Occasionally I receive calls from parents asking what type of computer they should buy for their student or family. At CDH we use both Macs and PC's (slightly more Macs at this point), and we are committed to being a dual platform school. In my experience, kids adjust easily to both platforms, which is exactly what we want to teach them to do; after all, the computers they're using now are no doubt quite different than what they'll use even 5 years from now! Many people have a real bias regarding Macs and PC's, but things are changing, and I encourage you to examine all the alternatives. It's worth noting, for instance, that the new Intel-based Macs can run Windows! It's also important to consider whether you will need to use the computer for work, whether you'll have small children using the computer (I don't recommend laptops for the wee ones) and of course what you can afford.
A few tips:
- It is very helpful, but not required that CDH students have a computer and/or Internet access at home. We offer extended hours in the Media Center, and the public library is also an alternative. A limited number of low-end laptops are available for students to sign out overnight from the Media Center; a parental signature is required for inclusion of a wireless network card.
- Students don't need the latest and greatest computer to do their schoolwork. It is helpful to have a reasonably current computer with a fast internet connection; this will give your student easy access to Infinite Campus for grades, Moodle for course websites/assignments, and general research capability. But again, resources are also available at school; this especially applies to specialized courses in Media Arts.
- As a rule of thumb, buy the best computer you can afford. The technology changes so quickly that you are just about guaranteed to use all the memory and processing power you can get. I've heard many people who wish we had more memory and speed; I've never heard anyone say the opposite!
Have fun!
