Desktop PC Vs Laptop For Computer Engineer /or Computer Programmer

[hallowon]

So after shedding more than $1800 on a new gaming computer, I decide to bring my desktop PC to university next year. Now after having dinner with my university friend, she tells me all this university stuff that they expect you to have a laptop. Now, she is in humanities, while I am going into computer programming/engineer(undecided). My question is:
Does university really expect you to have one?
Personally, how did a laptop help you?
For computer programming majors can i get by with pen, and paper during lecteurs? What time will i need some sort of computer?


I have about 790 dollars left of spending money, and I would rather save that ,but if i must i can shed about 400-500.

I am also aware of the sticky above this forum, and would like more input.

[jbking]

This could depend on which school you are planning on attending, so stating that would help. However, to answer your specific questions:
It wasn't expected when I went but those were the years 1993-1997. Laptops back then were rather bulky and not common as well as network connections not being the same as they are now.

I got by with pen and paper for lectures, though in some cases the professor may make the slides they use in lectures available or there may be course notes that you may be told to read before class as the idea may be to go beyond what is in the notes.

[Tony]

hallowon @ Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:16 am wrote:

Does university really expect you to have one?

No.

Quote:

Personally, how did a laptop help you?

Useful if you want to carry a computer to different places, and work outside of your room or computer labs.

Quote:

For computer programming majors can i get by with pen, and paper during lecteurs?

I was not aware that there existed a major in "computer programming", but if it's anything like Computer Science, then it will be mostly Math, in which case one is better off with pen and paper. In just about all of my classes, the majority doesn't bother with laptops, there is simply no need. This might be different for liberal arts, but I find that a lot of courses either provide printed course notes, or make the slides available online -- greatly reducing the need to copy material (after all, we are there to learn the material, not just transcribe the professor).

Quote:

What time will i need some sort of computer?

There will be some programming assignments in CS. You'd need to type up reports in CE.

[hallowon]

hmm you are write about the pen and paper thing for math for CS.
So i might just go full on desktop pc then, or i could buy a netbook for a cheap price. Been searching around i do agree mobility is good.

[Dan]

One plus of having a laptop that is not normally considered is for giving presentations. Most of the class rooms here at Lakehead have a PC and projector however if you are giving a demo it can help to have your own hardware.

Most universities have 24 hour computer labs, so even if you did not have a computer at all you could write up reports/papers and do programing assignments.

If you don't care about gaming, 3d graphics or anything that needs high system resources i would get a laptop (so you can take notes and class and for presentations). If you want it for other applications i would get a desktop as you will get more for your money.

If you are going to get a netbook, make sure you can type on it. Alot of them have very small keyboards or odd mouse layouts that can make them hard to take notes on. Also as tony pointed out alot of lectures contain content that would be easier to write out on paper.


Personally i went with a desktop replacement style laptop (very low mobility but lots of power and a big screen and keyboard). It's had it's ups and downs. Lakehead has outlets for laptops in most class rooms so battery power is not an issue (i get about 1 hour to 3 hours depending on the cpu, gpu and other power settings) however it's size and wegth have been made it a pain to move around and unuseable in class rooms that have cheap plastic notebook tables attached to the chairs. On the plus side i only need A laptop and not a PC for all my needs and i can use it any where there is a power outlet (the battery is relay more of a very good UPS). In terms of usefulness to the academic side of things, it has helps a lot for running servers, high graphics programs and simulations during presentations and demos.

[rdrake]

I use mine mostly for working on assignments and projects. In the first couple of years I had to take more general science courses which didn't really require a laptop. That and math like Tony said.

Seconding picking a laptop with portability. You don't want to be lugging around an extra 10 lbs in addition to textbooks and everything else. A netbook would be great if you can stand the small screen and keyboard. Just use your desktop for any assignments that require the extra horsepower.

[x30Jx]

Realistically, how feasible is using a notepad/pen for CompSci Classes rather than a laptop? This is what my big brother suggested but I think this sounds a little unhandy.


And to the people saying stuf like "10 pounds on top of all of your books..." ...just make pdfs out of your text books.

[Superskull85]

Personally I carry around a HP Pavilion with Windows 7. It has plenty of hard drive space if I need to dual boot and/or install special hardware and it has enough power to do any task I need a computer to do.

Yes it's a little heavy, but if you put your laptop in a backpack with any required textbooks for class (it's my experience that you rarely need to bring textbooks to a lot of classes; just make sure you are aware of the material before class). If the material is in my backpack, and on my back, I barely notice I am carry much.

[Vermette]

If a CS course says you're required to have a laptop, I would think it's an intensive practical course that involves doing work in class (but why not in a lab?) or giving presentations. The only rationale for bringing a laptop to a lecture is that you're much faster at typing notes than writing them down. Unless you have a wicked shorthand Pen&Paper still rules if you are writing down math and diagrams. If you plan on doing anythig else in class with your laptop (including writing code) you are being a distraction.

Outside of the class, laptop vs PC is a completely personal preference but I understand a lot of people in dorms prefer the laptop to deal with lack of space.

[wtd]

As a reminder...

Good, fast, cheap. Pick two.

Whether a desktop or a laptop, you will have to make this choice. My suggestion is to make "good" a priority. You will not want to waste time futzing with your broken computer while at school. A broken computer right when you need to write a paper might mean the difference between passing a class or not.

[Dan]

x30Jx @ 4th January 2010, 10:52 am wrote:

Realistically, how feasible is using a notepad/pen for CompSci Classes rather than a laptop? This is what my big brother suggested but I think this sounds a little unhandy.

In some cases i would say it is more feasible since it is easier to draw the diagrams and math equations on paper then with a laptop.

Quote:

And to the people saying stuf like "10 pounds on top of all of your books..." ...just make pdfs out of your text books.

Personally i just did not take my textbooks to lectures, there is normally no point. Some labs and tutorials however require you to bring the text which can be a pain.

[x30Jx]

[quote="Dan @ Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:34 pm"]*selfsnip*

In some cases i would say it is more feasible since it is easier to draw the diagrams and math equations on paper then with a laptop.

What would be wrong with, for example, wolfram alphaing the graphs/equations and importing them into the document you were working with, or using another software that you could create the diagrams and equations in and then just import them?

Quote:

*selfsnip*

Personally i just did not take my textbooks to lectures, there is normally no point. Some labs and tutorials however require you to bring the text which can be a pain.

Exactly.

Not to mention that there are these glorius inventions called BAGS which let you carry stuff without your hands . It would be pretty easy just to stuff a macbook, a text book (MAYBE two) and y'know, a meal in a bag/messenger bag and be off.

[chrisbrown]

x30Jx @ Mon Jan 04, 2010 4:57 pm wrote:

What would be wrong with, for example, wolfram alphaing the graphs/equations and importing them into the document you were working with, or using another software that you could create the diagrams and equations in and then just import them?

Because in the time it takes you to do that for one formula, you will have missed the rest of the example. Instructors move very quickly and usually won't wait for you to keep up.

Get a laptop for written notes, but don't bother trying to trick yourself into thinking a computer will help you take math notes.

[x30Jx]

that's valid. UNLESS JOO HAVE A TABLET!!!

[Dan]

x30Jx @ 4th January 2010, 9:09 pm wrote:

that's valid. UNLESS JOO HAVE A TABLET!!!

I have tried using an HP laptop tablet for taking notes and was very unimpressed. It could just be that model had a crappy touch screen but it felt rather unresponsive and i could never get the handwriting recognition to work.

If you do want to go the tablet way, make sure you test it out in the store first to make sure you could aucataly see your self taking notes on it.