<p>lol, im broke right now. Will I be fine?</p>
<p>As long as you can utilize the tools you’ll need most for school - Word, maybe Excel, Powerpoint, etc. - you could probably be running ME or 98 for all it mattered. XP is only two OS steps from the current version, and Vista is pretty much regarded as a failed step, anyway. My good friend spent MORE to get XP on her new desktop two years ago so she could avoid Vista. You have no problem at all on your hands.</p>
<p>If you need some uber-special program only Windows 7 can run, you will be able to find one in a lab I’m sure. But I regularly switch from an XP desktop to a Windows 7 laptop with no difference aside from more speed from the newer laptop, of course. All programs today should be built to run at least back to XP, since Vista was such a lemon and 7 is so new. Don’t worry!</p>
<p>If you really find yourself needing Windows 7, it’s $30 for students: [Microsoft</a> Student - all the best Microsoft student discounts, programs, and products](<a href=“http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/default.aspx]Microsoft”>http://www.microsoft.com/student/en/us/default.aspx)</p>
<p>Free if you’re in CS and a handful of related fields. :D</p>
<p>You won’t need a particular operating system for almost anything on campus. People bring Mac and Linux machines as well, so don’t worry.</p>
<p>What do you mean by “XP Laptop”?
If you mean, a computer with average specs for today that just runs the Windows XP operating system, read line 4.
If you mean, a computer that is slow because it was bought when Windows XP was the main operating system, read line 5.
4. You will be totally fine. Practically all software runs on Windows XP unless it’s very specialized or advanced.
5. You will still be fine unless it’s REALLY bad. (list your specs below if you suspect that is true)</p>