Frannie Tyner of California read the National High School Institute orientation letter recommending that journalism cherubs leave their laptops at home.  Cherubs would be able to use computers in a building near their dorm, the letter said.

Tyner brought her laptop anyway and used it to write most of her articles.

“It’s more comfortable for me to sit in the dorm and write,” Tyner said.  “It’s quiet.  I can listen to my music.”

For many cherubs, laptops were an alternative to the four computer labs at Northwestern University’s Fisk Hall. 

More than three-quarters of the Fisk computers were Dell Optiplex 170L’s, machines first produced over five years ago.  Leah Steinberg of California was unhappy.

“They take an hour to load,” she said.  “You sign in and get a blank screen for 10 minutes.  It’s annoying.”

Director Roger Boye said that the computers were fixtures until this past school year, when they were replaced by spots for student laptops.

“Medill asks all of its students to bring their own computers,” Boye said.

Since cherubs are encouraged not to bring laptops, the computers were brought out of storage for them to use.  But many cherubs still preferred their laptops.

“As someone who had their laptop here, I’d say it’s really useful,” Tyner said.  “I recommend future cherubs to bring their laptops.” 

Becky Glazier of New York said she would have preferred that cherubs, like Medill students, were told to bring laptops.

“That would have been better, because I think it’s more convenient to work on your own computer,” she said.

Campbell Burr of Maryland disagreed, saying that a laptop-only system would not work.

“I think it would be hard, because not everybody has a laptop,” Burr said.  “And if everybody did bring one, they might leave them in their dorm rooms.  They might get stolen.”

Steinberg brought her laptop but said she did not use it very often.  Instead, she tried to use one of the 20 newer Dell Precision T3400 computers in Fisk, which have the Windows Vista operating system.

“I’m all about the Vista computers, in an aggressive, territorial sort of way,” Steinberg said.  “I try not to make it clear that I’m running into the room to get those computers.”

Arianna Garcia of Illinois chose not to bring a laptop but said she regrets that decision.

“I think it would have been a lot easier to work in the dorms,” Garcia said.

Steinberg did see some benefits to having the computer labs.

“I think it’s nice for us to work on these computers because if everyone has their own laptops, it’s like they’re in their own little worlds,” she said.  “I think this is more uniting.”

Boye said that the computer labs foster a sense of community among the cherubs.  He said a few years ago cherubs were allowed to bring laptops, but that instructors decided not to try it again.

“People would be in their dorms rooms using their laptops,” he said.  “So there was a lot less socialization going on, which defeats one of the main purposes of the program.”