Do you need a Laptop?

BreatheFree · Aug 12, 2008

Yes, but not to bring to class. You really need one at home.
I bought one and I also have a wireless router. It's really nice to be able to take it anywhere in the house, outside, etc, and I can even read/work on things right before I go to bed.

I don't think you HAVE to have one but I agree with the above poster especially if you have kids. I got a laptop towards the end of the semester in the spring and it was so helpful. However I have little kids at home so I need to be flexible about where and when I do homework.

baldee · Aug 12, 2008

$1000 is about right if you don't want it to be obsolete tomorrow.
32 bits OS is faster. 64 bits would be for large databases ONLY, and slower otherwise. Not to mention, VISTA is a handicap with no use of MS Office 97, which is all anyone needs (and its free to copy ).
Baldee:
I just bought a Gateway with Vista and Office 2007 Student version, and I HATE it! Can I put Windows XP Home Edition on this computer (like my last one) or will Vista not allow it?
Thanks.
The ONLY way I know of is to get a new hard drive and Win XP software.
Get a 7200 speed hard drive while you are at it. Then you will speed up from getting Vista off to XP and a faster hard drive.
You may find a good deal on Authentic XP software on Ebay, and check PriceWatch for hard drive: best to use a brick and morter for hardware, so they have service people to help you - generally its just installing WinXP and getting drivers for all of your features (the only hard part other than a day or so installing Operating system). CHECK WITH GATEWAY FOR DRIVERS - LIKE ON THEIR BUSINESS NOTEBOOKS!
Not to void my Dell warranty, I got my Win XP Pro from them to upgrade a Linux workstation, but they did not offer scsi drives at the time and cost too much anyway. Dell or Gateway are not going to help you on Windows XP software not their own brand anyway. You should be fine with any XP Pro new.
AND USE XP PRO, not XP Home. Its much more powerful, and will save you time and money in the long run. XP Pro is the standard, and negligible cost difference if you get on ebay.

justme1972 · Aug 13, 2008

If I were to guess, I would say they probably don't get to pick out the laptop.

baldee · Aug 13, 2008

Everything is negotiable. If you can prove you will get better than the equivalent of their notebook, then they would agree I'm sure.

But remember, Vista PC's get a lot more for the money (not as good as the combined XP system proposed though - almost not possible w/Vista OS handicap). It takes so much more hp to just 'carry' Vista OS, that most extras and additions (usually buzzword bs extras for Vista Only) do little.

You can always petition for curriculum changes, so this would be no different. However, for petitioning, drivers, and installing, one week would be cutting it close in leadtimes. Since you are going to own it, XP Pro would be worth it if possible.

But, like a bookstore, they are getting a special lot-size bargain, so they 'want' to keep the quantities as budgeted. AND you will get a double good deal being Vista AND lot-size (just not compared to Win XP Pro with planned system). Regardless, they should get an adequately fine notebook, faster than most other Vista notebooks. JUST GET YOUR ACCIDENT INSURANCE for 4 years preferably. I'd sure hate to buy 2 Vista notebooks!! lol :banghead:

justme1972 · Aug 13, 2008

Everything is negotiable. If you can prove you will get better than the equivalent of their notebook, then they would agree I'm sure.
But remember, Vista PC's get a lot more for the money (not as good as the combined XP system proposed though - almost not possible w/Vista OS handicap). It takes so much more hp to just 'carry' Vista OS, that most extras and additions (usually buzzword bs extras for Vista Only) do little.
You can always petition for curriculum changes, so this would be no different. However, for petitioning, drivers, and installing, one week would be cutting it close in leadtimes. Since you are going to own it, XP Pro would be worth it if possible.
But, like a bookstore, they are getting a special lot-size bargain, so they 'want' to keep the quantities as budgeted. AND you will get a double good deal being Vista AND lot-size (just not compared to Win XP Pro with planned system). Regardless, they should get an adequately fine notebook, faster than most other Vista notebooks. JUST GET YOUR ACCIDENT INSURANCE for 4 years preferably. I'd sure hate to buy 2 Vista notebooks!! lol

Technology fees, lab fees, etc, are not negotiable at colleges.

These are budgeted expenses, and the college needs to collect them from every student that enrolls.

If you don't pay it, they don't admit you to the program. It's part of your tuition break down.

That's just how it works.

That is why it's highway robbery. It's forcing you to purchase equipment from a school rather than finding your own deal, which to me, is deplorable.

LAM2010, BSN · Aug 13, 2008

I am doing fine without one. I have a PC at home, though. And my school has this deal with some book publisher, they package all our books in one big box and it comes with all the books on CD-ROM (you don't have to buy it though). It would be nice to have all the books on a laptop so we don't have to lug a ton of books around.

Even though I have a printer at home (which is now broken, anyway), I would always print my stuff at school, to save ME the ink and paper.

One thing that is annoying about laptops in class is, you always have to have a seat next to a power outlet. In my classes, which are 3 hours long, batteries never seem to last that long, or someone forgot to charge it the night before, etc.

And another little annoying thing - if I come into a class early, find a seat I like, and go to the bathroom, sometimes I come back and someone has shoved my books aside because they have a laptop and need the outlet. Or I'm asked to move. I like an end seat so I can escape easily if I need to :) .

Plus someone's always tripping over the power cord, and that is probably not good for the laptop or the power cord.

:twocents:

baldee · Aug 14, 2008

I agree, its more of a big hassle in class than its worth. The instructor really enjoys the Windows start up, TAH TAH TAHHHH!! when someone is late, ha-ha.

Where I think I'll need it, and I may pick up a cheapee despite not being what I'd like exactly for the long run, is studying on my midnight guard duty. Sometimes there is not enough time to do papers and edit them working 40 hours/week, but I can usually get about 2 hours study a night most of the time (and it helps keep me awake :yeah: ).

Its sometimes hard to juggle sleep, school, pc time, bike riding, and business hours during daytime in between shifts. A cheap PC to type labs and other class assignments may be all I need. Hopefully a $300 Win XP notebook with a 3.5" disc and/or regular cd player may be all I need for pre-nursing and maybe nursing school too.

The required pc school is just making sure they have the resources to do anything in one big move. Unfortunately, they have to have $60/month wireless contracts for limited bandwidth usage: that could get expensive when they get over the limit and that is ALL the pc access they have. But they will have a nice notebook, so it is a good plan to help students learn in consistent harmony. I actually am glad the faculty is thinking ahead for their students, who may not know the difference it could make.

I am doing fine without one. I have a PC at home, though. And my school has this deal with some book publisher, they package all our books in one big box and it comes with all the books on CD-ROM (you don't have to buy it though). It would be nice to have all the books on a laptop so we don't have to lug a ton of books around.
Even though I have a printer at home (which is now broken, anyway), I would always print my stuff at school, to save ME the ink and paper.
One thing that is annoying about laptops in class is, you always have to have a seat next to a power outlet. In my classes, which are 3 hours long, batteries never seem to last that long, or someone forgot to charge it the night before, etc.
And another little annoying thing - if I come into a class early, find a seat I like, and go to the bathroom, sometimes I come back and someone has shoved my books aside because they have a laptop and need the outlet. Or I'm asked to move. I like an end seat so I can escape easily if I need to :) .
Plus someone's always tripping over the power cord, and that is probably not good for the laptop or the power cord.

kenny b · Aug 14, 2008

You can actually find them for free on craigslist.org sometimes.

Regards,

Kenny B.

f1ourish · Aug 14, 2008

I have a laptop, and honestly whenever I took it to class--admittedly in upper-division English classes, not science-- I invariably ended up surfing the internet and zoning out the lecture. If you think you might have that problem I wouldn't take a laptop to class.

But I do think it's absolutely necessary to have a computer for school-- campus labs are nice, but when you have something due at 8am and it's midnight you'll really be glad you have your own computer.

benegesserit · Aug 15, 2008

Its sometimes hard to juggle sleep, school, pc time, bike riding, and business hours during daytime in between shifts. A cheap PC to type labs and other class assignments may be all I need. Hopefully a $300 Win XP notebook with a 3.5" disc and/or regular cd player may be all I need for pre-nursing and maybe nursing school too.

I have an Asus EEE for this purpose, and it's worked great for all my pre-nursing needs.

The required pc school is just making sure they have the resources to do anything in one big move. Unfortunately, they have to have $60/month wireless contracts for limited bandwidth usage: that could get expensive when they get over the limit and that is ALL the pc access they have. But they will have a nice notebook, so it is a good plan to help students learn in consistent harmony. I actually am glad the faculty is thinking ahead for their students, who may not know the difference it could make.

I have no major problems with the idea of a required laptop, or even requiring a specific laptop pre-loaded with appropriate software and so on. I agree - it does simplify a lot of things.

Where I run into a problem is the idea that the student doesn't own the computer until graduation, and that if they drop out, they forfeit it. That's an awfully big investment for something that doesn't even belong to you, especially when there are perfectly servicable $300 laptops out there. If they're "selling" it at a large discount discount, I'd still rather just pay the full price and own it outright. If they're paying full price (or nearly so), it's robbery.

And $60/month for limited wireless access? That's robbery, too.

shelbias · Aug 15, 2008

i bring my laptop to class and it's the best thing! i can type the lectures (as oppose to struggling with my illegible handwriting), plus i can lookup information on the net quickly since all of the classrooms in my school have wifi access. i agree with the others: it's OK if you can afford it and not have a problem with distractions.

i use a Mac and i love it! if i need to run Windows-only applications, i run Windows XP on my VMWare Fusion.

ThatPoshGirl · Aug 15, 2008

I have an Asus EEE for this purpose, and it's worked great for all my pre-nursing needs.

I'm thinking about getting an Asus EEE 4GB Surf before fall. I have a desktop replacement laptop, but it is really too heavy and bulky to carry with me. I can't afford to spend a lot of something else, though. If I could afford it I would love to get a Fujitsu U810, but it is a little out of my budget. Hopefully I can get one before I start clinicals in a year or so.