<p>I've heard that it is a good idea to buy your laptop through Smith (b/c of warranty, etc.) but I remember my tour guide during Open Campus told us all not to get it through Smith b/c it was a rip off. Did she just have one bad experience or is it really some sort of rip off? Do they give you brand new laptops?</p>
<p>I didn't buy my computer through Smith, and I have yet to drop it, get it wet or have the hard drive die on me. I have a desktop computer my parents bought me for my senior year of high school, though.</p>
<p>So far, any problems I've had involved connecting to the network, and those ITS will handle (once I called because the entire house's Internet was down).</p>
<p>Getting your laptop fixed by ITS is much easier than having it fixed elsewhere, because of the price involved (ITS doesn't charge if you by the computer through them), and the turnaround is quicker if you need new parts. I had a roommate who once used a local computer service to fix her laptop as ITS wouldn't do it, and she didn't realize she was supposed to pay them <em>headdesk</em>.</p>
<p>We bought through Smith - and when adding up the value of repairs (or simply explaining how to get around problems) has way more than offset the extra initial cost.</p>
<p>Rip-off? Umm, not for the computer that Mac laptop my D purchased. The price wasn't quite as good as what we could get through the UCLA educational channel but the ITS price was between that and what we could do buying "commercially." I can't speak to the PC side of things. And has been noted, the repair and service advantages are more than frosting.</p>
<p>An often overlooked service offered by Smith is backing up your files on Smiths network (H drive) The files can be accessed from anywhere you have an internet connection. Backing your data via Zip Disk etc. is still an excellent idea, but should you lose the disk, forget to take it home, or it becomes corrupted your data is still secure and accessible on the network. Storing your files, pics, etc., on Smith's servers also free up storage on your computer</p>
<p>"Your network drive is an ideal choice for a backup location, since everyone's network files are backed up to tape every workday, and the backup tapes are stored in a locked, fireproof vault. It's so secure that many people routinely save all their files to their network drive instead of their local hard drive.</p>
<p>You can access your network drive whenever you're connected to the Smith network or to the Internet."
<a href="http://www.smith.edu/its/tara/smith_network/disaster_recovery.html#general%5B/url%5D">http://www.smith.edu/its/tara/smith_network/disaster_recovery.html#general</a></p>
<p>One reason the price of the computers through ITS is higher is because it includes insurance. Nothing is <em>free</em></p>
<p>It's a no-brainer for us. At first, we too, had questions about why we should spend a few hundred dollars more to purchase at Smith rather than at our local computer store or from Dell. After further investigating, it simply was because Smith backed up their product and offered services that, if you should need them, are priceless. It's all up to the individual, and I'm sure you'll hear the stories of the Smithies who bought their computers from anothetr source before beginning school and who have not had any issues at all during their stay at Smith. On the other hand, you hear some horror stories from others about how sorry they were that they didn't purchase from Smith IT. To us, the security of knowing that if purchased from Smith the computers would be serviced regardless of what happens, was a factor for peace of mind. The only question we have left is MAC vs. PC??</p>
<p>So it seems I should buy from Smith. How should I go about doing this? Just stop buy campus and pick one up...</p>
<p>Wait till June 1st, that's when their new systems will be online or available. On June 1st go to:
<a href="http://www.smith.edu/its/computerstore/%5B/url%5D">http://www.smith.edu/its/computerstore/</a></p>
<p>The only question we have left is MAC vs. PC??]]</p>
<p>The link is for the incoming students for the social work program but it has valuable info.</p>
<p>I'm staying out of the PC vs Mac debate. :) </p>
<p>Wait as long a possible to buy your computer. As of this moment, I don't have info on a new (faster) processor being released this summer but it could happen. What I wouldnt do is wait until you arrive on campus. Pre-pay for your computer and see if they will hold it until you arrive. If Smith was to run out of stock, it could make for a less than desirable start to your 1st yr</p>
<p>Also read about the warranties. There's a significant difference between the Dell and Apple when purchased for the summer session. I would call Smith to see if this applies to computers purchased for the normal school yr. Dell offers replacement for accidental breakagewine on keyboard, falling out a window, etc. :) Apple doesn't. Dell's warranty is 4 yrs, Apple's 3</p>
<p>One other consideration that may not seem obvious is the weight of the machine. I don't believe that the Smith online store lists the weights, but they are listed on the Dell and Apple websites.</p>
<p>I have a Sony Vaio that weighs under 4 lbs. and an older IBM that weighs about 9 lbs. The difference may not seem like much, but when you head into town to study at Haymarket and put it in a backpack with a couple of heavy books and other supplies, the difference is huge. The Sony is also much smaller which is nice. I know a couple of people who purchased laptops with as large a screen as possible (for DVD viewing) but were later sorry because it was pretty large and heavy to tote around. </p>
<p>I love my Vaio but when I had a problem with the video card, it was a big hassle to get it repaired. I would recommend buying an Apple or Dell through Smith if you're a FY.</p>
<p>To purchase, we FAXed the paperwork...you'll get an order sheet in a Big Packet of Stuff (BPS) at some point...to the computer store and they held it for pick up when D arrived. </p>
<p>One small point: ITS is located on the second(?) floor of a building on the north side of Elm St. and I was able to find absolutely no legal place to park. Therefore I took the least-offensive, in my judgment, illegal place to park around the back, where there are driveways leading to various buildings and a couple of parking lots the size of a postage stamp. With receipt in hand, it took all of about 15 minutes to find the office, wait in the short line, and have ITS give us the box with the computer & stuff (cables, etc.) in it. The boxes were pre-assembled and marked with student names. It worked.</p>
<p>you'll get an order sheet in a Big Packet of Stuff (BPS) at some point...]]]</p>
<p>You're supposed to read that stuff? Opps</p>
<p>Tangent about the BPS: there's a form regarding rental of refrigerators from an off-campus company included in there. </p>
<p>I'm still not sure what the "right" decision is. We were forewarned that the rental refigerators performance sucked dead fish with a straw. The rental price is such that if you buy a small refrigerator, you're ahead of the game if you keep it two years. </p>
<p>We bought a new one at Best Buy in that hectic three-day move-in period. Loading it into our rental car, getting it into her House and up the stairs was probably the most annoying process in the three days. Otoh, it worked well. But this year she used her roommate's and she "willed" hers to a friend for next year when she'll be off-campus for the year. But she plans to use it senior year.</p>
<p>The cost-benefit analysis is murky on this one, imo.</p>
<p>The cost-benefit analysis is murky on this one, imo]]</p>
<p>You made the right decision. The rentals are pos and keep beer warmer than even the Brits will drink it. You can always sell the one from BB and recoup some of the costs while at the same time be doing another student a favor by supplying a fridge--hmm ½ -2/3 off? Many students find they don't need (or can mooch) a fridge, so I suppose this might an item best left until after a student has lived in her house a few weeks. There will always be someone with a car if they decide to go to BB to purchase one. Getting it up stairs is a great way to meet guys by asking for help. Oh, wrong thread. Never mind. :)</p>
<p>There may be a fridge in a common area in some of the houses.
<a href="http://www.smith.edu/sao/handbook/reslife/refrigerators.php%5B/url%5D">http://www.smith.edu/sao/handbook/reslife/refrigerators.php</a></p>
<p>I would submit also that you should have your D talk to her roommate before deciding on a fridge. If her roommate is from the area and driving up, for example, she may already have a fridge that the two could share (this is what me and my roomie did), and then your D can pick up a cheap fridge from one of the graduating seniors when she needs one of her own for her single. Or, the roommate might want to go in with your D on renting the fridge.</p>
<p>S&P, my D did in fact talk to her roomie. The deal was that D would get the fridge, the roomie would bring a TV.</p>
<p>Except that they were roomies for only one semester, the TV reception was crappy, and D rarely watches TV anyway, it all worked out as planned.</p>
<p>Sorry to interrupt your fridge talk, but just to clarify, the computers (mine will probably be a mac laptop) are brand new, right?</p>
<p>Yes, the computers are brand new.</p>
<p>
[quote]
the TV reception was crappy
[/quote]
Didn't she have SCTV connected in her room? All rooms have this cable service free of charge. (<em>LOL</em> - gotta be in the $43K+ tuition, heh?)</p>
<p>laptop bag question - </p>
<p>For someone who plans on carrying their laptop around fairly regularly (probably a trip a day to the library, or so), what type of bag is the best? The traditional backpack type? The over-the-shoulder messenger bag? The handheld tote? I usually use either a messenger bag or a backpack for books, so I'm leaning towards one of those, but I'm wondering if one is better than the others for weight distribution, additional storage handiness, etc. Thoughts?</p>