<p>I have no idea what you mean by that</p>
<p>le sigh…</p>
<p>Im not an apple kind of guy</p>
<p>you can transfer files on an iPod…works pretty well. kinda random, but useful.</p>
<p>How do you secure a laptop in college though? Whenever you leave the room you take it with you or what?</p>
<p>laptop lock.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>definitely get a laptop lock</p>
<p>laptops are some of the most popular items on thieves lists (probably 2nd after the ipod)</p>
<p>Bikes are probably stolen more often.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>I have a Dell XPS M140 laptop and so far it’s been great. 14.1 inches and light and easy to carry around - I have no problems with it. I’ve only had it for a few months, so we’ll see how it holds up, but everything is good so far. It looks pretty sweet too.</p>
<p>I happen to go home a lot and having a laptop makes this much easier. Say for example, I have an essay with data that I was working on in my dorm, and I’m going home for the weekend. Halfway home I forgot to put it on my USB drive/school server space. It would suck if I had a desktop, but since I have my trusty laptop, I always take my computer with me back and forth. That’s one of the main reasons I invested in a laptop. </p>
<p>There are good deals out there, just off the top of my head, I bought my Dell 600m with XP Pro, 1.6 GHz Pentium M, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD Burner, and the free 720 printer with shipping and tax included it came out to around $1100.85.</p>
<p>Because I have no computer knowledge whatsoever, (>.<) I was wondering which laptop is better for college (like Mac, Dell, Toshiba, HP, etc.) I have no idea what brand I want for college and some input would be VERY helpful. Thanx.</p>
<p>*I know that it depends on the major is important but I just want to know how the different brands stack up against each other.</p>
<p>Get Dell if you want a cheap and affordable one.</p>
<p>I guess if you can afford to dump $2k for a computer, Mac has a nice discount that lets you buy a 15inch powerbook/macbook for around $1850.</p>
<p>Right now, I’m torn between getting a Mac or a Dell. I currently game a good amount but when i get to college i don’t plan on it as much and kinda hoping my addiction/drive dies. A Mac would be perfect for this but at the same time I’m worried that if i ever do what to play some games there would be no way in hell i could. MAc’s also seem to have great Apps that are very user friendly, which windows seems to lack. And then i have to think what about vista which is probably going to come out in like 8 months. I’m looking for around 15 inch screen range not too haeavy not too highly spec’d. But i do want decent graphics (at least 128 non integrated inlike the 1505) and dual core. aRRRghh i dont know what to do. Im sure as time goes on more Laptops will release Dual core systems, rihgt now it just is pretty limited but i have until next september sooo time is on my side… BLAH</p>
<p>If you’re thinking about waiting for the release of Windows Vista, then don’t. The way it’s going to incorporate DRM (Digital Rights Management) it’s basically going to make an open-PC a closed-PC. Might as well get a Mac if that’s the case then. Here’s an article on Vista and DRM.</p>
<hr>
<p><a href=“http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1182/what_windows_vista[/url]”>http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/1182/what_windows_vista</a></p>
<p>What Windows Vista Means to the Open PC Platform
Category: Industry Buzz - July 24, 2005
By Alexander Grundner</p>
<p>This post started out to a response to forum comments regarding Windows Vista’s DRM and its upcoming effect on the open PC platform, but it turned into a full-blown overview of where we are and what’s to come in Windows personal computing and media playback. Have a read and let me know if I’m off base (if I am, where?) or if it’s worse than even I suspect.</p>
<p>Disclosure: I’ve been a dedicated Microsoft Windows user for the past several years, now. However, I like to consider myself platform-neutral, since I’m comfortable using Apple and Linux based computers.</p>
<p>Open PC Platform:
Let’s get back to basics for a few seconds and discuss what an “open PC platform” is. An open PC platform is one where ANYONE can buy off-the-shelf PC hardware components and build their own PC mixing, matching, and upgrading hardware at their own discretion. Moreover, depending on the PC architecture one chooses, the user has the option of installing one of various operating systems (OS) to suit their needs.</p>
<p>Microsoft Windows:
Microsoft Windows, to a fair extent, has embraced and leveraged the open PC platform in its mission to dominate the world’s PC market (this is one of the main reasons why Apple’s computers, which are relatively closed systems, have never been able to gain a market share large enough to compete with Microsoft). Windows users, up to Windows 98, have enjoyed this freedom to custom configure, swap, and upgrade their components. However, with the introduction of Windows XP, Microsoft decided it would be a good idea to protect their OS from unauthorized duplication by tying its installation with the CPU, motherboard, and hard drive serial numbers and requiring online registration.</p>
<p>Microsoft’s DRM Direction for Windows Vista (aka Longhorn):
As I’ve stated before, most of the DRM Microsoft is introducing in its future OS release is designed to appease the MPAA and RIAA. It turns out that having only a software based DRM solution, in their eyes, is not sufficient for the playback of copy-protected content on a PC. Content owners are demanding both a software and hardware DRM solution before they are comfortable letting digital works play on a PC. (Remember, though, that 90%+ of what people use their computers for are commonplace tasks like: writing e-mail, surfing the Web, word processing, finances, and gaming.)</p>
<p>So what does this mean? The open platform PC you have grown to love is inevitably going to disappear (at least for Windows users). Here’s what my crystal ball shows me (see Media Advances for the Windows PC Architecture, The Four Musketeers, and Intel to cut Linux out of the content market):</p>
<p>In order to have a trusted/secure computer for the playback of premium digital content, computer owners will be required to have the following certified, DRM-embedded hardware: CPU, motherboard, hard drive, graphics card, sound card, and monitor (yes, even the monitor).</p>
<p>Microsoft Overview: Windows Longhorn Output Content Protection:</p>
<p>Protected Video Path (PVP) provides encryption of premium content as it passes over the user-accessible PCIe bus to discrete graphics cards. It uses Diffie Hellman to establish a session key and seeded hardware functionality scan (HFS) for authentication, and an AES 128-bit counter mode and an optional high-bandwidth cipher to encrypt the data.</p>
<p>Output protection management (OPM) provides secure control of the various output protection schemes such as High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), Macrovision, CGMS-A, and resolution constrictors. It uses a simpler form of HFS for authentication and requires content industry robustness rules to be met for hardware implementations. [Note: OPM is incompatible with most monitors sold today. Joe Wilcox explains, “People with non-supported monitors would not be able to play certain types of content, presumably high-definition, at all or full quality.”]</p>
<p>Protected User-Mode Audio (PUMA) is the user-mode audio engine (completely new for Windows Longhorn) that runs in the software protected environment. PUMA also includes the same level of audio output protection management that Secondary Audio Programming (SAP) provides in Windows XP, but it is done in a completely different way and takes advantage of the Windows Longhorn software PE.</p>
<p>Protected Audio Path (PAP) is a longer term project to introduce audio encryption all the way to the audio codec chips.</p>
<p>Significant hardware features must be implemented in graphics chips for Windows Longhorn to support PVP and OPM, with additional larger implications for the drivers. This session provides an overview of those requirements.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that if you decide to swap out one of the above mentioned hardware items with a non-certified component, the system will be crippled, or worse, unable to boot! That’s the impression I’m getting. On top of that, I can see the scenario where you’ll have to update your registration with Microsoft every time you change a component unless your computer can talk to an online Microsoft hardware database that can give the computer the green light to claim itself a “protected environment” once it checks in.</p>
<p>My other concern is with software developers. If Microsoft is disabling software that circumvents copy-protection, how about software that uses codecs that Microsoft doesn’t deem secure? Or how about PVR companies like SnapStream, will they be put out of commission on Windows machines because Microsoft certified hardware won’t allow their software to access broadcast or premium content being played through the computer unless they use Microsoft’s DRM technologies? (Say bye, bye to your DivX TV show recordings.)</p>
<p>Streaming Content over the Home Network:
Chris Lanier, in his forum comments to my previous post, notes that the PC is the center of digital home experience and that by using only stand-alone devices to gather and share content from, consumers will get “a lot less interoperability.” Both are valid points, but both issues can be easily addressed with interoperable DRM (which I’ve been pushing for) that can be played back on any device regardless of OS platform and integrating UPnP functionality.</p>
<p>Conclusion:
My thoughts are that DRM is a necessary evil, but that PC users shouldn’t have to give up their open PC platform to accommodate secure media playback functionality. If the content creators are so bent on having a locked down system, then maybe Microsoft should consider selling a locked down media center PC to consumers that will offer CE product security, but will be able to share and stream content securely (say, using DTCP-IP or CGMS-A) to other devices and networked computers. Unfortunately, that prospect is not in the cards. Microsoft wants to make ALL future computers “protected environments,” like it or not most likely for the reason that computers are becoming a commodity. “Why upgrade when you can buy a new computer?” is their reasoning. As to how consumers are going to react to these changes, we’ll have to wait and see. But I, for one, will think long and hard before continuing down Microsoft’s upgrade path.</p>
<hr>
<p>So Vista might not be exactly what you want to wait for if that’s what you were doing.</p>
<p>As i’ve said in another thread, for me personally, the only thing that saddens about me about switching from a dell to an apple (macbook pro or powerbook) is that I have to buy all new computer games, and at $50, they’re not exactly cheap. </p>
<p>Now on to the laptop/desktop debate:</p>
<p>My graduation present, as stated, in an apple laptop. For so many reasons, but particularly mobility. Portability. I mean, with my desktop to use I have to be at my desk, but once I get my laptop, I can work on my bed, on the floor, on the desk, etc. Not just portability in flying, but overall. Obviously I don’t know if I’ll take notes on it yet, but I’m a big computer user, and I plan on taking it to the library with me (I don’t think studying in a dorm will work for me at all). My only addition to my laptop is a wireless mouse. Just because I prefer using a mouse when I can.</p>
<p>No Pirating??? Never Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!</p>
<p>i would think so not college yet but will fall…this is what you do…go find the biggest stereotype looking smart kid and sit next to him…use putty to access his ip address (remeber ur probably using a wireless connection so make sure its his)…us msdos to get inside a port in is internet connection and draw everything out of him and dont even need to take one note since he will do everythign for you…
check this out
<a href=“http://www.danasoft.com/sig/Miler1.jpg[/IMG]”>http://www.danasoft.com/sig/Miler1.jpg
![http://www.danasoft.com/sig/Miler1.jpg[/IMG]](http://www.danasoft.com/sig/Miler1.jpg%5B/IMG%5D){kind=link}
</a></p>
<p>absolutely necessary. I don’t know a single person with a desktop, and I couldn’t have survived without my lap top. </p>
<p>I used to hate people who brought their laptops to class to take notes. But I have a history class this semester and the professor simply talks too fast to even attempt legible notes, and I found myself not being able to keep up. For that class at least, it comes every day.</p>
<p>Also, I highly recommend the Mac. College campuses tend to wreak havoc on even the most secure PCs. I know several people who have had to completely erase their harddrives and reinstall EVERYTHING (after losing all papers, music, etc) on their computers. Worth the extra cash, in my opinion. I don’t have time to mess around worrying about viruses and constantly updating my security package.</p>