<p>Just a quick question......How many of you are buying a laptop for your son/daughter?? How many of you know about the DELL recommended and heavily discounted laptop on the Williams web page??
You must add a few things to the recommended to allow yourself NOT to have to buy another in 2-4 years.
I will help answer any questions if needed as I know DELL and technology well.
Regards,
HB</p>
<p>I was thinking of buying a Sony Vaio fs-640. Where on the Williams website are the laptops?</p>
<p>go on the search bar and type in Dell and it will bring you to the spot...Dell is the best deal..and they have DELL service on campus...anyone can sell a box but the service will be key for the next 4 years. Sony is good but DELL response is seriously #1. It will make all the difference at 11pm at night in the middle of an essay and the system craps out...you will want someone there ASAP. DELL is right there.
Regards,
HB</p>
<p>Hazzendad,
I will be getting the Dell laptop. You mentioned that we should add some options. Which ones?</p>
<p>Btw, you mentioned the service on campus. Is there someone there that will be able to help get rid of all the unwanted spyware & hijack ware that always seem to download themselves - especially on a teenager's computer - and significantly slow down performance?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Clayleas,
To alleviate the spyware problem you can download from the web at anytime 2 very good programs for free. Spybot and go to Lavasoft.com and download Ad-aware. These you should run on a regular basis to keep your system clean. Also go to Best Buy or one of your electronics stores...even Office Depot and buy Spy Sweeper and install it. These are the 3 better programs to keep the hard drive from getting covered up with SPAM.<br>
The options I added to my daughters laptop are ones to NOT have to purchase another computer for her for the four years. I upgraded the hard drive to 60GB and the memory to 1GB...(the more memory the faster the response) I would recommend buying off the Williams site and then making your additions. You must have MS XP Professional so the laptop can talk to the Williams network. If you buy a laptop off the regular Dell site they will offer the Home addition not Pro most of the time. I upgraded the Wireless card to the Intel 2200 in place of the DELL wireless card. If in the future there is a problem with the card..Intel will be more readily available than one of the deals that Dell had bought at the time on wireless cards. Adobe should be on the box already if not add it. The only other add that is important is 4 years of support. Make sure you add the 4 years plus Complete Care. It is an insurance policy and it is not more expensive than having to buy a new laptop because your college student or someone else's spilled a coke on
the laptop.. of course by accident. With Dell Complete Care they will replace the laptop no questions asked. This happened to my neice 2 years into her term and she did not have the complete care. I hope this helps. Order soon so your student can get used to the system over the rest of the summer and in case you find something wrong you can contact Dell sooner than later. Also make sure the system connects well to the Williams network before you leave campus.<br>
Regards,
HB</p>
<p>hazzendad,
Thanks for the info. You answered some of the key questions that that I had. I still have a few more about options you didn't mention:
- Do they need a floppy drive or is that totally unnecessary with the network and the CD R/W?
- Do they need their own printer or are there enough network printers conveniently available.
- D would like a full size keyboard and mouse for the dorm room. Would the port replicator be advisable for use there?
- Are there secure places by the desk to attach a security cable?
- What do you mean by "buying off the Williams site and then making your additions?" I believe that all of the options you mentioned are available on the Williams site by using the Customize link.</p>
<p>Regarding the Spyware, I am aware of Spybot S&D and Adaware. Another good tool is SpywareBlaster, which helps to prevent the bad stuff from getting on the computer in the first place. Those do a good job but do not fix some really nasty problems that can occur. What I am really wondering about is if there is anyone who can read a HijackThis log and use it to resolve the problems that the other progams don't. There are web sites you can go to for this, but response time can be very slow. Sorry if my original question was too cryptic.</p>
<p>Clayleas,
I think I can answer a few of your questions. </p>
<p>Floppy drive is completely unnecessary-- most people just put things on the network or email files to themselves to use on other computers, or burn CDs. I don't even know if I've seen a floppy disk used in the last two years.</p>
<p>A printer would be a good idea, but isn't totally necessary. Mine broke about a month into freshman year and I've been fine printing in the library for anything that can't be handed in via email. Printing is unlimited and free all over campus, so it's never really been a problem to not have a printer in my room.</p>
<p>Security cable is a good idea, especially since rooms are so rarely locked. No problem finding a place to loop it on the desks.</p>
<p>Hope that helps...</p>
<p>OK...I agree with Bex56...about the printing and the floppy..although the printing that needs to be done at midnight and 1-2 in the morning...with 25 inches of snow on the ground...I think my daughter will want to print in her dorm room..or at least to someone's printer close by.<br>
Anyway..I am going to buy a port replicator in a store close to campus so not to incur shipping charges from DELL...I also think that times sitting at the uncomfortable desks in the room will be few and far between but the port replicator with a locking cable will deter as much as possible...and I will probably vote NO on a full size keyboard. If Lauren decides she wants one...they are cheap enough at Walmart.
I don't believe the laptop as shown on the Williams site is strong enough to last 4 years thus the upgrades that I added.
Spyware...I an hoping the network there will filter much of it...we'll just have to see...I will load Spysweeper on there and download the other two before I leave. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>It will make all the difference at 11pm at night in the middle of an essay and the system craps out...</p>
<p>Or just avoid the system crapping out altogether and get the iBook ;)</p>
<p>Hazzendad,</p>
<p>Chances are slim to none that you'll need to print during a snowstorm at 1am. If a paper is due in class or in a prof's mailbox you'll need to walk to class or wherever to hand it in, and chances are there's a place to print on the way.</p>
<p>My daughter (williams '07) has been very glad she had her own printer. FWIW. I agree with Clayleas about Spywareblaster--a fantastic program that usually makes your routine AdAware and SpyBot scans turn up clean. I've been very impressed. Another great program is "CrapCleaner", an incredibly effective freeware program you can find at <a href="http://ccleaner.com/%5B/url%5D">http://ccleaner.com/</a>
SpywareBlaster and CCleaner are two of the very best things I've ever done for my computers.</p>