laptops

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Atticus
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Re: laptops

Post by Atticus »

My daughter will be going back to third form with a laptop, all be it an old one of ours. I think it is an excellent move to upgrade the wifi. We never buy expensive laptops, and there are very good netbooks and windows enabled android tablets which are relatively inexpensive, it doesn't have to be a full laptop.
ailurophile
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Re: laptops

Post by ailurophile »

windows enabled android tablets
??? Sorry Atticus, you've lost me there!!

My DS bought himself a laptop earlier this year after saving up all his birthday and Christmas money for about four years, and he'll definitely be taking it to school with him (in fact, based on the evidence of the last few weeks I imagine that separating him from the damn thing would probably involve surgery!!). But DS is a big responsible Dep. - I'm still not sure that I'd be comfortable with the potential for unregulated Internet access if he was a second or third former.
Atticus
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Re: laptops

Post by Atticus »

Windows enabled tablets are like the iPad, but with windows office on them ie PowerPoint, excell and word which they use at school, and are generally cheaper than the iPad. They can also get onto the wifi to access the school network. We want dd to have a laptop so she can watch DVDs - the day room tv is often commandeered by 'reality tv' shows, and dd wants to watch her own DVDs - she's into the 60's series bewitched at the moment ;)

She said that she couldn't get onto a good computer in the homework room as the older girls took the faster computers, so
having her own should solve that. We can also print out her work for her if she emails it to us ( and post it back to her if necessary). Her house printer had massive problems at times, but hopefully that's been replaced.

She's been responsible over the holidays with her Internet use, but we are looking into upgrading her smartphone - she is a keen twitter user which she couldn't access on the school system.
YadaYada
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Re: laptops

Post by YadaYada »

windows office on them ie PowerPoint, excell and word which they use at school
You don't have to pay extra for Microsoft Office - you can download OpenOffice for nothing and it is completely compatible with Microsoft - this is what my DS has on his netbook and has had no problems. http://www.openoffice.org/


Also, re printing - my DS seems to email quite a lot of his prep to his teachers - printing hasn't been an issue at all.
Atticus
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Re: laptops

Post by Atticus »

Thanks yadayada, I will remind her that she can email her homework directly over to her teachers. :)
pinkhebe
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Re: laptops

Post by pinkhebe »

Thanks to very generous Grandparents, son now has a laptop :roll:

Is there anything we need to do before he takes it back to school, to enable it to use the school wifi?
onewestguncopse
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Re: laptops

Post by onewestguncopse »

No - all he needs to do is go to the IT department so that they can configure it to work via the school WIFI.

I think that Laptops are very useful but not essential until the UF or above, where they will become increasingly important. At sixth form they are almost essential. In some ways they are more useful IN HOUSE (or at home if you are a day pupil) than in the classroom. So much useful material to help with preps etc is now online and the new school Moodle site is also packed with useful material too.

A VERY important skill is to learn to touch type - anyone can opt to take exams on a computer IF they are good enough at typing to make it worthwhile. I know a number of universities that now offer lap top exams as an alternative to writing. After all - when is the last time you wrote a long letter, essay etc. It is (sadly perhaps) a dying art in the world of laptops, IPads etc.

If you want my advice you could/should go for a lightweight LOW end Laptop. No need for high end costly machines (they are being looked after by forgetful teenagers after all! - check your home insurance policy! :!: ) - a cheap laptop is the new Samsung Chrome Book - ideal as it utilises free Google Docs (is a free version of Windows Office ). At £229 for a new machine, this is good value if you a looking for something suitable for school.

Many children now have Kindles too! I suspect that children currently in Year 3 or 4 at school will see these as standard items when they get to age 12 or 13.
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LongGone
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Re: laptops

Post by LongGone »

<grumpy old man on

In my day the biggest hi-tech item was a fountain pen that used a replaceable ink cylinder


Grumpy old man off>
If a stone falls on an egg: alas for the egg
If an egg falls on a stone: alas for the egg
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icomefromalanddownunder
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Re: laptops

Post by icomefromalanddownunder »

LongGone wrote:<grumpy old man on

In my day the biggest hi-tech item was a fountain pen that used a replaceable ink cylinder


Grumpy old man off>

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I am a co-signatory on our horse club account. Presented at bank on Friday to cash a cheque for the float for fund raising bbq. 'Nope, sorry, can't cash the cheque, signatures don't match.'
'What do you mean, the signatures don't match?'
'Well, whose signature is this?' pointing at mine on the cheque
'Well, since it says Caroline Payne, I'd say that is mine'.
'It doesn't match the signature on the computer'.
'What do you mean? Did I sign C Payne?'
'We don't know what it says. We can't read it'.
'What do you mean, you can't read it? I wrote in my very bestest handwriting, and held the tip of my tongue between my teeth while I wrote and everything'.

Eventually persuaded them to show me the signature on the computer, and although I couldn't read it, I did recognise it and it certainly wasn't mine. One of the other cosignatories signatures had been uploaded against my name, and my signature had been deleted.
Phew! I can still write legibly if I try really hard :D
Ineedacoffee
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Re: laptops

Post by Ineedacoffee »

Thank you for the info onewestguncopse.
My 3rd form DD will apparently be the only one of her house group returning without a laptop, iPad, netbook or kindle/kindle fire. We cannot afford any of these items at this time. It is comforting to know that a laptop is not essential for school work until UF as I have been fretting that she will now be at a disadvantage.
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J.R.
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Re: laptops

Post by J.R. »

Arr, the good old fountain pen.

At my very first school in Farnham, (1950), we actually had a small hand-held black-board and chalk each ! Pretty tough for a three year old in nursery school.

However, it is one of my first recollections of 'life' !
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: laptops

Post by ailurophile »

Onewestguncopse wrote
A VERY important skill is to learn to touch type - anyone can opt to take exams on a computer IF they are good enough at typing to make it worthwhile. I know a number of universities that now offer lap top exams as an alternative to writing. After all - when is the last time you wrote a long letter, essay etc. It is (sadly perhaps) a dying art in the world of laptops, IPads etc.
Out of interest, are our children taught to touch type at CH?
onewestguncopse
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Re: laptops

Post by onewestguncopse »

Ineedacoffee wrote:Thank you for the info onewestguncopse.
My 3rd form DD will apparently be the only one of her house group returning without a laptop, iPad, netbook or kindle/kindle fire. We cannot afford any of these items at this time. It is comforting to know that a laptop is not essential for school work until UF as I have been fretting that she will now be at a disadvantage.
She will not be at a disadvantage at this age but it would be worth saving for September 2014.
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Re: laptops

Post by sejintenej »

J.R. wrote:Arr, the good old fountain pen.

At my very first school in Farnham, (1950), we actually had a small hand-held black-board and chalk each ! Pretty tough for a three year old in nursery school.

However, it is one of my first recollections of 'life' !
I changed schools at the age of about 5 1/2: I can't remember the previous one but at the new one we were bank up to date with a bit of slate (old roof tile perhaps) and an oversized nail or something like that. The screeeeeeeeeech! Ow! Got pencils and paper a few years later. That was in Devon
YadaYada
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Re: laptops

Post by YadaYada »

anyone can opt to take exams on a computer IF they are good enough at typing to make it worthwhile.
Are students offered this facility at CH? Who decides if their typing is fast enough?
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