July 11–17, 2007, Number 451
Departments maintain computer labs with software installed that's applicable to their area of concentration. Many are open 24/7
Thinking Ahead: Computers and Printers
I hope everyone enjoyed the Independence Day celebrations. The fourth of July marks the approximate halfway point of the summer for students. With only two months left to enjoy being out of school, it is never too soon for students to start thinking about the year ahead, especially if they will be starting as a first-year student.
One topic that comes up each year is students and their computers. Many returning students already have personal computers, so this article may not apply to them as much. As for first-year students, there are a lot of questions that usually arise over whether or not to bring a computer. When the decision is made to bring a computer, should it be a laptop or a desktop? I will try to give some basic guidance and recommendations from my experiences and observations. The Orientation website has some useful information as well.
Desktop Computer
A large percentage of students at Michigan Tech have desktop computers. These computers are often cheaper than laptops and can be upgraded much easier. I bought a new desktop computer the summer before I started at Michigan Tech. I have had to upgrade it once in that time due to some new software applications becoming more demanding.
Having a desktop allows students to be able to write papers and work from the comfort of their room. Desktops are also recommended if your student likes to play a lot of computer games, as desktops are usually faster and have better graphics.
In the residence halls, Resnet is provided to the students through a Category 5 Ethernet cable. Resnet is very reliable and offers fast uploading and downloading speeds. They also provide helpful customer support that is in the residence halls during orientation week to help with any hookup problems.
As far as purchasing recommendations of a desktop computer, this is the minimum I would look for to run most applications:
- LCD monitor, as the large CRT’s take up a lot of extra room
- At least 512 Megabytes of RAM, though 1 or 2 Gigabytes is preferred
- Fastest processor you can afford; dual cores are nice
- At least 100 Gigabyte hard drive as some programs are quite large
- At least a 32 Megabyte video card or equivalent
- A network card so your student can hook up to the Ethernet
Laptop Computer
Laptop computers are a very nice thing to have, over desktops, due to the fact they are portable. This allows students to take them to group meetings or class and work/take notes on them. Laptops are more expensive than their desktop counterparts and often are harder to upgrade. The thing to remember is that laptops are quite portable, so if you do buy one, make sure to keep an eye on it. Laptops come up missing from rooms much more often than desktops.
If the student is using their laptop in the residence hall and has a network card installed, they can use Resnet by plugging into the wall jack. One useful thing for laptop users is Michigan Tech’s wireless internet, Rovernet. The free wireless internet is located in many locations throughout campus. The nice thing about Rovernet is there is no account that needs to be created. The student simply logs into the system with their user ID and that is it.
As far as purchasing recommendations of a laptop computer, most are similar to the desktop with a couple of extra considerations:
- Consider getting a laptop lock so the computer can be locked up in the room
- Consider overall size and weight, especially if your student plans on taking the computer from class to class
- A minimum of 512 Megabytes of RAM, though 1 or 2 Gigabytes is preferred
- Fastest processor you can afford; dual cores are nice
- Internal hard drives can vary in size since many people will use a large external hard drive with laptops
- A wireless internet card
- A nice carrying case with a strap so the computer is not easily dropped
No Personal Computer
A small percentage of students decide a personal computer is not needed. A computer really isn’t required but makes life a lot easier. Some students share their roommate’s computer, though this should be decided on early to avoid conflicts. Other students simply use the computer labs on campus for all their computing needs. All students will have to pay a department computing fee, so some students just take full advantage of this.
Printers
As a freshman, I brought a small inkjet printer with me so I could work on my computer and print out my work. I ended up using the printer very little, but others in my house were always asking to print stuff out. I realized I could print black and white documents a lot faster over in the computer labs. Most computer labs also have a color printer for the occasional picture or color document. I figured I was paying for the paper and ink, so I might as well use the lab’s supplies instead of my own. Most of the labs are open 24/7, though some majors do have restrictions depending on the particular lab.
If there are ever any concerns or topics that you feel should be addressed, please send me a personal email and I will try my best to include them in my future articles.
Until next week,
- Michigan Technological University
- 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931-1295
- 906-487-1885