seems Duke lends you the hardware.

Furthermore, “tuition is expensive so buying expensive hardware is the least of your problems” is not a good argument. There’s a reason people in the USA drown in student debt. Whatever you can save is good.

[shimman]

They aren't drowning in debt because of supplies, they're drowning in debt because both the federal + state governments have stopped investing in education since the GFC in 2008. That plus a bloated admin body that cares about itself more than its literal mission (providing education + research).

[999900000999]

> The price of that book could pay for months (and in some cases years) of tuition in EU countries.

What happens in magical places with free or heavily subsidized college has little to do with what an expensive private US university does.

If a German college decides 200$ is too much they can use Godot or a variety of free alternatives.