Laptop Or Desktop?
It's about time to pack up the minivan and head for Walla Walla, Wash., where my daughter, Katherine, is about to start at Whitman College.
It's a bittersweet time. After living with her for 18 years, it's hard to imagine Katherine out of the house, but it's nice to know that she'll be at a good college.
And, thanks to technology, it's nice to know that we'll be in touch. When I went to college back in what now seems like the Stone Age, the only electronic way to communicate with my parents was via long distance phone call, which, at the time, was very expensive. Now, we'll be able to exchange e-mail and instant messages or she can use her free weekend and evening minutes to call from her cell phone. That's not to say she will do any of those things, but at least money won't be an excuse.
The big issue facing us as we pack the car is what type of computer she should bring along. I raised these issues when we took a tour of campuses last year. The "Mac vs. PC" question is a non-issue. All of the campuses she considered say it doesn't really matter. The big issue is laptop vs. desktop.
The obvious advantage for a laptop is portability. She would be able to take it to the library, to class or to the local coffee shop. She also will be able to take it home during breaks and it will be a lot easier to haul and set up. And it will take up a lot less room in the minivan during the drive to Walla Walla.
Yet, laptops are more expensive than desktops and I worry about it being lost, stolen or damaged.
In search of advice, I sent an e-mail to Jim Cunningham, Whitman's associate director of client service. He conducted a brief survey among students who admitted that "nobody brings their laptop to class to take notes, so that excuse is bogus." The students did, however, have one good argument for a laptop: You can take it to a quiet hiding place if you need some privacy when you're writing a paper, which might not be a bad idea for Katherine, considering that she's sharing a dorm room with two other students.
Also, Whitman, along with a growing number of other campuses, has a wireless (802.11b) network so if Katherine gets a laptop with a wireless LAN card, she can just plop it down anywhere in or near the library or campus center and get right to work.
There is, of course, the risk of theft, loss or damage. Cunningham says that theft isn't much of an issue at Whitman and lost computers are typically returned if the student has his or her name affixed to the case.
I wish that were true everywhere else. A Google search for the words "laptop theft and campus" turned up thousands of hits, along with plenty of reports from campus police departments and some good advice such as being sure to use an anti-theft device such as a cable lock (Kensington.com sells them for $40 and up) and never leave it unattended. It's also important to back up critical data (that's easy if you're on a campus network) and to permanently mark the laptop to show who owns it.
StopTheft.com sells a permanent name plate, along with a system for returning recovered property. You can buy one for $25, but some campuses sell them at a discount. You also might consider theft insurance.
Safeware.com will insure a $1,500 college student laptop for $90 a year, which covers you against theft, accidental damage, vandalism, power surges and natural disasters.
Still, there is plenty to be said about getting a desktop computer.
Cunningham's survey aside, advisers at most of the campuses we visited last summer said that there are plenty of public computers available for students to use at the library. Still, it's not a bad idea to check with whatever college you or your student plans to attend.
Most people I spoke with last year also said that a printer is optional but generally unnecessary because there are network printers throughout campus. Some colleges charge for printing while others don't. Still, printers are pretty cheap, though they can take up a lot of space in a dorm room.
Speaking of space, if you do opt for a desktop, consider a flat panel display. They start at about $300 (about twice the price of a 17-inch CRT) but they take up a lot less desk space and are much easier to carry. Also, I'm not usually a big fan of DVD drives, but they make sense in a dorm room for watching movies. For that matter, a PC turner (you can get a Startech USB tuner for under $70) makes sense if there isn't room for a TV. The ideal set up is both a DVD drive and a CD-RW drive so your student also can write to CDs.
Of course, Katherine will use her CD-RW drive strictly to back up her data and make legal archival copies of her audio and computer CDs as well as music that she legally downloads from sites that are sanctioned by recording companies. She also will refrain from alcohol and other substances, go to bed at a reasonable time and make us proud in 100 percent of her endeavors.
A parent can dream, can't he?
A syndicated technology columnist for nearly two decades, Larry Magid serves as on air Technology Analyst for CBS Radio News. His technology reports can be heard several times a week on the CBS Radio Network. Magid is the author of several books including "The Little PC Book."
Got a PC question? Visit www.PCAnswer.com.
by Larry Magid