Is laptop computer absolutely necessary at UW BSE?

[joseph2625]

Hi, I am going to waterloo this fall and I have a question regarding laptop.

I am not really planning to buy a laptop because it will just become a distractor.

I really don't want to goof around with it..

Is laptop really necessary for first year BSE student?

[Dan]

Most universitys provide 24/7 computer labs witch are open for student use, so you could proably get away with out having a laptop or even desktop computer.

However i would recomend having a desktop unless you want to live in the computer lab.


I did not go to waterloo but at lakehead there where many students who did not use a laptop to take notes during lectores and all the labs that needed you to have a computer where done in a computer lab any way.

If you think a laptop would distract you during lectores and tutorials then i hightly recomend not getting one. Also for math based lectures it is almsot allways better to use a pencial and paper as you will be spending more time trying to figier out how to get the correct symbols in your word processor then paying antion to the professor.

[jbking]

No, according to an FAQ on the SE site:

Quote:

Students who own and maintain their own computer enter university with more confidence and experience in using computers. But you do not need your own computer to succeed in the Software Engineering program. You will be given an account on the university's computing network as soon as you arrive on campus. This will give you 24 hours/day access to computers and the Internet. Also, working in the computer labs will give you a better chance to bond with their classmates. If you do decide to bring a computer with you to university, please review our guidelines on computing needs.

[Vermette]

Though I did not attend Waterloo, in my experience as both an undergraduate student and later GA laptops were all to often a distraction during a lecture. Many would spend the entire lecture on distractions like chatting, Facebook or Twitter, a movie or music, flash games etc. I remember one fellow actually trying to play WoW during a lecture. Some students use the laptop for lecture slides and notetaking. Personally, I was well served by pen&paper and actually listening to what was being said instead of splitting my attention. The slides I could always refer to in my own time.

The school will ensure you have access to whatever computing resources you need to complete assignments, and the labs can serve to connect you with your peers. A laptop can be a definite convenience and a valuable tool, but don't view it as an academic necessity.

[jernst]

I had a laptop when I did my undergrad and it was often a distraction. For a while I stopped bringing it to class and took notes by hand. I also felt that writing the notes helped me remember them better for tests, but who knows maybe without the distractions i absorbed more or something.

I have started bringing my laptop again, but I make sure I don't get distracted when I use it, and try to make it useful..for example looking up things I am having trouble understanding on the net while I am listening in class to supplement what is being talk.

[Vermette]

jernst @ June 12th 2009, 13:38 wrote:

I have started bringing my laptop again, but I make sure I don't get distracted when I use it, and try to make it useful..for example looking up things I am having trouble understanding on the net while I am listening in class to supplement what is being talk.

Yeah, I have to confess that I now bring a laptop to lectures as well. But, you and I are graduate students, and I now find myself doing a lot more presentations that I ever did as a SE undergraduate.

[jernst]

Vermette @ Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:48 pm wrote:

Yeah, I have to confess that I now bring a laptop to lectures as well. But, you and I are graduate students, and I now find myself doing a lot more presentations that I ever did as a SE undergraduate.

That's true, its almost impossible not to have one as a grad student compared with undergrad because of the presentations. In fact I barely did any presentations in undergrad compsci (but maybe that was just WLU)

[Brightguy]

Dan @ Fri Jun 12, 2009 12:43 pm wrote:

Also for math based lectures it is almsot allways better to use a pencial and paper as you will be spending more time trying to figier out how to get the correct symbols in your word processor then paying antion to the professor.

ACK! Are you kidding me? LaTeX, please.

[Prabhakar Ragde]

In my experience sittting at the back of a UW SE classroom, most students had laptops, which they were using to play games, surf, and check social networking sites. So if you want to fit in, yes.

[Dark]

Prabhakar Ragde @ Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:33 pm wrote:

In my experience sittting at the back of a UW SE classroom, most students had laptops, which they were using to play games, surf, and check social networking sites. So if you want to fit in, yes.

Lol really? The tuition is very high (imo) especially since I can learn many things taught in SE via googling, so I thought at least students would pay attention in their expensive classes...geez...

[endless]

Prabhakar Ragde @ Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:33 pm wrote:

In my experience sittting at the back of a UW SE classroom, most students had laptops, which they were using to play games, surf, and check social networking sites. So if you want to fit in, yes.

wow, i have yet to experience a university class yet, but this seems extremely disrespectful to the professor.

[Clayton]

endless @ Fri Jun 12, 2009 7:37 pm wrote:

Prabhakar Ragde @ Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:33 pm wrote:

In my experience sittting at the back of a UW SE classroom, most students had laptops, which they were using to play games, surf, and check social networking sites. So if you want to fit in, yes.

wow, i have yet to experience a university class yet, but this seems extremely disrespectful to the professor.

Many I've talked to don't particularly care. Some do, and some don't. Back in September, a classmate of mine was playing WoW at the back of the class with headphones in. Near the end of the class, his headphones popped out and a quote from a raid boss went over the (max volume) speakers. Turns out the professor played WoW as well, as all he could say was, "I hope you got your mount." And just continued on with the lecture. So meh.

[Prabhakar Ragde]

Clayton @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:03 am wrote:

Many I've talked to don't particularly care.

I don't particularly care about the disrespect when it happens to me (there are plenty of other ways students show disrespect, none of which I much care about). My main concern is that it's distracting to other students. If people are doing this in the back row with no one beside them, it's their business (their funeral, if you ask me).

[Euphoracle]

I'm still finding it hard to believe that people would pay to go to class and still slack off like that while it is in progress. I can understand in highschool, but does this really continue on? Why bother going?

[Horus]

Euphoracle @ Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:36 pm wrote:

I'm still finding it hard to believe that people would pay to go to class and still slack off like that while it is in progress. I can understand in highschool, but does this really continue on? Why bother going?

You pay to get the degree, for some genius, they don't really need to pay attention in class to graduate with high marks.
For others who are not a genius and slacks off, probably because it's their first time experiencing freedom and that they can do anything they want without their teachers yelling at them, or their parents urging them to do hwk, and as of the tuition, it's their parents money.




Also, just wondering, are we allowed to record a lecture using a laptop with webcam? that would totally give me a reason to buy a laptop.