Anyone using a mac laptop for LS? Forum
- kswiss
- Posts: 391
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Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
I have a macbook pro with windows 7 dual booted. It works pretty well and is fast, but the keyboard layout and the way the mouse scrolls isn't quite the same when on the windows side. I know that most of the software for testing is PC only.
Anyone with any experience with this?
I'm thinking of getting a netbook anyway, but I'm not sure I want to take tests on such a small screen either.
Anyone with any experience with this?
I'm thinking of getting a netbook anyway, but I'm not sure I want to take tests on such a small screen either.
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Most schools have software for macs now too. It is probably kind of a necessity considering at most the law schools I visited about half the people seemed to have Macs.kswiss wrote:I have a macbook pro with windows 7 dual booted. It works pretty well and is fast, but the keyboard layout and the way the mouse scrolls isn't quite the same when on the windows side. I know that most of the software for testing is PC only.
Anyone with any experience with this?
I'm thinking of getting a netbook anyway, but I'm not sure I want to take tests on such a small screen either.
- Great Satchmo
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
I have a 10" netbook and although it's great for personal stuff and carrying around, there is no way I'm going to do reading or write papers on there, just too small.
You can always dual boot a Mac if that's what you want, then you have the choice of Windows or OSX. I'm going to look around for a used/cheap Mac as school starts to get closer, or when loan money is disbursed
You can always dual boot a Mac if that's what you want, then you have the choice of Windows or OSX. I'm going to look around for a used/cheap Mac as school starts to get closer, or when loan money is disbursed
- nealric
- Posts: 4279
- Joined: Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:53 am
Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Not all schools use exam software. Georgetown doesn't.
I find about 30-40% of students are on macs.
I find about 30-40% of students are on macs.
- Vincent Vega
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- Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:36 pm
Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
IU requires Windows for exams. Not sure about other schools.
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Columbia's exam software only runs on windows, however they provide instructions for installing windows on macs (using bootcamp), and a lot of people take advantage of this option.
That said, if you are running windows on a mac using bootcamp, they make you sign a waiver saying if the software crashes (which it does very occassionally), you're completely responsible. So basically you have to be willing to run that risk (which is admittedly a small one).
That said, if you are running windows on a mac using bootcamp, they make you sign a waiver saying if the software crashes (which it does very occassionally), you're completely responsible. So basically you have to be willing to run that risk (which is admittedly a small one).
- Vincent Vega
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
What happens if your PC running Windows crashes during an exam?imchuckbass58 wrote:Columbia's exam software only runs on windows, however they provide instructions for installing windows on macs (using bootcamp), and a lot of people take advantage of this option.
That said, if you are running windows on a mac using bootcamp, they make you sign a waiver saying if the software crashes (which it does very occassionally), you're completely responsible. So basically you have to be willing to run that risk (which is admittedly a small one).
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
To be honest, for the purpose of exams I think it's the same - either way if you can't reboot and get it to work, you have to handwrite your exam.Halibut6 wrote:What happens if your PC running Windows crashes during an exam?imchuckbass58 wrote:Columbia's exam software only runs on windows, however they provide instructions for installing windows on macs (using bootcamp), and a lot of people take advantage of this option.
That said, if you are running windows on a mac using bootcamp, they make you sign a waiver saying if the software crashes (which it does very occassionally), you're completely responsible. So basically you have to be willing to run that risk (which is admittedly a small one).
That said, I think the purpose of the waiver is there are very isolated incidents of the software totally screwing up the computer to the point where data and settings are lost. If this happens on a PC, it's the exam software company's problem because they certified compatibility. If it happens on a mac, you are SOL.
They also told us that the incidence of crashes (both those that can be solved by a reboot and those that can't) are higher on macs than PCs, though still very low rates for both.
- Vincent Vega
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
I'm not going to Columbia, but this post makes me seriously consider getting a netbook, because I can't imagine having endured an entire semester of a class just to bomb it because my computer crashed and having no recourse against it.imchuckbass58 wrote:To be honest, for the purpose of exams I think it's the same - either way if you can't reboot and get it to work, you have to handwrite your exam.Halibut6 wrote:What happens if your PC running Windows crashes during an exam?imchuckbass58 wrote:Columbia's exam software only runs on windows, however they provide instructions for installing windows on macs (using bootcamp), and a lot of people take advantage of this option.
That said, if you are running windows on a mac using bootcamp, they make you sign a waiver saying if the software crashes (which it does very occassionally), you're completely responsible. So basically you have to be willing to run that risk (which is admittedly a small one).
That said, I think the purpose of the waiver is there are very isolated incidents of the software totally screwing up the computer to the point where data and settings are lost. If this happens on a PC, it's the exam software company's problem because they certified compatibility. If it happens on a mac, you are SOL.
They also told us that the incidence of crashes (both those that can be solved by a reboot and those that can't) are higher on macs than PCs, though still very low rates for both.
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
To be fair, I don't want to overstate the "dangers" of getting a mac. Many of my friends used macs, and none of them had problems that I know of. In fact, anecdotally the one person I know who had their computer crash during an exam had a PC.Halibut6 wrote: I'm not going to Columbia, but this post makes me seriously consider getting a netbook, because I can't imagine having endured an entire semester of a class just to bomb it because my computer crashed and having no recourse against it.
But Columbia makes a big show of trying to get people to use PCs.
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
In BLS-i'd say about 60% of 1L's have Macs, if not more. A lot of exam software now has support for Mac
- Vincent Vega
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
I have a mac - I am using it right now - but I think I will also get a netbook for exams.
- Rand M.
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Can we get more people to come out of the woodworks and talk about exam software compatibility? Maybe some Chicago people? NYU? UVa?
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- sarlis
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Already done.sarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
http://maclawstudents.com/blog/law-scho ... -software/
Last edited by 03121202698008 on Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
I know that GW has just this year expanded their computer requirements to allow Macs.
Since the new Macs can run windows, for all intensive law school related purposes, it is the same as having a PC.
Since the new Macs can run windows, for all intensive law school related purposes, it is the same as having a PC.
- oberlin08
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
+11111, great ideasarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
oberlin08 wrote:+11111, great ideasarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
blhoward2 wrote:Already done.sarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
http://maclawstudents.com/blog/law-scho ... -software/
- sarlis
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Thanks for the link. There are a ton of schools on there, but many schools are not on there, like 4 out of the 5 i am considering hahablhoward2 wrote:oberlin08 wrote:+11111, great ideasarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)blhoward2 wrote:Already done.sarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
http://maclawstudents.com/blog/law-scho ... -software/
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
If you look for IT requirements on each school's site...you'll likely find it. If you e-mail the guy who runs that site, he'll add it to the list.sarlis wrote:Thanks for the link. There are a ton of schools on there, but many schools are not on there, like 4 out of the 5 i am considering hahablhoward2 wrote:oberlin08 wrote:+11111, great ideasarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)blhoward2 wrote:Already done.sarlis wrote:can we compile a list of schools that are mac-friendly (especially a mac without windows on it)
http://maclawstudents.com/blog/law-scho ... -software/
- zeth006
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Re: Anyone using a mac laptop for LS?
Great Satchmo wrote:I have a 10" netbook and although it's great for personal stuff and carrying around, there is no way I'm going to do reading or write papers on there, just too small.
You can always dual boot a Mac if that's what you want, then you have the choice of Windows or OSX. I'm going to look around for a used/cheap Mac as school starts to get closer, or when loan money is disbursed
Why Mac and not PC (besides OSX?)
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