Infocommons- Hit or Miss- "It can be very difficult to find a computer to use in InfoCommons at any given time of day. They only have a few Macs for students to use, which can be a challenge when it appears the majority of NU students have Macs. The Windows computers take ages to log you in and get going. Some have a "freezing" problem as part of the process, especially the computers in Shillman Hall. This could be another reason why many students are glued to the Macs- very quick and efficient. The printing system in the InfoCommons is a little iffy. It often seems that some documents get lost in the shuffle or just don't print out at all. You are assigned a limited allowance of pages you can print per semester and you MUST use them wisely... the hustle and bustle of InfoCommons can be unpredictable. Avoid the "Quick Print" area outside IC like the plague... it'll hardly be quick when there's a line of 15+ people waiting to print, jamming the printers, etc. On a more positive note, I will say that the campus network is GREAT! Very speedy and wireless is a breeze to connect (and stay connected) to. I've never had an issue connecting or staying connected to the Internet, nor have I ever experienced any particularly slow service.
That said, I think bringing a personal computer and printer are fairly necessary. Most students take notes on their laptops and are able to, for example, edit a paper in the quad on a sunny day versus a chilly, hectic room. I personally have both and have found that I'm not blowing through paper and ink like I thought I would. Don't be dependent on InfoCommons: bring a printer! A nice one will keep you from spending your money on ink cartridge after ink cartridge, too. I've spent $0 on ink since buying mine in January!"
Apr 29, 2010