You have a laptop computer question, and I have some for you! Ha! 1. Will they need to move around with the laptops, or will they be 90% tethered to a desk? (Battery life is more or less important depending on your answer.)
2. Will your students need to do fancy things, like rendering video, playing demanding games, etc.? (Because if so, that changes the answer. Many students can get by with Internet, Office Applications, IM, etc.) Becoming much more popular with students nowadays are the mini laptops that have 5+hour battery lives and can last them the whole school day without plugging in (more or less). And many of those run Linux, which will be around forever and can be upgraded free of charge, if needed. On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 2:02 PM, Richardson, Sharon Y. < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi everyone, > > It's me again with a laptop computer question. > > Background: Family CURRENTLY has a Dell desktop computer (purchased > circa 2000 or 2001) running Windows XP (don't groan - entire family is > used to it by now). We're happy with this Dell (and we're coping with > Windows - we were a Mac family prior to this purchase and don't ask why > I have a PC because the answer would take all day). There is a high > school senior in the family and a brand-new middle schooler doing some > high-school level wok in a specialty program. Because both girls NEED > the Internet to do their papers/projects, and because I don't want folks > up till all hours trying to do homework and projects and papers, hubby > and I are planning to purchase each kid a laptop computer. > > Situation: We're *probably* going to go with Dell laptops for both girls > BUT I don't want Vista on them because I want seamless integration with > all of their previous work that was created in XP, plus all of their > school work (e.g., they start the work in their respective schools - > that are NOT running Vista, believe me - and then are expected to > complete the work at home). Further complication is that I want an > operating system that will get said high schooler & laptop through next > four years of college - will Microsoft support XP through 2013??). Are > colleges & universities running Vista? > > Now I know that the platform is becoming less and less relevant, and I > can't wait for that day because then the whole family is migrating BACK > to Macs (desktops & notebooks). But we're not there yet, and I need some > advice so "Santa" knows what to order for these two kids, and where to > take the presents to get Vista OFF and get XP (or something) ON. > > Help!! > > Sharon in Woodbridge > > P.S. - While you're at it, I'm thinking of installing a wireless hub (is > that the correct term?) in my home so that these two laptops can > wirelessly communicate with our DSL (through Verizon) and our printer. > Any suggestions on an inexpensive, SECURE way to set this up & > run/maintain it? > > -- John DeCarlo, My Views Are My Own ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
