<p>there is an offer from Windows for 2007 word and other programs for about $60 all you need is a edu email.</p>
<p>[Microsoft</a> Office Discount for US Students -The Ultimate Steal- Office 2007 Software for $59.95](<a href=“http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx]Microsoft”>http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx)</p>
<p>I’m going to take a minute to go back the original question here. I’m a CS major on a Mac, and it’s been mostly okay. However, there have been a few problems. </p>
<p>I took an ELEC course this past semester that really didn’t have much Mac support at all (the program for one of the projects would only let you read and not edit files in the Mac version. For the other project, the program was completely incompatible with Macs due to different interfacing with USB), but the programs were always available on one of the machines that are around campus for student use. So that was manageable.</p>
<p>I also took a COMP course that was in its first year that had more problems. I’m fairly sure it will be better this fall and in all future iterations, but the Mac users had to spend a fair amount of time in the professor’s office trying to get Python libraries installed correctly. To be fair, this was largely because the Python framework had changed between designing the course and it actually starting (library locations were changed). And it did eventually get fixed!</p>
<p>So there are a few problems with Macs, and programs used for the class tend to be a bit buggier, but there will usually be a TA able to help with the problem. It shouldn’t really discourage anyone from using a Mac. Just know that some of the applications used in engineering classes may be incompatible, and you’ll need to use a computer lab sometimes.</p>
<p>Thanks for the extra input tikimoof - turns out D decided to stick with tried-and-true (or at least cludgy but functional) PC based machine. She had enough to deal with with a new environment without worrying about transition to mac.</p>
<p>MSmom&dad - awesome. id recommend getting MATLAB. the student license is $99. while all school computers have em, they arent always available and - who wants to sit in a lab when you can work anywhere?</p>
<p>just by 2 cents. i love that program, and almost every engineer needs it</p>