Computers are essential tools for an engineering education, just as it is in the engineering workplace. They are used extensively for modeling, design, and communicating engineering work. Course resources are often distributed through websites and assignments often submitted electronically. Internet access is needed for course registration, checking marks, and email communications with instructors and peers. All students are must use their Queen's email accounts for communications with the university. Students frequently work collaboratively on their laptops in the ILC group rooms.
As a result, we strongly recommend that each student have a computer, preferably a laptop for ease of collaborative work with other students, use in tutorials, etc. We also strongly recommend that each student sign up for high speed Internet access. Students in Queen's residences may signup for ResNet, and high-speed access in the Kingston area is available through service providers. The Queen's WiFi (802.11) network covers most of the campus. Queen's tries to make it easy for students to acquire computers, offering purchase and lease-to-own options on a variety of models at a range of prices. We provide several clusters of computers on campus for those who choose to not purchase a computer .
Hardware
If you are planning to obtain a computer for use at Queen's, you have the choice of buying or leasing one from the Queen's University Campus Computer Sales & Service (CCSS) store, or buying one off-campus from a computer store or online. CCSS offers lease-to-own plans that allow payments to be spread out over multiple years. Students may also use bursaries and student loans to purchase computers and software.
If you are buying a new laptop, any mid-range model should suffice. Our minimum recommended system specifications are:
- Operating System: We recommend Windows 7 to students who are purchasing laptops, as this OS will have long-term support. Students who own laptops running Windows XP (Service Pack 3) or Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) will be able to run software currently used in the program, but support for these will be decreasing in coming years. For those interested in bringing using an Apple Mac laptop, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page.
- Processor: 1.8 GHz dual core processor
- Memory (RAM): 4 GB
- Hard drive: 250 GB
- 256 MB Video card
- DVD-RW drive
- Network connectivity: 10/100 Gb/s Ethernet and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g
- Integrated video camera
Software
Software used in the first year of engineering is listed below. Some of the software listed below will be distributed by network download using Ida, our ITServices Desktop Assistant. Other software can be purchased at Campus Computer Sales and Service. The links below show more information.
- Jens' File Editor/GCC - This C programming environment will be used in the winter-term Computing Science course, APSC 142. This software can be downloaded and installed at no charge using Ida.
- Matlab - This mathematics software will be used in APSC 100 and your first-year Mathematics courses.
- Solid Edge - This full-featured CAD program will be used in APSC 161. This software can be downloaded and installed at no charge using Ida. Solid Edge is solely a Windows program; there is no version for Mac OS/X.
We also recommend that all students have a copy of Microsoft Office 2010 (the Home and Student version is sufficient). If you are bringing your own computer to Queen's and need a copy you can buy it from Campus Computer Sales & Service at an excellent academic price. If you are bringing a computer you already own, and that computer already has Microsoft Office installed on it, be sure to bring your Microsoft Office CDs with you to Queen's. You may need the CDs to install components of Office to be used in first year courses (e.g. Equation Editor, Analysis Toolpak). Students may also use older versions of Microsoft Office or competing software, but they will be reponsible to adapt instructions to those packages.
We recommend the purchase of the software by everyone who owns a computer (from Queen's or elsewhere). Copying and using someone else's software without buying a copy yourself is illegal, a violation of the Copyright Act. Following legal and ethical standards is an important part of being a Professional Engineer and is essential for all engineering students.
Queen's licenses Symantec antivirus and anti-spyware services for free use by all students, which is downloadable through the ITServices Desktop Assistant (Ida).
Further information
If you have questions about personal computers or software in first year, please contact Ana Popovic, Program Associate (First Year) at firstyr@appsci.queensu.ca.