<p>Hey!
After the "Ladies Man" post, I got motivated to make a few other posts regarding Princeton. I'm debating between getting a Dell Inspiron 6000 with fully loaded features v. an Apple Powerbook 2000...based on the prices, which is better?</p>
<p>I would advise against getting an Apple. Most of the world uses PCs. The question I have is regarding buying from princeton vs. buying from an outside company. I want a laptop fully loaded (like everything), which princeton probably will not sell. Will it be hard for me to configure it to work with princeton's network by myself? I'm not good at programming or network stuff.</p>
<p>Actually, it isn't as hard as most people make it out to be, I think...I'm not sure though.</p>
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Will it be hard for me to configure it to work with princeton's network by myself? I'm not good at programming or network stuff.
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<p>From those who are there, I hear it's not too hard. Besides, there'll definitely be someone on your floor who knows how to deal with stuff like that (if not, find me). </p>
<p>Just to put in a good word for Macs: Just because 'all the world' doesn't use them is not a good reason not to. You can run practically every program you need, and they are far easier to set up, run and use. An example: to access your personal space on the server from off campus on Windows requires you to connect via VPN (which some ISPs don't allow) and then map the drive manually. With Mac OS X, it's mappped permanently via Samba, so you can access it from anywhere, without having to play with network settings.</p>
<p>Do you need to have a labtop at princeton?? is it like must-have??
because I think i'm only going to bring my desktop....</p>
<p>its really easy to configure an outside laptop, oit will do it for you if you want. I would strongly recommend getting a laptop-- supposedly the dorms are supposed to be wireless next year. It really helps because then you can go to the library or somewhere quiet to study and write papers, while if you have a desktop you will be stuck in your room. Its also really good to just be able to get out of your room sometimes, as even the best roommate you can need time to yourself, or need to study while they're sleeping or some other thing. </p>
<p>There are so many places on campus to go to work. Also, that way you can bring work over to a friends if you want to work together, and in certain classes it helps to have a computer. There are computer clusters, but they tend to be semi depressing (as in in the basement w/ no natural light) and the computers are really slow. The printers, however, are really fast and printing is free.</p>
<p>Also, if you need any help with a computer, its easy to bring it over to OIT and they are really really helpful, a desktop on the other hand is much harder to bring. Plus, you need a computer at home as princeton runs on email. Its hard to bring a desktop home with you during vacations.</p>
<p>If youre into gaming or actually using a computer, i would recommend bringing both. i had a desktop that i used most of the time, and an old laptop (which broke, so i bought a new thin and light one) That way you have both the power and the mobility. Its nice to have a really small laptop for mobility, but a large screen is nice. Its possible to either set up a router in your room so that you don't have to buy a second dormnet subscription, or just register the wireless card on the laptop as the wireless registration for your desktop</p>
<p>Finally, you can permantely map a network drive on a pc, you dont have to play with network settings at all once it's set up.</p>
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you can permantely map a network drive on a pc
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Even from off campus? I thought that was impossible without using SMB</p>
<p>i dunno how my friends did it, but i have access to my H drive at home now</p>
<p>were we to get a laptop from princeton , whenabouts do we do that? any clue anyone?</p>
<p>I know we can log into the OIT website once we get our Net IDs and find out the prices, but I'm feeling impatient...anyone who bought one last year or is a Princeton student want to tell me what the prices are for the laptops they're offering this year?</p>
<p>Actually, you should definiteily get the apple. Apples make the best computers, and laptops for college, apples are creme de la creme (dells are really bad u should never purchase a dell). Apples are much safer and secure over the college network and nearly everything is compatible with apples nowadays. Apples also wont slow down while in-use for long periods of times and are virus-immune.</p>
<p>Apples are actually the most popular laptops at princeton, like at many universities where they now suggest students to use apples over other laptops.</p>
<p>If you are thinking of getting a windows-using laptop, ibm makes the best laptops (however now they are made by lenovo so i havent really been looking into it but in the past ibm have been the best). sony vaios are very good too. stay away from HP, dell, and toshiba.</p>
<p>I'm getting the iBook - I've only ever used Windows, but I think I can handle the transition.</p>
<p>Plus, I'm quite vain, and Apple's are quite good-looking.</p>
<p>Get a nice IBM t-series laptop.
I remember getting depressed in princeton comp labs when I was 12 years old, I mainly used the ones in polysci building/wilson-in the basement.</p>
<p>I'm debating between PC and Mac- the thing is, pton only sells dells and I strongly dislike their laptops so I'll either get a powerbook through pton or get a pc elsewhere. IBM thinkpads are nice; I recommend the t-series as well.</p>
<p>I've been using a PC since 1997 until last week as i purchased a 12" ibook. I must say that it is fun learning OSX Tiger. A tremendous plus is Apple's support staff. I don't think you will be dissapointed if you get a Mac.:)</p>
<p>I heard it is hard to use office apps such as Word or Powerpoint (or the equivalent in MacWorld). I fear change...</p>
<p>mmmm they are actually exactly the same. they just look a lot nicer on mac. mac has all the microsoft office programs (they dont come with the mac however) and they look a lot nicer and work exactly the same way.</p>
<p>go with an apple!! seriously. i thought i'd never get an apple and didn't like how macs worked until my mom got one. once u get used to where things are and files are saved and whatnot, you'll be so glad you got an apple. they hardly ever get viruses and run so well. plus now windows runs on apples so their programs are basically compatible with any computer.</p>
<p>They have Apples in the basement of Frist and other places, and personally I've found them the most annoying things ever. There's only one mouse button, for goodness sake. Checking email seems to take ages, and they seem to be over-fiddly in general.</p>
<p>u dont have to use an apple mouse lol. the laptops dont come with mouses, u can just use ur regular mouse, however, apple computers do not use the old, outdated ps2 slot, u have to have the new mouses that use usb. and when u just mail u just double click on the "mail" icon and all ur mail is there (u use pop or smtp just like outlook). they are very simple to use and as peg said, they are virus-free =P.</p>