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Computer Engineering Freshman Suggestions :-)

Debojyoti Das

Debojyoti Das

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 16, 2010
23
0
Germany
Hello all,
Greetings from India.
I am a Computer Science and Engineering freshman, and I am really worried that if I take my MacBook Pro to college, I might end up keeping it closed for softwares sake, that is all my friends are buying Windows laptops as they say that engineering softwares are not available on the Mac Platform. Now, to be truthful I really have no idea what softwares I am gonna use there years for the course, so I would like your valuable inputs on the two following topics-:

¤ What are the softwares required by a Computer Engineering freshman?

¤ What are there availability on Mac.

Also note I am a complete neophyte. And it will be also extremely helpful if you guys gimme a list of course specific software. Also please clarify which is better, running Windows on Mac or buying a Windows lappy.
Thanks !
 
Matlab, maple, autocad...

Most of the software is cross platform, including linux. You shouldn't have a problem purchasing the software for OS X.
 
If you need any windows specific software, you can always run them through a VM. If this is a software degree, you should be able to get any compilers you need for OS X.
 
Frankly a mac is the best thing to have, as you can use any OS you want by using bootcamp (or virtual machines).
 
ScoobyMcDoo said:
If you need any windows specific software, you can always run them through a VM. If this is a software degree, you should be able to get any compilers you need for OS X.
Click to expand...

No its a all hardware software combined course. Will I provide my syllabus? Will that help?
 
Just go with a windows laptop. Macs are kind of overpriced in India, the last time I was there.

If you already have a MBP load up windows on it through boot camp.
 
Debojyoti Das said:
Hello all,
Greetings from India.


¤ What are the softwares required by a Computer Engineering freshman?
Click to expand...

Well, perhaps things are different in India, but I'd simply contact the Computer Engineering department and ask them. Why guess, or depend on general recommendations from strangers?
 
LPZ said:
Well, perhaps things are different in India, but I'd simply contact the Computer Engineering department and ask them. Why guess, or depend on general recommendations from strangers?
Click to expand...

Actually Macs are still a novelty in India and mostly out of budget of 95% freshmen, and accessing the higher authorities are not that easy, so far as government sponsored colleges are concerned. So I am damn sure that my question to my college authorities will go astray. So I rely on a Much mature community with so many geeks onboard.
 
NT1440 said:
Frankly a mac is the best thing to have, as you can use any OS you want by using bootcamp (or virtual machines).
Click to expand...
Bingo. My computer science program mainly utilizes servers that run Solaris, and having an operating system built off of Unix on my machine is invaluable. Immediate access to a decent terminal and all of the tools that come with that will make you the envy of anybody using a windows box. Plus, there's always bootcamp or virtualbox if you need to run windows applications. I would check to see if your department has an arrangement with the MSDNAA; you could probably get a free windows license that way. Not to mention that the hardware will actually last you the four years needed to complete a degree program.
 
milbournosphere said:
Bingo. My computer science program mainly utilizes servers that run Solaris, and having an operating system built off of Unix on my machine is invaluable. Immediate access to a decent terminal and all of the tools that come with that will make you the envy of anybody using a windows box. Plus, there's always bootcamp or virtualbox if you need to run windows applications. I would check to see if your department has an arrangement with the MSDNAA; you could probably get a free windows license that way. Not to mention that the hardware will actually last you the four years needed to complete a degree program.
Click to expand...

Can you name any specific software I might need?
 
umm,just off the top of my head...

Of course some form of office software is a given. I suggest OpenOffice (it's free). Also download TextWrangler. It's incredibly useful. If you haven't yet, install the devloper tools. They're on your install disks for your mbp. In terms of unix utilities, they're already there mostly. SSH, scp, sftp, there out of the box, just to name a few. If you prefer a GUI interface for scp and such, I suggest cyberduck. I recommend Xcode for c\c++ work, but for java I would use Eclipse. These alone should give you a good base to start with; you can tackle other software as you go with little difficulty. As I said, OS X is really a good environment for developers; you will learn to know and love the command line. It is so much more useful than the Windows cmd line.

For windows virtualization, VirtualBox is free, but I like VMware the best, even though you have to pay for it. Again, check into your department and membership with MSDNAA. You can get free microsoft software there, which can help your bottom line.
 
milbournosphere said:
umm,just off the top of my head...

Of course some form of office software is a given. I suggest OpenOffice (it's free). Also download TextWrangler. It's incredibly useful. If you haven't yet, install the devloper tools. They're on your install disks for your mbp. In terms of unix utilities, they're already there mostly. SSH, scp, sftp, there out of the box, just to name a few. If you prefer a GUI interface for scp and such, I suggest cyberduck. I recommend Xcode for c\c++ work, but for java I would use Eclipse. These alone should give you a good base to start with; you can tackle other software as you go with little difficulty. As I said, OS X is really a good environment for developers; you will learn to know and love the command line. It is so much more useful than the Windows cmd line.

For windows virtualization, VirtualBox is free, but I like VMware the best, even though you have to pay for it. Again, check into your department and membership with MSDNAA. You can get free microsoft software there, which can help your bottom line.
Click to expand...

And what exactly are Matlab, Maple etc? Do I need them? And does a CS freshman need AutoCAD? I always thought it was for civil engineers!
 
Debojyoti Das said:
And what exactly are Matlab, Maple etc? Do I need them? And does a CS freshman need AutoCAD? I always thought it was for civil engineers!
Click to expand...

MATLAB is useful. It's good for building algorithms, running intensive simulations and such, but I would imagine that you won't get into that level until in your higher level courses. I'd look into it, but you probably won't need it right away.

Maple is mathematics software. Mathematica is basically the same thing, but they do have their differences. I haven't really used it all that much except in some of my math courses. Don't buy it until you need it, it's expensive.

As for autoCAD, I'd wait to go anywhere near it until your courses require it (if at all). You might not need it, and it's damned expensive.
 
Debojyoti Das said:
And what exactly are Matlab, Maple etc? Do I need them? And does a CS freshman need AutoCAD? I always thought it was for civil engineers!
Click to expand...

Hold off on sw until you get your classes and they tell you what you need

Chances are that there are labs with all the software you need. Most major programs cost a ton and I would not buy them. Most likely, you will have a site licesne given to you by the school for these major programs and if not, USE the labs. You are paying for it (the labs) lol
 
dukebound85 said:
Hold off on sw until you get your classes and they tell you what you need

Chances are that there are labs with all the software you need. Most major programs cost a ton and I would not buy them. Most likely, you will have a site licesne given to you by the school for these major programs and if not, USE the labs. You are paying for it (the labs) lol
Click to expand...
+1 on the labs.
 
dukebound85 said:
Hold off on sw until you get your classes and they tell you what you need

Chances are that there are labs with all the software you need. Most major programs cost a ton and I would not buy them. Most likely, you will have a site licesne given to you by the school for these major programs and if not, USE the labs. You are paying for it (the labs) lol
Click to expand...

Right !:D
 
Debojyoti Das said:
Hey here is my full syllabus for four years : http://www.wbut.ac.in/syllabus/Computer_Science_&_Engineering_Syllabus.pdf
Hope now it helps you to be more specific :)
Click to expand...

To be honest, I really wouldn't worry too much about the software. What I recommended above, combined with lab machines on campus, will do you just fine. Remember, you're not going to school to learn the software. It's simply a means to learning good programming practices that hopefully will stay with you for at least a little while. No need to look ahead four years to figure out what software you'll be using. Just concentrate on getting through your first semester/quarter, you'll be happier that way. ;)
 
I wouldn't worry too much about buying software right now. You school/classes will tell you exactly what you need and what would be beneficial to have.
 
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