Computers, software, PDAs

[researchvet]

For those of you were weren't required to purchase a specific computer model (and actually, those who were as well), do you have any recommendations for computer models? Are tablets a real plus if your school does not require them? How have you fared with the latest Windows OS? Any computers to avoid?

Regardless of computer model, is there any software that you have found useful in terms of taking notes/surviving vet school? Do you know of a program that will allow one to organize notes by lecture-- something that would allow me to take notes on powerpoint slides, attach audio/video recordings, and include anything else associated with that lecture in an organized fashion? In fact, any programs that will do at least some of those things?

Have you found having a PDA to be useful? If so, any particular brand? Blackberry? IPhone? Something less well known?

Thank you!

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[lysmith]

I am about to finish my first year at Mississippi State and we are required to purchase laptops. I chose a gateway tablet PC and have found the tablet feature VERY useful. It allows you to edit diagrams and notes sent electronically without having to print them out. Several people in my class went with Dell and now wish that they had gotten the tablet too.

 

[projekt]

I find Windows very bothersome, in general. I say that as a power user, former software developer. To me, most aspects of Windows are half-assed and so it has strange problems all the time. I don't have the time to diagnose those problems, and I'm sure I won't in the future.

I have a Mac, and I have Parallels Desktop which does Windows whenever I might need it, which is rarely. The cool thing about Parallels is you can keep your data on the macintosh side in a shared folder, and prepare a very clean Windows installation. Then, when you need Windows for some reason, you boot it up, edit your data, and save it. Then, you dump the changes that happened to Windows in the meantime, meaning the next time you start it up, it's as fresh and clean as the previous time.

Of course, I'm not actually in vet school yet, so YMMV. In addition to the Mac, you will have to buy Parallels ($79.99) and Windows (about $159 for Vista Home Basic). I wouldn't buy these until you need them, because you can buy Windows at OfficeDepot and download Parallels the moment you need them.

If you have a BlackJack or an iPAQ or some other Windows Mobile device, you can get The Missing Sync to sync them with iSync.

If you like the Tablet concept, there is the Axiotron Modbook.

As you can see, I'm a fan of Macs 🙂

 

[projekt]

Have you found having a PDA to be useful? If so, any particular brand? Blackberry? IPhone? Something less well known?

Do you have an organization system that includes a calendar/note pad? If not, then you should organize before you get a PDA, otherwise you could have yet another gadget in your drawer. PDAs are a matter of personal taste, as are organization systems, but I think Getting Things Done (Amazon) is a great, simple organization system. You can add a PDA to it without any trouble, and for a nearly free PDA, check out the Hipster.

 

[Kat0303]

I just got a new laptop and there is a program on it that I had never heard of before called Microsoft One Note. I've messed with a little bit to see what it can do, and so far I have figured out that you can attach audio or whatever other files directly into the document. You can do a lot of neat features with manipulating type around any pictures you import into the document. There are a bunch of different writing features like different color highlighters. Also, there are files tablets at the top of the screen where you can file the documents neatly. It seems pretty cool so far, so you might want to check it out.

 

[hoodle]

I have vista on my current laptop (have to get a tablet for Davis, boo, my laptop is 1 year old!). It has caused me no trouble - in fact, I like it!

Also I use onenote for taking notes while reading in textbooks, etc, and it's a very useful little program indeed!

 

[twelvetigers]

I have a Tilt phone thru AT&T. The same phone is offered thru different carriers but under different names. I'm not in vet school, but I like the phone anyway. It has a full keyboard, wireless, and it opens word and excel files. I wouldn't use it for taking notes or anything like that, but it does well as a calendar/reminder/organizer... and sometimes procrastinator. It has solitaire too. Haha.

 

[pressmom]

I have a Tilt phone thru AT&T. The same phone is offered thru different carriers but under different names. I'm not in vet school, but I like the phone anyway. It has a full keyboard, wireless, and it opens word and excel files. I wouldn't use it for taking notes or anything like that, but it does well as a calendar/reminder/organizer... and sometimes procrastinator. It has solitaire too. Haha.

I have the same one that doesn't tilt. It's an 8625, I believe and it runs windows. I have a sync program (PocketMac) that syncs it with my Mac, so having a windows-based phone and a Mac laptop hasn't been a problem. Anyway, I'm a HUGE Mac fan. It hasn't been a problem getting on the wireless here nor taking notes. Anyway, just a plug for my phone and laptop.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[RazorDoc2010]

I've got a Lenovo X61 (from the IBM ThinkPad series) and it's a pretty awesome tablet. Just do yourself a favor and get XP and not Vista.

 

[twelvetigers]

Sometimes XP versus Vista isn't a choice. In that case, err... learn about Vista's bugs, and how to deal with them? It's not 100% bad, but it's glitchy and kind of unfamiliar for the longest time. Just be prepared for that and you'll adapt to Vista okay, if you have to.

 

[projekt]

XP will see its commercial end of life next year, so it's probably a good idea to get used to Vista. After next year, extended support on XP continues until 2014, so there will be security updates and the like. But MS will scale back tech support in general for XP.

On the Mac front, Leopard, the new version of the OS, will soon crowd out support for Tiger. The big difference is that Leopard is an evolutionary improvement over Tiger, whereas Vista is a paradigm shift. (Boo on Microsoft for that).

 

[ri23]

Just got a Macbook Pro after years of PCs. It is so much nicer! I highly recommend you switch. As Projekt said, you can run Windows programs on a Mac. I've just found they have so many great and convenient features, that I would have never thought of - granted it will probably take me years to get used to them 😉.

 

[twelvetigers]

I'm not anti-Mac either. I'm just used to PC, and I still have my laptop from 2005. I'll get a new one when I get in to vet school, and I'd like a tablet because A) I'm a technology freak, and B) I'd like to save at least a few of the thousands of trees devoted to anatomy notes etc. 🙂 I may go Mac, or may do PC. Depends on the where, and the what's available.

 

[researchvet]

Just got a Macbook Pro after years of PCs. It is so much nicer! I highly recommend you switch. As Projekt said, you can run Windows programs on a Mac. I've just found they have so many great and convenient features, that I would have never thought of - granted it will probably take me years to get used to them 😉.

Am I correct that there is no Mac tablet? Also, is there a similar program to One Note for Macs?

 

[CalpardNY]

Am I correct that there is no Mac tablet? Also, is there a similar program to One Note for Macs?

There is - its brand new (just came out in february maybe) - but its only the tablet part (i.e. doesn't act like a regular laptop. Its called the axitron modbook - but i don't know much other than that. I have heard even though its an apple product its not apple technology - but then again I'm not very technologically knowledgeable so I may be wrong.

 

[Electrophile]

I've got a Lenovo X61 (from the IBM ThinkPad series) and it's a pretty awesome tablet. Just do yourself a favor and get XP and not Vista.

Do you ever have problems opening the .docx or .pptx files or whatever with yours with Office 2007 vs. 2003? That's really annoying...

 

[Habibti]

Just got a Macbook Pro after years of PCs. It is so much nicer! I highly recommend you switch. As Projekt said, you can run Windows programs on a Mac. I've just found they have so many great and convenient features, that I would have never thought of - granted it will probably take me years to get used to them 😉.

I switched over to Mac as well and I've been incredibly pleased. If you somewhat technologically cursed/incompetant, a mac is the way to go. I can slow down a windows machine within a month of getting it (apparently I like to download programs that slow down the computer), but I haven't managed to slow down or mess up my mac.

 

[bclover]

Well, I am closing in on purchasing my tablet for the fall, and have been struggling between Vista and XP, but I am now quite intrigued with the Axiotron Modbook. Although I have used PCs for work (& play) for years, I am one of those who "knows just enough to be dangerous." So, I am wondering if I could easily figure out the Mac system or am I better off sticking with what I know? And, with the Modbook being so new, will there likely be the early "bugs" that PC changes often have? What is the best way for me to try one out (or at least the Mac interface) before I buy?

Any thoughts? Again, only just now have I begun to consider the Mac...

 

[bclover]

Sorry, but a few more questions for those of you currently in vet school with opinions about the Modbook:

Will my handwritten note always be converted to "typed" words? And, is it a negative to not have a true keyboard? (At least it looks like there is not a traditional keyboard...)

Thanks!

 

[dyachei]

Sorry, but a few more questions for those of you currently in vet school with opinions about the Modbook:

Will my handwritten note always be converted to "typed" words? And, is it a negative to not have a true keyboard? (At least it looks like there is not a traditional keyboard...)

Thanks!

Not sure about the modbook, but the PC tablets have multiple programs that allow you to convert or not convert to typed. I'm pretty sure the Mac would have those same options, but you'd have to ask someone who has it or the manufacturers.

I think its a negative to not have a keyboard. My laptop is my only computer, so if I were to go tablet all the way, I would want the keyboard so I could write longer papers more quickly (I type MUCH faster than I write). Granted, there aren't that many papers in vet school, but there are some. I'm pretty sure you can fix this problem by attaching a keyboard through one of the USB ports though. It's just an extra component to carry around.

I love Macs, too, as you may have guessed by my previous posts. I just don't know much about the axiotron. I'm waiting for Mac to come out with its own convertible tablet (may or may not happen)

 

[hoodle]

CNET has a review of the Modbook, and they say it's pretty cool. I was surpised, though, to find out that the company literally takes a commercial macbook and modifies it (takes off keyboard, installs touch-sensitive screen, etc). That's an awful lot of tinkering, as opposed to building a mac tablet from the ground up. I wouldn't be totally comfortable with it.

I'll be going with a vista tablet, and i'm excited!

 

[Poke]

If you want to get familiar with the Mac first, try to find a Mac store in your area. They usually have at least a couple set up for people to play around with. Just playing around with it in the store won't make you a pro, but, depending on how computer savvy you are, you should be able to figure out the basics pretty quickly. Macs aren't complicated; they're just different.

If you'd like to stay with Windows, I would recommend trying out Vista before you knock it. Granted, if you're used to XP, it can take a while to get used to. It took me a little bit to figure out, but once you've got it down and have the settings set to your liking, it's not bad. I prefer it over XP. I rarely have issues with it -- most of the issues I have are because my notebook's a piece of crap. 🙂 I just got a new desktop for gaming, too, and so far no issues there. My point is don't knock it until you've really tried it. Too many people approach it with bias expect it to be more similar to XP. (Of course, my SO is a computer geek/IT guy and though I'm nowhere near his level, I'm slowly trying to work my way up to it 🙂, so whenever I do have an issue, it gets solved relatively quickly.)

As far as the Modbook goes... I definitely wouldn't go without a keyboard. If you're comfortable taking one of those portable ones with you, by all means go for it, but I think it would just be a pain. If you're really that into Mac, must have a tablet, and don't mind the keyboardless thing, go for it. If you do have a desktop at home and are only planing on using this while away from home, and if you are used to taking notes primarily with pen(cil) and paper, it might be doable. I do agree with hoodle, in that I don't think I'd really be comfortable with it. If I wanted a Mac tablet, I'd wait until Apple made one.

Edit: And I, for one, love Office 2007. 🙂

 

[projekt]

I like the iWork applications (Pages, Keynote) that are available on the Mac. They're inexpensive and pretty, and easy to work with. They read and write Office documents.
I haven't tried Numbers yet, but it looks nice too.

 

[hoodle]

I agree with you, Poke - Office2007 is absolutely a massive improvement, and really grreat.

 

[alonepear]

I agree with you, Poke - Office2007 is absolutely a massive improvement, and really grreat.

Maybe it's just me being stubborn to change, but so far I absolutely DESPISE Office 2007. We were required to have Vista Business Edition and Office 2007 on our laptops, for them to work properly with the security settings on our school's network (I truly think this is bogus because I've seen people with older laptops use the internet, but that's another story...)

I was just so used to where all of my features were located in the old Microsoft Word, and I have wasted so much class time trying to tweak and edit my notes while I'm typing that I've actually missed stuff the prof's said. Personally, I've also been having trouble with Word 2007 changing my default document (the margins, the tabs, the indents, etc) so that I literally have to spend at least one minute reformatting each document I create (it's a pain when you just want to type a short list or take some quick notes). Lastly, with our school requiring Office 2007 this year, everyone in my class has it, but most of the previous students, faculty, and the computers in the labs still have the old version, which cannot open the new Office 2007 ".docx" format. It's fairly simple to just save your documents in the old format, but it's just one more thing you have to remember and just tends to be a pain.

Just my rant! 😀

(I do however, on the whole, like Vista)

 

[RazorDoc2010]

Do you ever have problems opening the .docx or .pptx files or whatever with yours with Office 2007 vs. 2003? That's really annoying...

Sounds like a MS Office problem, not really a Vista thing. That hasn't given me any problems...my main frustration was last semester when teachers wouldn't post their notes until the day of lecture and I couldn't get access to the network because of Vista blocking me somehow. I talked to the computer people and they just look at it like its the plague and say "It's Vista...you can't control it." Seems to be a whole lot better now though, so for the most part, I'll take my criticism of Vista down a little bit.

 

[Poke]

"It's Vista...you can't control it."

Sounds like you just need new computer people. 😉 Can't control it.. pfft.. unless you've got some HAL-like copy.. hmm..

 

[VAgirl]

alonepear...I'm right there with you. Stupid freaking Office 2007. Just put my darn features back where they belong. And what's up with the drop down menus at the top of word having that weird nagivation by picture thing? That's how it feels to me, anyway. Don't hide my stuff and then make me guess what the dumb new picture means. Grrr.

Of course, my first time using it I was also in a small SCIF all by myself, so perhaps I wasn't in the best mood. Still...was not a fan. 😡 (*scowl*)

 

[projekt]

When I use Microsoft software, I'm always like, "Stop Helping Me!"

Some of us programmers use the term "DWIM" or "Do What I Meant, not what I said." That's when you intend something but type something else, and the computer helpfully does what you really wanted, like the way Word rewrites "teh" to "the" automagically.

Unfortunately, MS software is always helping too much, like by automatically indenting instead of tabbing, etc. It needs a "Do as I say!" command.

So, yeah, sometimes I feel like Word is being like the HAL 9000.

 

[hoodle]

I dunno - I find the new menu system in 2007 pretty intuitive. I really like it. And damn, can I make beautiful powerpoints with the gorgeous presets and things. The functionality in excel and powerpoint is MUCH better laid out. Word - I don't think most people typing ever need massive functionality in their word processing, so I can see change being annoying there. But graphing/data analysis and making powerpoints - SO much easier, at least for me!

VAgirl, does this mean we finally disagree about something?!!!! 😀

Unfortunately, MS software is always helping too much, like by automatically indenting instead of tabbing, etc. It needs a "Do as I say!" command.

totally agree with this.

 

[VAgirl]

VAgirl, does this mean we finally disagree about something?!!!! 😀

Hehe. We knew the day would come... 😉

But I suppose I'm willing to give it another chance. I was using MS Office 2007 at a job I hated on a project I hated, so maybe I was unfairly prejudiced against it... 🙂

 

[Mylez]

If you have a PC and aren't sure that you want to (or can't afford to) get a tablet computer, there is a program called OneNote that many of us use in my class. You can do all the things that a tablet can do with just your PC. Works pretty nicely, although I will say for my learning style, nothing is better than having the actual paper in hand.

 

[agophi]

I made the switch to Apple products about three years ago. I'm still not sure why it took so long!!! Honestly, with the amount of time we spend on computers currently, I would never consider using anything but a Mac. I installed Parallels and Office XP (Vista is horrible) so I could use SAS while working on my graduate degree. It pained me to do that, but I have been happy with the added functionality. Office 2008 for Mac is fantastic. iWork beats Office on graphics and presentation style, but Office is by far the better office program suite.

I've been tinkering lately with a tablet accessory for the Mac (Wacom Bamboo). It allows you to draw and write and insert into programs. It doesn't function the same as MS OneNote where you can directly write onto documents (a la Tablet PCs). It markedly improves the already outstanding functionality of a Mac. I personally don't like the distraction of a laptop in class with wireless access. Too distracting! In my opinion, if you have the choice to go with a Mac, DO IT!

One last thought, get an iPhone or iPod touch. I've seen some medical applications built specifically for both of these devices that will knock the socks off any practicing doctor. I love my iPhone and can't wait to use it in vet school.

 

[FelineFanatic]

I'm curious as to what applications you plan on using on your iPhone. I absolutely love mine, but had not heard of any medical applications that will benefit me in vet school. Do share.

 

[twelvetigers]

So you guys that have an iPhone also have the $95/month plan that's required? That was the kicker for me. Just wondering...

 

[gimchi]

I was wondering if any current OSU CVM students have suggestions on whether I should get tablet pc for note taking, regular pc, or just a standard paper and pen? Do the professors send out lecture notes/slides before class? I appreciate any input! 🙂

 

[FelineFanatic]

So you guys that have an iPhone also have the $95/month plan that's required? That was the kicker for me. Just wondering...

I just pay my regular phone plan (based on however many minutes you talk per month) plus a $20/month data package so I can get internet where ever I go. I am thinking about dropping the data plan because I can pick up free wifi signals at school & at home (of course I pay every month for the home signal already).

 

[agophi]

I have a regular iPhone plan (~$60/month). The program that I was mentioning was demonstrated at a developers conference when Apple release the SDK for the iPhone. Basically, this allows for companies to develop programs for the iPhone. The company that developed a nice piece of software in epocrates (http://www.epocrates.com/iphone/compatibility/). Seeing this only makes me think that someone will develop something like this for vets. Just having an iPhone has made things much easier, meaning no carrying around a phone, iPod, and laptop with me into meetings. I'm a Mac nerd, what can I say.

 

[FelineFanatic]

This site was mentioned in thread on the pre-vet side:

http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/macsimum_migration_kit_veterinary_software_for_the_mac