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Watkins Laptop Information page

Laptop Information for students

Film

As of Fall 2011, Film majors are encouraged to have their own laptop.  This is not a requirement at this time but students are encouraged to have an Apple Macbook Pro.

As of Fall 2012 Watkins will require Film students (above a certain class level) to provide their own laptop computers.  At this time, the minimum requirements for those laptops are very simple.  The laptop must be an Apple Macbook Pro (not a Macbook or Macbook Air) with 2 GB of RAM or more (more is always better)  Some software will be provided by the college.  Some software will have to be provided by the students for varying reasons, including compliance with the software manufacturer’s license terms.

Fine Arts

As of Fall 2011, there are no laptop requirements or recommendations for Fine Arts majors.

Graphic Design

As of Fall 2011, Graphic Design majors are encouraged to have their own laptop.  This is not a requirement at this time but students are encouraged to have an Apple Macbook Pro and Adobe Creative Suite.

Interior Design

As of Fall 2010, Watkins requires Interior Design students to provide their own laptop computers.  

Interior Design laptops must meeting the following requirements:

  • Windows 7 Operating System (any 64 bit version).  Mac OS X is NOT supported and Apple laptops are NOT recommended for Interior Design majors.
  • Multi-core CPU (AMD or Intel, but Intel is recommended)
  • 2 GB or more of RAM (more RAM is always better and some software will require 4 GB or more)
  • 15” or larger display size

Watkins will provide some of the necessary software (Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Google Sketchup, etc).  Some software will have to be downloaded by the students (at no cost to the students) from http://students.autodesk.com (AutoCAD, Sketchbook, etc)

Photography

As of Fall 2011, Photography majors are encouraged to have their own laptop.  This is not a requirement at this time but students are encouraged to have an Apple Macbook Pro and Adobe Creative Suite.

 

Other information from the Watkins IT Department

Your Watkins Login

Every student has a user name assigned upon initial registration.  We will let you know what your initial password is; please change this password to a more secure password immediately.  Passwords must be changed approximately twice a year, though you may change your password more often if you wish.  Change your password at https://password.watkins.edu
 
You may not reuse a password within a year.  The password change site offers tips for the creation of a secure password.  It’s important to learn how to create secure passwords, since identity theft is a major issue.
 
If you forget your password, stop by the IT offices or call the front desk at (615) 383-4848 and ask for the IT department.  You will need your Watkins student ID for password help.  If your password expires you must contact the IT department to renew it.
 

Email and Google Docs

 
Email at Watkins is provided by Google Apps for Education.  Every student has a Watkins Email account, and alumni keep their watkins.edu Email address for life.  Your Email account and Google Docs are accessed using your Watkins Login.  Google Docs is a powerful cloud-based service that offers word processing, spreadsheet, presentation functions as well as many others – and the services offered are continually expanding.  One of the most powerful features is document sharing and collaboration.  If you share a document with fellow students, your instructors, etc. any changes you make are immediately seen by everyone who has access to that document.
 
Your instructors will share course syllabi and assignments with you using Google Docs.  In many cases you can share a document with your instructor as a way of turning in assigned classwork.
 
Best of all, you can access your Watkins Email and Google Docs from any computer that has Internet connectivity.
 

Internet and Network Service

 
Watkins offers Internet service and access to various servers on campus.  In the main campus building WiFi service is offered.  Never connect your computer to a network jack in the main building.  The network ID is “watkins” and the password will be given to you at orientation.  The WiFi network is encrypted for your safety.
 
You may connect to the WiFi network immediately and have Internet access; however, you will not have access to on-campus servers and resources until your device has been registered with the IT department.  Registration is easy and takes just a few minutes.  The IT department installs drivers for the printers in the Print Center, Library and Writing Lab and the printing client software unless you ask that we not do so.  We do not install any other software unless required by your department.
 
Internet service is shared among faculty, staff and students on campus.  We do not allow the use of peer-to-peer software, because it uses a great deal of bandwidth.  If your computer is detected to be running P2P software, your Internet access will be blocked until the software is removed.  Our firewall and content filters attempt to detect and delete viruses and spyware; however, if you are running a Windows computer on our network you must have antivirus software.  We recommend Microsoft’s Security Essentials, as it’s very effective and is free.
 
Participating in any hacking or denial of service attacks against our network will lead to the loss of network and Internet access or worse.
 
Illegal activities on the Internet fall under Federal jurisdiction.  There are laws regarding pornographic material, online gambling and distribution of copyrighted material which can place you in an uncomfortable position with various Federal agencies.  Please use common sense when browsing the Internet:
Do not visit pornographic web sites; they are virus and malware traps which can steal and spread your personal information as well as infect your computer
Do not share copyrighted material, including software, music, movies, etc.  Associations such as the RIAA and the MPAA target college students specifically and prosecute often.
Do not gamble online – it is illegal and can result in your arrest.
 
 
Personal wireless access points, wireless routers, Apple Airports, wireless printers are prohibited on campus at all times.  You may use a wireless-capable printer in the residence halls if the WiFi function is disabled.  Turn any sharing services off on your computer.
 

Buying Software

 
Watkins has a campus license agreement with CDW-G for Adobe software.  As part of that agreement, CDW-G has put together a custom purchasing store Watkins students can use to purchase software at a significantly lower price than the traditional educational discount.
 
If you are considering Adobe Creative Suites, Acrobat, Lightroom, etc., you may want to check out the Watkins custom store:
 
 
You’ll need a Watkins email address to order through the custom store and receive that discount.  Creative Suite Design Premium 6 is $391 through our store, compared to $450 or more at other retailers with the “regular” educational discount.  (The non-academic price for Creative Suite Design Premium 5.5 is around $1800-2000.)
 

Printing, Copying and Scanning

 
Several printers are available to all students in the Print Center, located in room 502.  Watkins uses the PaperCut system and charges for each type of printing based on the actual cost of printing or copying.  Access to printing and copying is through your Watkins Login.
 
Printers range from basic black and white laser printers on plain paper to color laser printers to the Canon imagePRESS high end color laser printer to high-end large format Epson inkjet printers.  The Epson printers require training for access; the other printers and copiers are available for use by any student.  Paper size ranges from letter to architectural size E (36” x 48”) and larger.
 
Copiers are available for student use.  We suggest using the copier in the Print Center.  This copier is color-capable and can print duplex, punch holes and staple.  A lower volume color copier is available for student use in the library.  The Print Center also has a large format black and white copier that can handle 36” x 48” originals.
 
Copiers may be used for scanning at no charge.  Instructions are posted at each copier for use in scanning.  When you scan, the images are Emailed to your Watkins Email account.  From your account you may forward as appropriate.  B-size scanners (up to 11x17 originals, either reflective or transparent) are located in rooms 203, 403 and the Print Center.  A Hasselblad film scanner is located in the Print Center; use of this high-end scanner is limited to those who have received training.
 
New students receive a $5.00 initial balance in their PaperCut accounts.  You may use a credit card to add balance, or you may make other arrangements with the business office.  Some class fees include an amount which is added to your PaperCut account.  You may login to your Papercut account to see your printing/copying history and add money to your account using a credit card or Paypal account by going to http://papercut.watkins.edu.
 
Pricing for letter size B&W is currently $0.06/page, color in letter size is $0.15.  If you print duplex (print on both sides), the cost to print a document is slightly less.  Larger paper sizes, use of the imagePRESS and the large format Epson printers are higher in price.  Again, printing is priced based on the actual cost.
 

Backing up Data

 
Everyone who uses a computer will lose (or has lost) work because they did not have a backup.  Develop a habit of regularly backing up your files.  This is particularly critical if you are using a laptop, since they can be damaged, lost or stolen.  For Mac laptops we recommend an external hard drive and the use of Time Machine.
 
Students in the Film department are required to have a Firewire drive, since USB drives are not fast enough to be used with Final Cut Pro and Avid.  If you cannot afford two drives (backing up from one to the other) then have a “backup buddy.”  You and your buddy will back up each other’s most critical projects on a regular basis.  If your drive fails, you will have the most recent version saved on your buddy’s drive.
 
Students in other study areas may choose to use USB hard drives or USB thumb drives.  In any case, always be certain you have at least two copies of your work.  Watkins does not back up your data!
 

Lab Computers, File Server

 
Computer labs are located in rooms 201, 205, 403, 411A and 603.  The writing lab is room 605, and computers are available for student use in the Library.  All lab computers are Macs, and all lab computers delete any files left on them every night.  Files left overnight on a lab computer are irretrievably deleted - they’re gone.  Always use your own media to save your files, or you may save them on the File Server.
 
Each student has 1 GB of space available on the File Server.  You will be given instructions on how to access the File Server from computers in the main campus building.  Students in the residence halls also have File Server access.  It is your responsibility to properly manage the space available.  Always keep free space larger than the largest file you are working on, or you will not be able to save your file, and always keep a second copy of every file on external media, whether it is a USB thumb drive or a hard drive.
 
Do not attempt to customize the desktop on a lab computer.  These are shared resources and may not be personalized in any way.