<p>How much of a hassle will a desktop computer (vs a laptop) be at Swat? I already have a fairly nice desktop, and I'm not sure if it is worth the time and money to get a laptop. I'm especially curious about dorm/desk space and how useful portability is actually going to be. While I know dorm rooms vary in size, is there generally enough room for a desktop? How often do students take laptops out of their rooms for group projects, note-taking in lectures, data collection in labs, etc.?</p>
<p>I have also heard the Biology department recommends that potential majors get Macs instead of PCs. Is this true? If so, why?</p>
<p>If you live within driving distance of swat, storing a desktop over the summer is not a problem, if you are further, keep in mind that you will have to pack up your computer every spring and put it in storage, which is a bit of a hassle. If you are sure that you will do all your work in your room, or don’t mind working with pencil and paper, a desktop is fine. Most people find working in the library or somewhere else on campus at more productive or more fun (can it be both?) than working in their room, and so prefer a laptop, although this might not be true for you. The best plan might be to come with your desktop and if it doesn’t work out for you, figure out then if you need a laptop instead of buying one in advance.</p>
<p>Desktop computer should be fine. I don’t think my daughter lugged her laptop with her all over campus. I mainly stayed in her dorm room.</p>
<p>There are network printers in all the dorms and in the library. And, there are loaner laptops at the library, just borrow them like a reference book. There are also public computers all over the place (all the coffee bars, etc.) if you need to check your e-mail or whatever.</p>
<p>I think my son does take his laptop with him every day. He lived in Mary Lyon last year so he would be gone from morning classes until after dinner each day.</p>
<p>I guess what I would recommend is that, if you have to buy a new computer, you’d probably find a laptop more convenient, even if only to bring home on breaks. If you have a perfectly good desktop, you shouldn’t feel like you can’t manage at Swarthmore without a laptop. Between the loaners in the library and the public computers all over the place, there are plenty of options when you aren’t in your dorm room.</p>
<p>People do like to take their computers to the library to work. That said, most of the time people seemed to leave their computers in their rooms. I had a laptop and desktop, and I used the desktop 80% of the time. That said, I did take notes in class on my computer and I’m a bit more computer-oriented than most Swatties, so most people probably wouldn’t se it as much out of their room.</p>
<p>A desktop + iPad (for email, basic note taking, calendar, etc.) could be a good option.</p>
<p>I have one of those tiny computers (whatever they’re called) and most of the time I keep it in my room. Since I do most of my research in the library, I usually just use a computer in the library. You can also check out Macbooks for a few hours at the library–lots of people do that. I think most people carry around a laptop to study with in one of the two coffee bars. I always see people in the Science Center using their laptops (not necessarily studying, but still). Some people bring laptops to take notes with, but in my experience it’s a very small number. In labs people usually take notes in a notebook, then type up the results later.</p>
<p>Monokuro already has a desktop and is asking if it should be replaced with a laptop. An iPad is cheaper than most laptops, and certainly cheaper than any reasonable laptop with a decent keyboard. The iPad could provide some mobility (for email, notes, etc.) without requiring another full computer.</p>
<p>My daughter (rising Junior at Swat) has a laptop but it stays in her room 100% of the time. It is a PC and she is a biology major. There are so many computers around (PC and Mac) that she feels that lugging her laptop around would be more of a pain than seeking out a computer elsewhere when she finds she needs one. She says that very few students in her science and math classes have computers in class. Notetaking involves writing down a lot of equations and non-narrative content, for which PCs (unless you have a tablet) are not really helpful. In her humanities-type classes, the classes are so small that the thought of having her eyes glued on her computer rather than fully engaging the 8 other people in discussion is not appealing to her. Per storage on campus over the summer (if you are flying to/fromSwat), the secure storage is overseen by campus security and is VERY secure. We told our daughter her first year that if her PC became a problem at any point, we would buy her a new computer. We keep asking, but so far she has seen no need to change to a Mac or upgrade her PC. Most books on the first year of college recommend going with the computer you have and upgrading/changing AFTER you become acclimated to computer use on campus.</p>