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LAPTOP PROGRAM GUIDE 2012 – 2013

Program Guide & Frequently Asked Questions

• 1.0 Welcome
  • 1.1 Am I a Laptop Program student?
  • 1.1.1 I'm not in a mandatory program and want to participate. How?
  • 1.2 How does it work?
  • 1.3.1 How do I get the software?
  • 1.3.2 First Year Material Art & Design: How do I get the software?
  • 1.3.3 First Year Material Art & Design: Where can students install the software?
  • 1.3.4 Do students own the software licensed to them?
• 2.0 Hardware and Software
  • 2.1 Software: Core Software bundle
    • 2.2 Do I get to keep Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office software?
    • 2.2.1 Adobe CS Disc Pickup Rules
    • 2.3 What if I already own the software?
    • 2.4.1 Environmental Design: What CAD software do I receive?
    • 2.4.2 Industrial Design: What CAD Software do I receive?
    • 2.4.3 What other Autodesk software can I get access to?
    • 2.4.4 Environmental Design & Industrial Design: Do I get to keep the Autodesk Software?
    • 2.4.5 Material Art & Design: What software do Jewellery Students receive in the CAD Fee? Rhino 3D
    • 2.4.6 Integrated Media, DPXA & DF:TIDA: What special software is included in these programs?
    • 2.4.7 Graphic Design and Advertising: What Fonts do I receive?
    • 2.5 What version of Windows do you image on the laptops?
    • 2.6.1 Can I run Windows on my Mac?
    • 2.6.2 Is Boot Camp slower on Apple hardware?
    • 2.7 Do you support iLife, iWork or Mac OS upgrades in the fees?
    • 2.7.1 What about Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8?
  • 2.8 Hardware: What Laptop do I buy?
    • 2.8.1 Advertising and Graphic Design: Recommended Apple Options
  • 2.8.2 Environmental Design, Industrial Design, Material Art & Design, Integrated Media, DPXA and df:tida Recommended PC Options
  • 2.8.3 Which MacBook Pro should I buy? The 13-inch or 15-inch?
  • 2.8.4 INTM, DPXA, DF:TIDA, ID, ED: Should I buy a 15" MacBook Pro or HP Elitebook?
  • 2.8.5 Do you support the MacBook Air?
  • 2.9 What if I already have a laptop computer? Is it compatible?
    
  • 2.10 What if I am entering First Year and I already have a computer? What does that mean for the Laptop Program in Second Year?
  • 2.11 What if my existing computer is "not compatible"?
  • 2.12 What if I have a Windows PC Laptop and I'm taking the minor in Advertising, Graphic Design, or Communication Design?
  • 2.13 Where Do I Buy My Laptop?
  • 2.14 When should I buy a computer?
  • 2.15 Do you have a cheaper recommended PC option?
  • 2.16 I want to go out and buy the "insert laptop brand and model here" at "insert big box or online store here" instead of one of the recommended models. Will you support me?
  • 2.17 Isn't the compute power and screen size of a desktop computer a better option than a laptop?
  • 2.18 Support & Warranties
    • 2.19 I have a problem with my computer. What do I do?
    • 2.20 Warranties
    • 2.21 Data Backup
    • 2.22 Laptop Imaging: What does "image your laptop" mean?
    • 2.23 How do I backup my data for imaging?
    • 2.24 Insurance
• 3.0 Laptop Program Fees
  • 3.1 Program Specific Fees (One-time)
  • 3.2 Annual Fees
  • 3.3 How are the fees applied?
  • 3.4 What are the approximate fees in 2nd Year? In 3rd Year?
  • 3.5 What are the approximate savings?
  • 3.6 What services can I access with the Mobile Computing fee?
  • 3.7 Can I opt out of any of the fees?
  • 3.8 Fee Reversals
  • 3.8.1 What if a fee appears twice or erroneously on my student account?
  • 3.8.2 What is the deadline for Fee Reversals?
  • 3.8.3 I was charged Laptop Program Fees in the Summer semester, and I don't receive OSAP until September. Can I defer my Fees until the start of the Fall/Winter Semester?
• 4.0 Contact Us
  • 4.1 Laptop Program Help Desk
  • 4.2 317c: The Store for Computers and Books
  • 4.3 Manager, Academic Computing

1.0 Welcome to the Laptop Program

The OCADU University runs one of the most successful laptop programs in Canada, bringing mobile digital tools to every student in Advertising, Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Environmental Design, Material Art & Design.

Starting in the 2012 – 13 academic year, OCAD University will be initiating several new Laptop and Software programs for the Faculty of Art and School of Interdisciplinary Studies:

• If you are in the specific year and program below you are in a Mandatory Laptop Program and are required to have a recommended laptop and pay the specific fees:

  • DF:TIDA –Year 1new!
  • Integrated Media –Year 2 new!
  • Digital Painting and Experimental Animation Specialization – Year 2 new!
    

  If you are in the specific year and program below you are in a Mandatory Software Program, you will receive software only, and not be required to have a laptop in class:

  • Photography –Year 2 new!

The Laptop Program exists to provide the best software and support for student creativity and imagination. We want to keep students engaged and focused on learning, not troubleshooting their computers. We aim to provide excellent value for students through aggressively negotiated licensing agreements, high quality service and support, and minimize time lost learning due to technology failures.

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1.1 Am I a Laptop Program student?

• If you are in any of the following programs you are in the Laptop Program:
  • Advertising
  • Graphic Design
  • Industrial Design
  • Environmental Design
  • Material Art & Design (Year 2, 3, 4)
  • Graduate Studies (IAMD & Digital Futures)
  • Integrated Media (Year 2) new!
  • DF: TIDA (Year 1, 2) new!
  • Digital Painting and Experimental Animation Specialization new!
    

• If you're in the following programs, you recieve Software only, and are not required to have a Laptop:
  • Photography new!
  • Material Art & Design (Year 1)

• If you are in Material Art & Design, in 1st year you will receive software only, and not be required to have a Laptop. In second year onwards, you are required to have a laptop.
• You're also in the Laptop Program if you are taking a minor in any Faculty of Design program that includes courses from Graphic Design, Advertising, Environmental Design, Industrial Design or Material Art & Design.

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1.1.1 I'M NOT IN A MANDATORY PROGRAM BUT WANT TO PARTICIPATE. HOW?

Starting in Fall 2012, we are opening up the previous Opt-in Laptop Program for Illustration to all Faculty of Art Students. The program will mirror what was previously only offered to Illustration students.

1.2 How does it work?

1. You need an OCAD U recommend laptop. Do you own a recommended laptop?
   1. YES! You own a recommended computer. Great! You don't need to buy a new computer!
      
   2. No. If you need to buy an OCAD U recommended laptop computer, we recommend you purchase it through our on-campus store called 317c: The Store for Computers and Books because they offer DISCOUNTS that you will not find anywhere else. Once you buy the computer, you own it for the duration of your studies and graduate with it.
2. We license the software you need at prices lower than standard academic discount. We then charge you fees for software and support that are applied annually or one-time, depending on the fee. Most of the software you own, we upgrade, and you take with you.
3. We support you on campus through a Laptop Help Desk, including software imaging support and on-campus Apple repair support.

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1.3.1 How do I get the software?

First Year students: You can have your laptop imaged at the Laptop Help Desk in 113 McCaul Street, Room 1301, 3th Floor. If there is software for you to pickup, you can do it there.

Upper year students: You can have your laptop imaged at the Laptop Help Desk in 100 McCaul Steet, Room 664, 6th Floor. If there is software for you to pickup, you can do it there.

We license the software on your behalf and you are charged fees on your student account. You do not need to purchase any software.

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1.3.2 PHOTOGRAPHY AND First Year Material Art & Design: How do I get the software?

You're not required to have a laptop. Would a laptop be useful? Yes! But you don't need to have a computer in the classroom. We distribute install discs so you can install your software. Students will be provided with Adobe and Microsoft install discs via the Laptop Program Helpdesk, Room 664, 100 McCaul Street. You can access Lynda.com at https://lynda.external.ocad.ca

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1.3.3 PHOTOGRAPHY AND First Year Material Art & Design: Where can students install the software?

Students can install the software on a home desktop or laptop where they are the primary user: you are entitled to two installs where the software is not in simultaneous use.

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1.3.4 Do students own the software licensed to them?

• We provide each student a license of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office which is theirs to use: it does not belong to the institution.
• During a student's time at OCAD, they will be guaranteed upgrades to Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office software, which is important given the rapid changes in operating systems.
• Students are entitled to continue to use Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office installed on their laptop after they graduate.
• After a student leaves, they are entitled to keep on running the last version OCAD provided but OCAD will no longer upgrade the software.
• Most of the other program specific software packages offered through the Laptop Program are owned by the student, with the exception of the Autodesk software.

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1.4 What if I am only taking this as a part of a minor in the Faculty of Design (except Illustration) or Faculty of Art (Integrated Media)?

You're in the Laptop Program. You need to have a laptop computer and pay the Laptop Program fees. Please read all of the documentation on the website to understand the implications of joining the Laptop Program when you take a minor.

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2.0 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

2.1 Software: Core Software bundle

The core software bundle includes the most current version of the Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection, Autodesk Master Suite, Microsoft Office and unlimited access to Lynda.com. This represents a huge savings to students over purchasing commercial licenses, or even standard educational licensing.

• Adobe Creative Suite Master Collection: Acrobat Professional, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Flash, Dreamweaver, Flash Catalyst, Premiere, AfterEffects, Encore, Soundbooth
• Autodesk Master Suite (installed by default for ED students, by request for others)
• Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Unlimited Access to Lynda.com Software Tutorials

When new versions of Microsoft Office or Adobe Creative Suite are released, we roll these out to students typically by the next semester.

We only provide Adobe CS discs for the version that is current in September of a given academic year.

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2.2 Do I get to keep Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office software?

Microsoft Office and the Adobe Creative Suite can be taken away after graduation, but we only provide imaging support until June 30th of any particular year.

2.2.1 Software Install Disc Pickup

• Material Art & Design:
  • Students are entitled to one install disc of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office in their 1st year. We only provide Adobe CS discs for the version that is current in September of a given academic year.
• Photography:
  • Students are entitled to one install disc of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office in their 2nd year as a part of the Software Program.
  • We only provide Adobe CS discs for the version that is current in September of a given academic year.
  • Software will be upgraded on an annual basis with the versions that are current in September as the version that a student is entitled to.
  • One Adobe Lightroom version/install disc is provided, but unfortunately no upgrades to this software is provided. The version that is current in September of that given Academic Year is what the students are entitled to.
• All Laptop Program Students: Students are entitled to one install disc of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office in their fourth year core studio class, which we also assume is their graduating year.
  • Students must pickup their Adobe CS discs by June 30th.
  • Students are entitled to the version of Adobe Creative Suite that was current in September of their fourth year core studio class
  • We only provide Adobe CS discs for the version that is current in September of a given academic year.
  • If a student retakes fourth year thesis, pays fees and therefore graduates in five years, they may request a new disc set at the Laptop Help Desk, and usually requires the approval of the Manager, Academic Computing
  • If students did not pick up their discs in their fourth year, we will gladly supply them if we still have a reserve of the correct version of the discs. We are not responsible. if the reserve has run out we cannot get more.
  • No imaging will be performed on the students' computers once they have graduated.

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2.3 What if I already own the software?

About 1% of students arrive to OCADU with legitimate licenses of a current or older version of one or more titles included in the core software bundle. Unfortunately, individual students pay more to keep their software current than OCADU does, and it is simply not cost-effective for students to maintain commercial licenses given the savings that OCADU is able to pass on to students. OCADU cannot waive Software Fees as they include upgrades to the software.

Most students do not have legitimate licenses for any of the software. We act in the interests of students by purchasing software they need for curriculum at a price lower than anyone can purchase it in a store.

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2.4.1 Environmental Design: What CAD software do I receive?

Second Year Environmental Design students receive Autodesk AutoCAD and Revit Architecture installed on their system, as well as a serial number for Sketchup Pro which can be downloaded here. Students can optionally install any other Autodesk Master Suite applications on their computers, either via the Help Desk or the Autodesk Student Portal, however students should note that the versions that we install at the Laptop Help Desk do not print with a watermark.

2.4.2 Industrial Design: What CAD Software do I receive?

Second Year Industrial Design students receive a disc for Rhino 3D. They also have access to Autodesk Alias Automotive, 3Ds Max Design, Inventor and Sketchbook Pro which can be downloaded here. For the Autodesk software, please visit the Laptop Help Desk or theAutodesk Student Portal, however students should note that the versions that we install at the Laptop Help Desk do not print with a watermark.

2.4.3 What other Autodesk software can I get access to?

All students can optionally install the Autodesk applications on their computers at their discretion by visiting the Help Desk. We do this because not all students wish to Bootcamp their Apple Laptops, and the install size is large.

Students can also download Sketchbook Pro and other packages via the Autodesk Student Portal, but many of these versions are watermarked when printed (but not Sketchbook Pro). The versions that we install at the Laptop Help Desk do not print with a watermark.

2.4.4 Do I get to keep the Autodesk Software?

Students check out a license from our FlexLM server for a specific time-limited period. Unfortunately, Autodesk does not provide perpetual licenses for this software. Autodesk's software will continue to run on your computer for up to 180 days after the last time you checked out a license. Unfortunately, Autodesk does not have an ownership model for students.

2.4.5 Material Art & Design: What software do Jewellery Students receive in the CAD Fee? Rhino 3D

Students taking specific courses in Material Art & Design are charged a CAD Fee of $110 for Rhino 3D. This is provided as an install disc set to students from the Laptop Help Desk. While this software is a perpetual license, it does not include future upgrades, which students must purchase at the upgrade price.

2.4.6 Integrated Media, DPXA & DF:TIDA: What Special software do I recieve?

Integrated Media: INTM 2B11: Animation: Origins & Techniques
This is for a DragonFrame license. DragonFrame is a professional frame-by-frame capture package.

Integrated Media: INTM 2B06: Sonic Arts.
This is for a Cubase 6 Artist license. Cubase is a professional digital audio workstation suitable for music creation, audio editing and post-production.

DF:TIDA: Game Design $40
This is for a Gamemaker license.

2.4.7 Graphic Design and Advertising: What fonts do I receive?

The Adobe Font Folio is a suite of 2300 fonts that the Graphic Design and Advertising students receive when they take their Second Year curriculum (for students entering second year in 2012-13). This is a professional set of fonts that sell commercially for thousands of dollars. This package is not available to any students outside of these programs.

We install the Adobe Font Folio in the root directory of the drive, and students may choose to manage their fonts with FontBook or manually add fonts to their Home > Library > Fonts folder.

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2.5 What version of Windows do you image on the laptops?

Windows 7 64-bit.

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2.6.1 Can I run Windows on my Mac?

YES. As a Laptop Program student, you can run Windows on your Mac at no extra cost.

Bring your computer to the Laptop Program Help Desk, and we will Boot Camp your computer. Boot Camp is a tool that allows an Intel-based Apple computer to boot the Windows operating system. It is natively supported in Mac OS X, and works extremely well.

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2.6.2 Is Boot Camp slower on Apple hardware?

No. You are booting the computer into Windows 7 and the hardware runs at full speed with full hardware driver support. The Apple hardware is excellent, from the processor to the graphics card. Boot Camp has the following restrictions:

• You need to reboot your computer to use Windows
• Your Mac can read but not write to the Windows partition

Do you support Virtualization?
NO. You're welcome to run virtualization software: we just don't support it.

VMWare Fusion and Parallels Desktop allow you to run Windows (and other operating systems) inside a Mac OS X window while you are running Mac OS X. There are advantages and disadvantages to running virtualization software. We do not support virtualization due to the fact some of our graphics intensive software can behave unexpectedly under virtualization.

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2.7 Do you support Apple OS, iLife or iWork upgrades?

No. We do not license the OS, iLife or iWork for students in this program. After some analysis, we decided that students can elect to purchase these software packages on their own. We manage at least two OS images based on what students own already, and their computers are shipped with.

2.7.1 What about Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8?

If the upgrade is as smooth as Lion was, we expect that any students whose computers shipped with Mountain Lion, or who paid for the upgrade can be imaged with Mountain Lion.

If your computer has Lion, then we image with Lion. If your computer has Mountain Lion, we will image with Mountain Lion when it is released.

2.8 Hardware: What Laptop do I buy?

Program	Graphic Design Advertising	Environmental Design Industrial Design Material Art & Design Integrated Media Digital Painting and Experimental Animation DF:TIDA
Options	Apple MacBook Pro	Apple MacBook Pro or HP Elitebook W Series

 

2.8.1 Advertising and Graphic Design: Recommended Apple Options

Advertising & Graphic Design is a mandatory Apple Laptop Program. The Advertising and Graphic Design industries have for many years been strong supporters of Mac OS X and Apple due to its intuitive interface and focus on design professionals. Mac OS X provides an excellent user experience and a vibrant support community. Apple computers are powerful, well constructed, focused on creative professionals, and easy to maintain. The choice of Apple means you have the room to learn and be creative.

OCADU Recommends any MacBook or MacBook Pro computer for this program. For more information on pricing contact 317c: The Store for Computers and Books or view the current Apple pricing at 317c.

2.8.2 Environmental Design, Industrial Design, Material Art & Design, Integrated Media, DPXA and df:tida Recommended PC Options

For 2012-13, the official HP Elitebook W Series model has not been announced yet. We are awaiting rollout of new machines that use Intel's Ivy Bridge processor. Please check back for updates.

For 2011-12, the official HP model was the HP Elitebook 8560w. Part #: XU085UT#ABA

For pricing contact 317c: The Store for Computers and Books.

OCADU Recommends: HP EliteBook W Series or Apple MacBook Pro Laptop with Bootcamp

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2.8.3 Which Macbook pro should I buy? The 13-inch or 15-inch?

For students who want the maximum performance or are expecting to do 3D, or graphics intensive work that relies on the graphics card, the 15" MacBook Pro has a quad-core processor and better graphics card than the 13" model: the 15" MacBook Pro has an AMD Radeon graphics card, whereas the 13" only has an Intel HD Graphics Card.

The 13" MacBook Pro is more portable and afforable: it's smaller, lighter and cheaper.

2.8.4 INTM, DPXA, DF:TIDA, ID, ED: Should I buy a 15" MacBook Pro or HP Elitebook?

If you are an Integrated Media student and are planning on taking Video for Artists, we recommend the 15" MacBook Pro as you will need Mac OS X to run Final Cut Pro X.

If you are an Integrated Media student and are planning on taking INTM 2B33 Computer Modelling & Animation, we recommend the HP Elitebook W Series over the 15" MacBook Pro, however, the 15" MacBook Pro is still an excellent choice and works fine based our testing. Students may experience graphics performance issues with the 13" MacBook Pro.

The one major difference between the most similar Apple model and the HP model is the graphics card. The 15" MacBook Pro has an AMD Radeon card (gaming card) and the HP has a workstation class NVidia Quadro card which can take advantage of certain advanced features in Autodesk 3ds Max and other software.

Obviously, the HP does not run Mac OS X, and will not run Final Cut Pro X and other software for Mac OS X.

For more information on pricing contact 317c: The Store for Computers and Books or view the current Apple pricing at 317c.

2.8.5 Do you support the MacBook Air?

The MacBook Air is supported, but not recommended. Some users may be not 100% satisified with the performance of these machines, the graphics cards, and the small SSD adds additional complexity with the additional space requirements that Bootcamp support demands.

For pricing contact 317c: The Store for Computers and Books.

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2.9 What if I already have a laptop computer? Is it compatible?

Here is an easy to understand chart that explains the compatibility with various hardware for each of the various programs.

Program	Graphic Design Advertising	Industrial Design Environmental Design Material Art & Design	Integrated Media DPXA DF:TIDA
MacBook Pro 15"	Recommended	Recommended	Recommended*
MacBook Pro 13"	Recommended	Recommended	Supported, not recommended
MacBook Air	Supported, not recommended	Supported, not recommended	Supported, not recommended
MacBook	Supported, not recommended	Supported, not recommended	Supported, not recommended
HP Elitebook W Series (Intel Ivy Bridge Processor) TO BE ANNOUNCED	Supported, not recommended	Recommended	Recommended, except for INTM Video for Artists*
HP EliteBook 8560w XU085UT#ABA (2011-12)	Supported, not recommended	Recommended	Recommended*
Any other PC Laptop	Not Compatible	Not Compatible	Not Compatible

*Those students choosing to take INTM 2B29 Video for Artists I or INTM 2B30 Video for Artists II are recommended to have an Apple MacBook Pro laptop in order to run Final Cut Pro X. Those students wishing to take INTM 2B33 Computer Modelling & Animation should be aware that Autodesk 3ds Max performs more optimally on the HP Elitebook hardware.

Recommended	Recommended, supported, and we can image them.
Supported, not recommended	We don't recommend this computer, but we can support it.
Not Recommended	Not recommended, not supported, and we are not able to image them.

 

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2.10 What if I am entering First Year and I already have a computer?

Please refer to the chart above for the compatibility of laptops for First or Second year.

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2.11 What if my existing computer is "not compatible"?

If your system is listed as "Not Recommended" we do not support it. We also call these "non-conforming" systems. If you have a non-conforming system expect that:

• We will be very limited in our ability to troubleshoot any kind of issue with your computer
• Unless it's an Apple or HP, there is no on-site repair support
• You will be required to manually install all of your software in the Laptop Help Desk during off-peak hours, which takes longer than our imaging process. Sometimes, the software does not install at all due to incompatibilities.

Altogether, this often results in students wasting large amounts of valuable time. Your time is more valuable than the money you save buying a cheap laptop. Please purchase a recommended configuration for your program.

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2.12 What if I have a Windows PC Laptop and I'm taking the minor in Advertising, Graphic Design, or Communication Design?

If you are a current Laptop Program student in Industrial Design, Environment Design and Material Art & Design, you may use your current PC laptop for your minor in Graphic Design and Advertising.

If you are an Illustration student, or Faculty of Art student, and currently own an existing PC laptop, we do not require you to purchase a new computer, however we offer limited support for non-conforming laptop computers. If you have a computer that does not fit our list of recommended systems, we are extremely challenged to support equipment that we are completely unfamiliar with, and we do not have the resources to do so.

If you are considering taking a minor that is in the Laptop Program, please review our recommended systems, fees and all implications prior to joining the program.

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2.13 Where Do I Buy My Laptop?

We recommend that students purchase their laptops from the on-campus store, 317c: The Store for Computers and Books, satellite operation of the University of Toronto Computer Shop and is a fully authorized Apple Education Reseller. Apple Education pricing is only available to Education resellers.

The on-campus store stocks all the recommended models for the laptop program, especially the HP models for Environmental Design, Industrial Design, Material Art & Design, Integrated Media, DPXA and DF:TIDA. Any HP model will not do: you must purchase the specific HP part number that we recommend in order for our software image to work.

For more information on laptops, Back to School Specials and more, contact Ken Walton at:

317c The Store for Computers & Books
OCAD University, 100 McCaul St. Room 317c
416-977-6000 ext. 360 (Store) & 361 (office & voice mail)
kwalton@campuscomputershop.com

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Location: North wing of the third floor of 100 McCaul St., Room 317c.

For more information go to http://www.ocadu.ca/317c

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2.14 When should I buy a computer?

We recommend that students wait until late in the summer to ensure that models do not change prior to the school year, and that students take advantage of Back-to-School specials.

Watch this website and the 317c: Store for Computers and Books for more information.

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2.15 Do you have a cheaper recommended PC option?

We recommend the 13" Apple MacBook Pro. The build quality of cheaper PC Laptops is unacceptable. We do not want to recommend hardware that is going to show signs of fatigue or failure after the first year.

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2.16 I want to go out and buy the "insert laptop brand and model here" at "insert big box or online store here" instead of one of the recommended models. Will you support me?

For whatever reason, some students believe the Gigablaster Pro at Bob's Online Emporium is a better machine, more attractive, cheaper, or is the right shade of red. But OCAD U IT Services will not support it. Here are the consequences of purchasing a non-supported laptop:

• You will be required to visit the Help Desk after 5:00pm to manually install all of your software which takes a long time, and a lot longer than our imaging process
• You will not take advantage of any specials at the on-campus store 317c: The Store for Computers and Books
• We will be very limited in our ability to troubleshoot any kind of issue with your computer
• There will be no on-site repair support for your computer

Again, this often results in students wasting large amounts of valuable time and money. Contact us if you are considering this option.

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2.17 isn't the power of a desktop computer a better option than a laptop?

Having a computer with you at all times – especially on campus – is the key to learning faster, collaborating with your peers and being more productive. You can't do that with a desktop, which is stuck at home. In most contexts for a student, portability is more important than compute power.

Some students choose to purchase a home desktop, and own a laptop and a desktop: we don't advocate this. This is a more expensive option for students, and in the long run, one good laptop is better than a cheap laptop and a desktop. This program is a Laptop Program only, and we are only required to support one computer.

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2.18 Support & Warranties

2.19 I have a problem with my computer. What do I do?

Bring your computer to the Laptop Program Help Desk. The Help Desk Assistant or Class Assistant will review the problem, fix the issue, recommend that your system be re-imaged or escalated to our Laptop Technicians.

• Hardware Repair:
  • If you have an Apple computer, and it requires hardware repair under warranty, we can repair it on-site for you.
  • If you have an HP Laptop, you will need to call HP in order to get on-site support for your machine.
• Loaner Computers: If your computer is going to be out of commission for an extended period of time, you can loan out a computer while we're waiting for your computer to be fixed.
• Data Rescue: Occasionally, we perform data rescue on student computers if there has been corruption on the hard drive. This is in order to recover non-corrupted student work on the disc.
• Virus Removal: We typically do not perform virus removal on student laptops: often the viruses take longer to remove than it does to reimage the computer, and virus removal can be time-consuming and unsuccessful in some cases due to the persistence of some viruses.

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2.20 Warranties

AppleCare

Register your AppleCare!

Apple offers a 2-year extension on their standard 1-year warranty, and we STRONGLY encourage you and believe it is a requirement to purchase AppleCare when you buy your computer for the following reasons:

• With the exception of accidental damage, the warranties cover your computer for unexpected hardware failures
• Replacement parts for laptops are very costly and are covered under warranties
• Some computers and users have more repairs than others
• It is not unusual to have at least one failure or repair in your three years including, hard drive, logic board, DVD drive, or a problem with your screen or case not resulting from abuse or accidental damage. Our students have benefited greatly by purchasing and registering Applecare in the past and we believe it is absolutely necessary.

Please register your Applecare here: https://selfsolve.apple.com/Agreements.do

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HP Elitebook Warranty

• The HP EliteBook W Series includes a 3 year parts and labour warranty that includes on-site service, meaning that you will not have to take your computer off campus for repair support.
• Simply bring your computer to the Laptop Program Help Desk, and we will initiate a service call.

2.21 Data Backup

Every year, we have at least two or more Fourth Year Thesis students with lost projects and unrecoverable data. Do not be this person. We strongly recommend that you purchase a hard drive to back up your files.

Time Machine on Mac OS X

Mac OS X includes Time Machine, a program that automatically makes external hard drives into backup devices. It is a very good disaster recovery option.

Backup for Windows 7

Windows 7 includes excellent backup tools that allow for incremental and full system restore.

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What External Hard Drive should I buy?

317c: The Store for Computers and Books stocks LaCie hard drives in multiple sizes and formats, with both USB only and USB and Firewire drives, and small portable drives as well as full size desktop drives. The primary difference is speed of the drive: small portable drives typically run at a lower speed, and are less suitable for high-performance applications (such as editing video).

Firewire 800
Note that MacBook Pro laptops have USB and Firewire 800 only. Firewire 800 is backwards compatible to Firewire 400, so a Firewire 800 port can be used to connect a Firewire 400 device such as a hard drive or video camera. For more information, contact 317c: The Store for Computers and Books

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2.22 Laptop Imaging: What does "image your laptop" mean?

When we refer to the "image" in the Laptop Program, we are talking about the optimized software installation that we place on your laptop computer.

• We take one computer, install all the software and then take a snapshot of the computer or an image, which we then deploy to every laptop program student.
• You retain full control of your computer: you have administrative access in the operating system to your laptop, so you can install additional software and manage system updates.
• We image computers rather than perform manual installations because:
  
  • It's faster. Imaging for Macs takes about 20 minutes.
  • There are no install discs to lose or serial numbers to save
  • If your computer becomes unstable due to a software problem, we can easily "reimage" your computer rather than diagnose the issue which usually requires a complete reinstall.

Imaging: The Difference between Macs and PC's

• We can support all of our Apple models with one or two images. That is why we have very few restrictions on which models you can buy.
• Windows Images are specific and unique to the computer hardware. An image must be created for each model of computer that we support. This is very very time consuming, and makes it impossible to support a variety of Windows laptops. That's why we recommend that you purchase a specific computer.

Software installation
After you purchase your computer and register for your core studio class you will be able to get your computer imaged. If your computer has been used prior to imaging, back up your data, as all of your data will be erased. Bring your computer to the Laptop Program Help Desk in room 664. Make sure you have your student ID with you.
Return to pick it up at the time you are given (typically 1-3 hours).

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2.23 How do I backup my data for imaging?

Have a look at Matt and Darren's excellent video on backing up your computer.

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2.24 Insurance

Theft or Loss
Most laptop thefts are "crimes of opportunity": the laptop is left unattended somewhere easy for a thief to steal it and go unnoticed. We ask all students to consider insurance against theft or loss, which means:

• Find out if your laptop computer is insured against theft or loss as a part of your parent's insurance or your own Renter's insurance policy. This requires a call to the insurance provider.
• Investigate costs and conditions. Consider how much it costs to insure your laptop if it is destroyed by fire or theft in an apartment, versus out of the property.
• Either way, think about the consequences of loss or theft, and if you choose not to insure, come up with some strategies for protecting your computer, like:
• Never lock it in the backseat or trunk of a vehicle
• Never let it out of your sight while on campus or in public
  

Damage

Our experience is that damage is more common than theft, due to drops or spills from liquids into the laptop. Please have a good laptop bag and keep liquids away from your computer (and out of your laptop bag).

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Financing

While OCADU does not have any special financial assistance programs to cover the cost of purchasing your laptop or for laptop-program related fees. Financial assistance comes from a variety of sources including OSAP, bursaries, scholarships, awards and opportunities to work on campus. Please see our Financial Aid & Awards section of the OCADU web site if you need further assistance. Go to www.ocadu.ca > Students > Financial Matters.

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3.0 LAPTOP PROGRAM FEES

For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the OCAD Website > Financial Matters > Tuition & Fees > Laptop Program.

3.1 Program Specific Fees: One Time Fees

Please refer to the Fees page for the most detail for your program.

• Advertising & Graphic Design - Font Fee (one-time)
• Environmental Design - CAD Fee (one-time)
• Industrial Design - CAD Fee (one-time)
• Material Art & Design - CAD Fee (one-time)
• Integrated Media
• Photography
• DPXA
• DF:TIDA

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3.2 Annual Fees

Software Fee (annual)

Please refer to the Fees page for the most detail for your program.

Each year of the Laptop Program, students pay annual fees for the core Software Bundle. This includes all the future upgrades to the software while you are a Laptop Program student – not just one version. That's why the fee is annual.

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Print Fee (annual)

Please refer to the Fees page for the most detail for your program.

Each year of the Laptop Program, students pay a fixed amount towards print credits which can be used for black & white and colour printing at the University.

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Mobile Computing Fee (annual)

Please refer to the Fees page for the most detail for your program.

The Mobile Computing Fee is charged once per year to students in the mandatory Laptop Program. The support of student-owned technology requires a separate fee.

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3.3 How are the fees applied?

Once registered for a laptop program course, the fees are triggered on an annual basis in the first semester in which you register until you graduate or withdraw from the program area in question.

If you register in the summer, fees will be applied, but you may request that these fees be deferred until September by speaking to the Finance Office. Due to software licensing restrictions we cannot image computers or offer support unless fees have been paid.

The program specific fees like the Font Fee and CAD Fee are one-time fees, and are triggered on specific courses taken. These will automatically appear on your student account.

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3.4 What are the approximate fees in 2nd Year? In 3rd Year?

Please refer to the Fees page for the most detail for your program.

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3.5 What are the approximate savings?

On the Core Software bundle alone, we estimate students are saving as much as $1660 over traditional academic software purchasing at the highest discount students can achieve. Students are saving even more over commercial software pricing. The Program Specific software we provide, in some cases, is normally so costly it is completely out of reach of students.

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3.6 What services can I access with the Mobile Computing fee?

• Help Desk Operations: We operate a friendly and efficient Help Desk on the 6th Floor that is specifically focused on serving Laptop Program students. We aim to answer any question, and provide support and materials for your computers.
• Loaner Computers: We provide loaner computers if for any reason your computer goes into service. Simply provide a repair receipt to the Help Desk and they will provide you an up-to-date computer for the duration of your repair
• Loaner Peripherals: We stock common peripherals that students often forget at home or need to use including power adapters, iPod cables, mice, keyboards, tablets, Apple display dongles and more. We purchase these peripherals based on student request.
• Imaging Support: In order to build the images for student computers, we need computers to build images on that are not a part of the standard loaner inventory. It means that you never have to waste time installing software or troubleshooting issues with your computer, and we pre-configure certain options for convenience.

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3.7 Can I opt out of any of the fees?

No. None of the fees are pay-per-use fees. We provide software and services at a fixed cost which is shared amongst all Laptop Program students. The fees are based on 100% mandatory participation by all students in the program, and we design the program to maximize value for all students.

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3.8 Fee Reversals

3.8.1 What if a fee appears twice or erroneously on my student account?

There are several occasions where fees may appear twice or erroneously in error. Depending on your situation, these fees can be manually reversed from your student account. Please send an e-mail to amcallister@ocadu.ca with your name, student number and a brief description of your situation.

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Valid Fee Reversals are:

1. If you are not taking any program specific required courses in your program major or minor, you may request a fee reversal. Example: You have finished all of your four years of studio courses in Graphic Design, you are taking no GRPH courses, and only Liberal Studies or other program area courses.
2. A Laptop Program student taking a minor in another Laptop Program core studio may be billed twice for Mobile, Software and Print fees. Example: You are in Graphic Design and are taking a minor in Material Art & Design, and you are charged fees twice, you may request a fee reversal
3. If you retake a second year core studio course, and the Font or CAD fee is billed a second time, you may request a fee reversal

Situations where fees will not be reversed are as follows:

• Students who were not previously in the Laptop Program and are now in taking any required course in one of the Program Majors, for any reason, must pay the mandatory fees.
• Students who are not Laptop Program students who are taking a minor in a Laptop Program Major must pay the mandatory fees.
• Students who pay the Mobile Computing and Print fees who have not graduated.

*Fees are subject to change year-to-year based on exchange rates, software bundles, negotiated pricing or other factors.

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3.8.2 What is the deadline for Fee Reversals?

Due to tax compliance, we can only offer Fee Reversals up until the last regular business day in January of any given year, for that academic year.

For example, if you paid a fee in the Summer, Fall or Winter semester of 2012-13, and requested a reversal February 1st, 2013, we could not consider nor process a reversal. We cannot process reversals for previous years.

Requests for Fee Reversals after the last business day in January cannot be completed.

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3.8.3 I was charged Laptop Program Fees in the Summer semester, and I don't receive OSAP until September. Can I defer my Fees until the start of the Fall/Winter Semester?

Yes. Finance allows students who are returning, to defer their fees to the Fall Semester. Contact the Finance office for more information.

4.0 Contact Us

4.1 Laptop Program Help Desk

Room 664, 100 McCaul Street
416 977 6000 x444
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 10:00pm
Closed on weekends

Room 1301, 113 McCaul Street
416 977 6000 x2789
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 10:00pm
Closed on weekends

The Help Desk is your first line of support if you are having problems with your laptop. At the Help Desk, we can provide re-imaging if you have software problems, help you with your wireless internet, or set up the OCADU printers.

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4.2 317c: The Store for Computers and Books

Ken Walton
416 977 6000 x361
kwalton@campuscomputershop.com

Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm.
Location: North wing of the third floor of 100 McCaul St., Room 317c.
Phone: 416 977 6000 x360

For more information go to http://www.ocadu.ca/317c

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4.3 Manager, Academic Computing

Andrew McAllister
416.977.6000 x304
amcallister@ocadu.ca
Room 634

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Last Modified:4/23/2012 1:11:46 PM

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