Best Choice for Computer Science Degree

[user1397]

I'm going to college next semester, and I'm going to buy a new computer, but there's a catch: I'm probably majoring in computer science, and I don't know whether that means of course windows-only, or perhaps a dual-boot setup, or linux-only system...

what are your opinions?

[Kingsley]

You may as well dual boot. HD space won't even be an issue if you buy a new computer.

[jay576]

Some courses may teach to Visual Studio which is windows-only so you may want a windows partition or VM.
You could most likely survive all your courses without windows but most classes are taught to windows because it does monopolize most of the business world.

[kernelhaxor]

As a computer science major, I too would recommend a dual boot with windows and linux .. Though I didn't need windows much as almost all classes in my university needed linux and not windows

[eragon100]

I am not at university yet, but at the uni where I am going to study informatics (master computer science), all the computers in the computer lab run linux, and the OS/kernel design courses are given using linux, too. So don't give up all hope yet, I think you'll be fine without windows :wink:

[igknighted]

The Uni I started at was very windows-centric for PCs (although we did use Macs in our CS lab). The one I transfered to did everything on Unix (mostly BSD for their systems). So it greatly depends on your Uni. Call some professors in the department and see what they think.

[Sporkman]

Dual boot.

[ugm6hr]

Call some professors in the department and see what they think.

+1

Check your syllabus.

[[h2o]]

I agree with the rest. Get in contact with the people running the courses. At my university almost all computer labs runs Solaris or Linux.

[Polygon]

for my computer science course we use eclipse which runs on mac/windows/linux, and the computer labs are a mix of windows and linux. out accounts are also dual windows/linux shell (and gui) accounts as well.

[user1397]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

So what I'm getting is that I should definitely consult the department of said university first in all cases, although most people seem to dual-boot windows and linux anyway.

Well at least I know I won't have to shell out $1200 for a new macbook :)

[jay576]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

So what I'm getting is that I should definitely consult the department of said university first in all cases, although most people seem to dual-boot windows and linux anyway.

Well at least I know I won't have to shell out $1200 for a new macbook :)

You can easily shell out more than that for a nice PC.

[user1397]

You can easily shell out more than that for a nice PC.
I know, but I can also spend a bit less than that and have a decent PC too. I am not anti-mac, or anti-anything really, I'm just stating that mac won't be for me for the purpose of my education.

[PurposeOfReason]

Linux can get you through most, if not all of it, at most colleges. I have two computers, one that is pure linux. It is my main one. My second one is a file server, media server, and has a vista partition for games and if I ever do need windows, which I have not. That is half way through the CS program I'm in.

PS. Gaming on a 42" 1080p screen is amazing.