A Laptop for College? What Are Your Opinions?

[Nighthawk69]

I am going to be starting college this fall and my major is going to be Computer Science. I have been toying with the idea of buying a laptop for class to take notes on and be able to have a compiler at hand during class.

My question is sort of open, but I would like to hear from people who use/have used laptops in college and what their experiences were with them. Do you think it's something I should have? Taking notes on it seems awkward to me, but there are advantages, considering I type much faster than I write, though some notes can be hard to take on a computer, like those with sketches, etc.

Just give me your opinions and thoughts, please

 

[DnetMHZ]

Dell laptop and a digital camera sounds like a good solution!

 

[b0mbrman]

My roommate has one and uses it a lot *only* because when he has a group presentation, his teammates force him to bring it in so they don't have to print out slides...

He'd defintely be able to get along w/o it

 

[gopunk]

mmm... i can see how it would be convenient for comp sci classes, but i don't think it'd be good for much other than debugging on the bus

as for notes... i don't thik a computer would be very good for that, since you'll be drawing diagrams (for datastructures) and other stuff. maybe if you were a history major... but not comp sci.

i like my set up... i carry spiral notebook (with perforated pages) in which i take notes and do written homework (math and physics). i carry pocket pc for scheduling, expenses, and tasks (i put my hw assignments on there so i don't have to find my syllabus every time). i carry a cell phone for communication. pretty soon i will be able to connect to internet with cellphone + pocketpc, so i will have wireless internet as well.

 

[Nighthawk69]

gopunk: I have a PDA as well so I would be covered with scheduling, tasks, etc. without a laptop.

I was also thinking that notetaking would be very tough on anything but paper for diagrams and stuff, if not impossible... I don't wanna have to fool with making a table in MSWord when I could just draw one... you have some good points

Anyone else?

 

[joohang]

Ideally, I want a TabletPC with integrated 802.11b (assuming that there is a campus-wide wireless Internet).

That way I can take notes during lectures and use Termainal Service to my desktop machine to do the compiling as necessary.

 

[Michael1897]

Many of my friends have laptops and they don't really take notes in class with them b/c of battery issues.
The only time they really take them out is when
they have papers to do and they go to the library.

 

[sheselectric]

I had a desktop throughout college and it suited me just fine.

In undergrad, people who take their laptops to class and take notes on them are super-pretentious.

I don't think it's a necessity.

 

[Nighthawk69]

Well, I should always have access to my desktop away from being physically in class, so typing papers and so forth would not be a problem...

 

[Koing]

I use my laptop in classes to take notes and to do work. I graph on it and draw tables up pretty quick.

if I need to do complex things I go with paper and pen. And then scan in latezz and then attach to the docuement. Simple.

The battery life on my laptop is good. As long as I am typing and not doing anything 'intense' then the battery life WILL last 3hrs. When I go to University I will get the double capacity and get 7hrs of battery life. I always have access to the power points to plug in my charger as well.

its a good tool for me. Its not awkward for me to do notes on it. If you type fast enough get one and make sure the battery life will be good. You will sacriface a good graphics card on it though. I have 11mb Intel 815EM card or something like that on my R505slimpro. Plays DVDs and everything fine. Just won't be gaming on it. Okay for me as I don't game.......

 

[ScottyB]

Most people (including me) don't go to the cs lecture here.

 

[Nighthawk69]

sbastedo: Thanks! That helps... a lot

 

[joe678]

<< ...take notes on and be able to have a compiler at hand during class. >>



that'll last for a week or so...

 

[ScottyB]

<< sbastedo: Thanks! That helps... a lot >>

hehe, seriously though you wil take note for a while, it will be kind of cool but then it will be troublesome. If you are just using it for CS, I suggest a tower instead.

 

[Nighthawk69]

joe678: Bad idea?

 

[LoTecha]

For me, PDA + desktop works great. A laptop gets outdated pretty quickly and costs much more than an equivilant desktop, so unless you really think you're going to need portability, stick with the desktop. Laptops are nice come move-in and move-out days.

 

[Nighthawk69]

sbastedo: That's what I was beginning to think. It sounded really cool for the last few weeks I've been thinking out it, but now it sounds like more of a burden than an aid. Thanks!

 

[Nighthawk69]

LoTecha: Then I'm already set I agree about the laptops getting outdated quickly, especially considering you can't easily upgrade them, and in most cases not at all.

Thanks!

 

[Derango]

Also, make sure your profs are ok with you taking notes on a laptop before you do it. Some of them find it a distraction to the class...which really, it is, if you think about it. My laptop comes out during labs only, so that I don't have to use the crappy lab computers we have at my college. Its also useful to have everything all in one place instead of having stuff on the schools server, using flopy disks to hold my files, etc.

Its also good if you have a long break between classes and you don't have anything else to do. Break out the games! (and if you find other people with laptops, a hub and some network cable, break out the multiplayer games )