Will DS need a laptop when he goes to Uni ?

[offtoseethewizard64]

DS (Yr 13) intends to go to Uni next Sept (whether or not he gets the grades with the amount of work he is doing is a whole other thread )

I have no idea what to get him for Christmas and he doesn't know what he wants. I wondered about getting him a laptop so he has one for Uni - uses desktop or tablet at home. DH says he doesn't think he will need one as when they went on Uni Open Days there were computers everywhere. I saod that I thought DS would still need one to do work in his room.

So any of you who have DC at Uni, do they use a laptop - or is this now yeaterdays technology?

[TalkinPeace]

YES OF COURSE He'll need one : typing essays on a tablet is a PITA and it will be useful to work in his room or the library or the department or at a friends

[Lampy]

I'd say he would definitely need one, it's an essential really. You can't type effectively on a tablet.

[Lampy]

Or is he going to have a desktop in his room? Because then it's not so essential.

[ICantFindAFreeNickName]

I agree he will need a laptop. It will be useful when he needs to stay up late finishing an assignment. It will also mean he will have access to his work if he comes home during the holidays.

[ArchangelGallic]

Definitely. There might be computers everywhere but there's no guarantee one will be available or building will be open.
I pulled an all nighter on more than one occasion to meet deadlines and my own laptop would have been invaluable.

[meandjulio]

I completed a degree a short time ago and despite a lot of computers it was a royal PITA not having a laptop. I would do a lot of research and think about a reconditioned good quality one with a decent keyboard. The other thing I really felt the lack of was a printer, but that may have changed - I was expected to print out all my lecture notes and take them to the lectures, and because the lectures were written with that practice in mind, it's quite hard to manage without.

[TalkinPeace]

meand
printing should be less of an issue as many of the copiers in the library have USB input so it just goes on your copier account

[GraysAnalogy]

It's absolutely essential.

A printer would also be another good thing (but research the ink cartridges and see if there's local shops you can get them cheap). You can print at uni but it was 9p a sheet at my uni and although it doesn't seem a lot, it is when you've got so much to print off.

[RedButtonhole]

If he has access to a desktop at home and is happy to use it/ can have undisturbed access to it for meeting deadlines I wouldn't say it's essential.

I bought myself one out of my first student loan payment but I didn't have access to anything other than my smartphone before that- I live 20 miles from my college ao using the facilities there outwith class time has never been much of an option. I haven't had as muxh use out of it as I thought I would though.

[offtoseethewizard64]

Looks like that is a unanimous YES then.

Red he has access to the desktop now but won't be living at home when he goes to Uni. so that won't be any use.

He has a keyboard for his tablet but don't think he has Word or the likes on it, so not much good for essays.

[GraysAnalogy]

Oh and just to let you know, if you get him one don't buy a Microsoft Office Package until he starts, because a lot of universities give them out for free.

[GraysAnalogy]

Yeah good idea I suppose Gary. What files do those save as? It's just we always had to use the TurnItIn website for uploading assignments and it wouldn't take all file types.

[GraysAnalogy]

I'll remember that, got my masters coming up! Thankyou :)

[TalkinPeace]

I use Openoffice : tend to save sharing files as word 2007 or 2010
and for all printing and the like, send to PDF and then print from there as layouts are protected

BUT
Many unis have cloud systems now that they can fully control access so see what they say.

[offtoseethewizard64]

Thanks for the tips grays and gary. DS is not averse to dowloading a bit of free pirated software

[TalkinPeace]

OpenOffice is not pirated ....
www.openoffice.org/
its wonderful

[TalkinPeace]

Gary
that's scary - it was the Southampton system I was referring to as well

[BackforGood]

Another definite YES from me too.

[Needmoresleep]

DS has a desktop. No desire to cart a laptop around. I think there are plenty of computers in the library should he decide to work there.

It depends a bit of personal preference and subject.

[TalkinPeace]

needmoresleep
Is all his work stored on the cloud then?
What about personal stuff?
What about working round at a friends house?

[MillyMollyMama]

Laptop with own printer in the university room. Waiting for printers to become available is annoying.

[RiversideMum]

Agree. Laptop and printer.