On Thu, Jun 12, 2008 at 09:34:14PM -0500, Ron Johnson wrote: > On 06/12/08 20:45, Douglas A. Tutty wrote: > [snip] > > > > If Windows isn't a requirement, you could also consider an off-lease > > business Thinkpad. In Kingston, Ontario, at Computer-Depot (a buisness > > class place not a clone of home-depot) last I saw they had thinkpads for > > around $250. You'd need to determine what specs are required, in other > > words, what apps he needs to run: does he _need_ 2 GB ram? If he just > > needs to write notes and essays, browse the web but doesn't have to > > interact with campus-specific software, then almost any functional > > laptop that runs Etch would do. He doesn't even have to use OpenOffice > > to write essays unless they have to be submitted in .doc format: he can > > use Latex. > > > > Basically it comes down to this: the decision on hardware is the last > > one to make when money is tight. Most consumers just buy a new piece of > > hardware and it will meet the requirements for a year or two: they stick > > to the bleeding-edge. When money is tight, you define the interface > > requirements (e.g. able to print out, or able to interface with the > > campus software), determine the software to do that, then determine the > > hardware required to run that software. Part of designating the > > interface is the physical realities: which will survive life in a > > back-pack better: Dell or Thinkpad? > > The problem is that an entering freshman might not (probably won't, > unless he already knows someone in his general field at the Uni) > what software he'll need in 3 years. > > A cutting-edge laptop will future-proof him. The problem, though, > is that cutting-edge laptops are juicy targets for theft. > > Unless there's a requirement to have a *powerful* laptop in the > classroom or laboratory, I'd buy him a nice desktop and an el cheapo > laptop.
I don't think a cutting-edge laptop today will provide three years of future-proof; perhaps 18 months. A $300 off-lease laptop (or two: one for backup incase of theft, ready to go when he gets home) should serve him well unless he knows that he needs something better up-front. Doug. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]