I am an incoming freshmen the college of textiles- textiles undeclared. I have signed up for MA 141 and I was wondering if I need a laptop. I keep hearing talk of this maple program.

7/29/2008 6:02:40 PM

you'll need a computer, but not necessarily a laptop and not necessarily for MA141

[Edited on July 29, 2008 at 6:04 PM. Reason : &]

7/29/2008 6:03:55 PM

no, they have it on campus.

you can also use VCL and use most university programs from your computer

unless you are in a laptop course. then yes, you will.

[Edited on July 29, 2008 at 6:04 PM. Reason : .]

7/29/2008 6:04:01 PM

if you're not paying for it, might as well

7/29/2008 6:12:23 PM

no, for ma 141 you only need a computer or access to the computers on campus. however, a laptop is quite useful in college and i would suggest getting a decent one unless you're really short on money or something.

7/29/2008 7:02:51 PM

No, you will not.

However, having a your own computer (laptop or desktop) is highly recommended.

7/29/2008 9:21:33 PM

Thanks for the information.

7/29/2008 9:25:35 PM

if you want to use maple, it's easier to use computers on campus so you don't have to buy the damn program.

7/29/2008 9:35:12 PM

There isn't a class on this campus where you "need" a computer in class where it's not provided. Don't ever take your own computer to class. It will just be a distraction to you and those around you.

7/30/2008 11:44:34 AM

^^you can use VCL and use the program for free

7/30/2008 1:27:27 PM

who the hell buys it anyway?

i thought everone else just downloaded it

7/30/2008 2:18:07 PM

3^ does that include laptop sections? I thought you had to buy your own (through ncsu's laptop program) for those...

[Edited on July 30, 2008 at 2:44 PM. Reason : .]

7/30/2008 2:44:20 PM

darkone is old, he doesn't know about such things

7/30/2008 3:02:40 PM

yeah there are some laptop sections of calc 1/2/3

most of them are taught by dr. norris so i wouldn't take them anyway

7/30/2008 10:34:33 PM

Quote :

"There isn't a class on this campus where you "need" a computer in class where it's not provided. "

false. 90% of all e115 sections are laptop-only.

7/31/2008 5:57:37 PM

damn...a lot has changed since 03

7/31/2008 6:03:17 PM

^^yet another reason to test out of that bullshit class...

7/31/2008 6:18:33 PM

^well if kids would actually read the online textbook before showing up to the exams and KNOW WHAT WINSCP AND PUTTY ARE then that would probably happen.

7/31/2008 6:59:42 PM

they told me i missed the cut off for that place out test by like 7%...i think it was like 85% you had to get or something

7/31/2008 7:06:52 PM

i didn't take this class dooohh dah dooooh daahh

i didn't take this class ohh the doo dahhh dayyy

7/31/2008 7:08:17 PM

I had a laptop when I came in, but don't get one if you aren't going to take it to class. Buy a desktop instead. They are cheaper and have more features.

8/3/2008 6:38:07 PM

just seeing the word maple made me glad im not in school anymore. ew.

8/3/2008 7:12:07 PM

haha. upperclassman suite mates who had already taken the class ftw

8/3/2008 7:48:55 PM

who actually did maple on their own anyway?

it seems like there is only one person who does it every year and sends the answers to everyone else

somebody on TWW sent me a zip file back when i was a freshman that had all of the maples for calc 1-3

8/3/2008 10:54:41 PM

despite what anyone tells you, you do not have to have a laptop to attend ncsu.

8/4/2008 9:40:19 AM

also had the upperclassmen for fortran, not that I couldn't do it myself anyway, it wasen't that hard.

8/4/2008 10:42:46 AM

i guess your coding is better than your spelling.

zing!

8/4/2008 11:01:58 AM

i dont understand why they use Maple. MatLab would be so much more beneficial.

8/5/2008 11:19:22 PM

^

8/6/2008 12:00:59 AM

^^True. The things that maple does better/more easily aren't what you use on those intensely stupid homeworks. It's a really substitute for a ti-89 if you've forggoten how to integrate something, need to solve a transcendental equation, or a differential equation you don't feel like doing on paper. Those tools are also all available by right clicking on a function you've entered and don't require any help to use. Learning to use MatLAB would have been a lot more valuable.

8/6/2008 12:41:20 AM

because matlab isn't a CAS

8/6/2008 8:52:23 PM

^Yes- but that's not why it shouldn't be taught in class over MatLab. My point is that, as maple is handled now, it is not a useful part of the calculus courses. The things that maple does better are (now, finally) easier to access to the beginning user. It's not so much because one is computerized algebra system and the other is a numerical computing engine, but because Maple assignments don't really teach how to most effectively use it nor anything about its potential as a programming engine. They don't teach you any code that isn't already accessible by right clicking on a function or obvious after looking at the help file. The autograder doesn't even accept what is often the simplest and fastest way to get an answer out of maple since it's limited to accepting long form code instead of the newer shortcuts.

Unlike with maple, there are not 3 completely different systems for commanding matlab to do something. You write programs for it in M-code and, while there may be different approaches, it's a much simpler task for an autograder to evaluate.

Now whether or not you'll get more practical use out of one over the other depends partly on your major and whether you already own a ti-89. What is more useful to a particular major IS going to boil down to the fact that one is a computerized algebra system first and foremost while the other is a powerful computing environment. Really, I think engineering students should be required to take (fairly early on if possible) MA427 and MA428 with Moody Chu and make the programming requirement be a choice between fortran, c, maple, or java depending on the major. Maybe require PAMS students to chose 2 semesters total from courses focusing on matlab, fortran, or maple. In general I think all the science and engineering disciplines here could use more programming and computational math courses. Maple could be one of these, but only if it was taught less hamfistedly.



[Edited on August 7, 2008 at 2:07 AM. Reason : ]

8/7/2008 1:43:01 AM

Quote :

"just seeing the word maple made me glad im not in school anymore. ew."

I didn't find Maple to be too bad. Aside from the crap they made us learn for it in Calc 1-3, it was actually pretty handy when I got to my upper level engineering classes and I had to simplify problems that were pages long. And it really helped when I had some big huge integration to do.

8/7/2008 9:25:31 AM