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Fujitsu LifeBook P1500/D Tablet PC
Tablet PCs are now on the required list for incoming freshman

A number of schools are requiring students to pick up the tab for a new notebook computer. Indiana State University is requiring that incoming freshman purchase IBM ThinkPads starting with the Fall 2007 semester. Virginia Tech's College of Engineering is going one step further by making incoming freshman foot the bill for a new Tablet PC.

The university is currently trying to negotiate student pricing for the Tablet PCs, but they are still typically quite a bit more expensive than a comparable notebook. In addition to the Tablet PC, students also have to pay an additional $500 for a software bundle consisting of a number of Microsoft applications, AutoDesk and MATLAB. From webpronews.com:

"(The students voicing concern) don't have access to the non-disclosure stuff we're getting from the vendors," said Tom Walker, associate professor in the department of engineering education. "Students get a great price break from all these vendors that we're talking about. We're talking about a price gap of only $100 to $200 dollars (between tablets and laptops)."


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Ouch
By Spartan Niner on 4/22/2006 7:06:52 PM , Rating: 2
What's even worse is they're charging $500 for a software bundle directly... my school offers software like MATLAB and MAPLE free to students and faculty (granted, tuition is probably much higher than VT...)




RE: Ouch
By Bonrock on 4/23/2006 1:03:41 AM , Rating: 2
Microsoft also has a program called Academic Alliance through which universities can get certain programs free (or for the cost of shipping) for their students. For example, at my school, students can get a copy of Windows XP for $10. Different schools take advantage of MSAA to varying extents; I have friends at other schools who get free copies of Windows, Office, and Visual Studio.

However, my school also makes quite a killing by selling Windows XP at full price in the campus bookstore. I suspect that's why they keep their participation in MSAA so hush-hush--most students don't even know the program exists. If you'd rather not pay $500 for a "required" software bundle I suggest you visit this URL:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/academic/

See if your school is participating. If they're not, tell them to! As far as I know, there is no valid reason not to (besides a university wanting to profit from their students even more).


RE: Ouch
By Tobo71 on 4/23/2006 1:30:32 AM , Rating: 2
I'm a senior engineering student @ VT and the Engineering bundle is $380 + tax. This is due to the software that is not provided by Microsoft. MS software is either at a very low cost or free.

For the complete software package:
http://www.computing.vt.edu/software_and_hardware/...



RE: Ouch
By tuteja1986 on 4/23/2006 2:21:44 AM , Rating: 2
amm , that pretty good for $380 and M$ would be giving free software i bet.


What BS!
By Fox5 on 4/22/2006 3:19:27 PM , Rating: 2
If a laptop is going to be required, the students should at least get a choice of what laptop to buy. As long as it runs the required software, who cares what brand it is?

As far as a tablet pc goes..well I'm an engineering major and bought one mainly for the coolness factor, but I can say in no way is it a necessity. Certainly it would help a lot to have a curriculum focused on it (removing books and paper would be very nice), but there's nothing I need it for, and nothing made significantly easier by having it. And for any serious work that I need to be able to hand touch, I'd rather print it out, mark it up with a pen, and then rescan it since the tablet pc form factor still isn't great.

As far as software goes, my school does require certain software to be used, but it's provided in public computer labs. A student shouldn't need to buy it on their own.




RE: What BS!
By bhigh on 4/22/2006 3:25:38 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
If a laptop is going to be required, the students should at least get a choice of what laptop to buy. As long as it runs the required software, who cares what brand it is?

If the school is providing support, then yes, it does matter. Having one type of hardware reduces support costs.


RE: What BS!
By TomZ on 4/22/2006 4:55:07 PM , Rating: 2
I couldn't agree more. If the school wants to negiotiate volume pricing and offer that to students, I think that's fine, as long as the personal choice remains. But forcing all students to buy a laptop, as well as a particular type/brand is just wrong.

How would that be any different than the school saying that cars are really important for students, so each student has to buy a Pontiac Grand Am? Just think of everything that is wrong with that - how is that any different then the laptop decision?

It may come as a surprise to many, but lots of folks have already graduated college without even having a laptop - shock and horror!


who got paid?
By lucyfek on 4/22/2006 5:50:51 PM , Rating: 2
since IBM ThinkPads = lenovo ThinkPads, is this a deal with chineese PM? . i haven't heard he paid the visit to indiana, but who knows.
either way i'd be pissed if someone decided for me what to bay and at what price.
the issue of centralised support is a bs as well - a student of engineering should be able to take care of him/her-self (and after all it's not as if there were incompatible processor platforms involved (even mac=intel), and so is with the software/os).
the distraction factor - absolutely true.
if one cares, one will buy what's needed to succeed, no need to force into useless spendings.




RE: who got paid?
By shadowzz on 4/22/2006 6:39:42 PM , Rating: 2
Lenovo's mobile division is based out of Raleigh.

Guess where Virginia Tech is located.


RE: who got paid?
By Tobo71 on 4/23/2006 1:43:21 AM , Rating: 2
Virginia Tech is located in Blacksburg, VA, which is 200 miles outside of Raliegh, NC.


current VT engineering student here
By HammerFan on 4/22/2006 3:34:29 PM , Rating: 2
I am currently a freshman engineering student at VT, and I can say that while a laptop is more of a distraction than a useful tool in the classroom, on top of being very easy to steal compared to a full tower computer. Often I find myself paying no attention in class due to AIM and surfing on the web. This tablet deal is BS. If I had to deal with that, I wouldn't have gone to this college. I am very attached to my ABS G3 Mayhem, as it has served me well and is very easy to work on (although it could use a lower-power backlight and chipset). I'd be pissed if i got stuck with something barely upgradable b/c I got stuck with a tablet.

just my $.02
HF




By HammerFan on 4/22/2006 3:35:53 PM , Rating: 2
...this needs an edit feature...

Also, on campus software and hardware support blows here at VT. More people in my dorm come to me to fix computer troubles because they know that I am much more effective than the "help" services on campus.


MatLab -> MATLAB
By TomZ on 4/22/06, Rating: 0
RE: MatLab -> MATLAB
By KristopherKubicki (blog) on 4/22/2006 3:44:00 PM , Rating: 2
fixed.


Bad Idea
By UrbanYeti on 4/22/2006 5:19:03 PM , Rating: 2
There has been quite an uproar at VT about the new requirement. Many engineering students and professors are in shock over such a stupid decision. There seems to be a lack of understanding of computing or just a lack of logic at Undergraduate Computing Committee of Virginia Tech. VT is a great school but a great organization like VT can still make mistakes. A word of advice to any incoming freshmen: don’t rely on other people’s stupidity and make your own decisions.




By JohnnyCNote on 4/23/2006 3:01:03 AM , Rating: 2
....then maybe it wouldn't be as bad a deal, considering how students are routinely gouged on expensive, hardcover books (when softcover ones would be just as good and cheaper, to boot) every semester. Then most of this winds up being paid for by student loans, and the students are already in deep debt before they ever get to use their hard-earned degrees!

If nothing else, they should at least be offered some sort of insurance in the event the computers are stolen or damaged....




When will professors learn?
By ElFenix on 4/23/2006 9:12:23 AM , Rating: 2
i doubt very much for the intro engineering classes to really benefit from a computer at every desk. More likely, students are just going to be surfing, IMing, and playing poker in class than doing something worthwhile.




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