Job Discussion Forums

[disimp]

I've checked out previous threads relating to laptops in the UAE but they all seem to be a little old... So, was wondering if anyone has any up to date advice as to whether its better to bring a laptop with you or buy when you arrive??? I can buy a new laptop here in NZ for approx US$1300. I'd be wanting to use my laptop for school work, photos, internet and music. If I bring one from home, will there be any implications for bringing into the country (apart from excess weight of course). Thanks in advance for your advice.

By the way, who was the crazy person who invented paper mache? I've just starting making these massive masks with my class and I hate it already!!

[veiledsentiments]

Take it with you... no problem getting them in. You likely have a better choice at home. (certainly true here in the US)

VS

[snorkel]

Does anyone know the 'rules' for computer use at HCT? Are we able to access internet at HCT for personal use or is this frowned upon? And will we be assigned laptops by any chance? or am I really dreaming? I'll need to buy a new laptop too as i've destroyed the screen on my current one and need to learn all about the new gadgetry in order to know what to buy...not looking forward to that......

[Afra]

Depending which college you are going to, you will be issued with a laptop. HCT policy is that all courses move towards blended learning and that all students should have a laptop; some colleges have been using laptops in class for years and others have yet to start. You will have access to college courses you teach via WebVista and can add your own material if you have designer rights or design your own course, which has to be approved. In some colleges, you will have access to ongoing IT professional development and orientation usually has something about IT
You can also use the laptop for personal matters, take it home and keep it during holidays but you are expected to use it responsibly on campus - not spend working time on facebook or messenger, for example. Reading newspapers is considered part of work where I am. Certain sites are blocked either by the college or by the government service provider. If your college does not use laptops, you will have a pc as most admin is via a college portal.

[uaeobserver]

Educational institutions have fewer web page blocks than the average Etisalat link.

My friend at HCT says you can still access a certain peer-to-peer voice application (ahem....) from on-campus.

[veiledsentiments]

I would be very leery of using the college computer for personal surfing. Most of us use our computers for handling our banking and bill paying... personal emails... political blogging... etc... I would not want my employer to have ANY access to information related to that.

If I had a college provided laptop, it would only have their official emails and work related things... plus the most innocuous of website reading... the same as on a company computer if I were in an office working here.

VS

[Afra]

What you can do and what you should do are two very different things. The IT people have access to whatever you are doing, or so they say. I wouldn't risk my job when I can access the same site at home with my pc, especially as there are ways of bypassing the proxy. Skype, for instance.

[abudhabi]

To get back to the original topic ... there is a pretty good selection of laptops in the UAE. A stroll round Carrefour in Abu Dhabi's Marina Mall will show you the lastest HP, Acer, Toshiba and other laptops ranging from well under US$1000 to over $2000. Go upstairs to Plug-ins and you'll see a few more. The computer souks in Dubai have the reputation of being cheaper and you can haggle there. There is a possible advantage of having bought the laptop in the UAE as far as warranty goes. By the way, you won't get slugged for extra weight if you carry the laptop on board - it counts in addition to the 7 kg allowance.

Snorkel, every faculty member at HCT gets a computer - you can usually opt for a laptop if it is your preference. You can take it home with you, but for home use, why don't you just buy an LCD monitor and still use your laptop?

I haven't heard of anyone being hauled over the coals for their internet use - but I know the techies can easily track what you are doing, especially printing - there are printer logs which tracks who sent what to which printer when.

[snorkel]

Thanks Abudhabi. I makes sense to wait until i get to the UAE now that I think of the costs and all the things i'll have to pack and carry.