[Trainer-Talk] desktop vs. laptop

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hello,

People have different needs. I'm only a volunteer trainer so primarily speak 
as a user of jaws.
I strongly believe you should keep some desktops as well as laptops. I think 
the advantages to the desktop are the larger keyboard layout. There are 
actually spaces on a regular keyboard that users use as landmarks. A compact 
keyboard on a laptop is so disorienting to me that I need landmarks on it 
made with bump dots or something. I also think many desktops are faster and 
have better connectivity to the internet. You can hardwire your desktops to 
the internet and laptops have wireless. I cannot tell you how many times I 
have slow or no connectivity via my laptop at college campuses and resort to 
using the one pc with jaws at the library. If you use desktops, I think 
you'd have less connectivity issues.
There are other advantages to using desktops, but these are the main ones 
that come to mind.

I know you can hook regular keyboards to laptops, so  if you go the laptop 
only route, I suggest you have some full size keyboards with the numeric 
keypad.

Those are my thoughts.

Ashley


-----Original Message----- 
From: Dean Martineau via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 5:16 PM
To: 'List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology'
Cc: Dean Martineau
Subject: Re: [Trainer-Talk] desktop vs. laptop

If you're teaching JAWS, I recommend teaching the laptop layout even on
desktops.  For those who insist on the numeric keypad, one can of course be
attached.  I can't see any other disadvantages with an all-laptop strategy.

Dean


-----Original Message-----
From: Trainer-Talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
Greg Aikens via Trainer-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2017 5:09 PM
To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
<trainer-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Greg Aikens <gaikens at cviga.org>
Subject: [Trainer-Talk] desktop vs. laptop

Hello all,
I'm working with our development department to draw up a list of specific
items we need to update our teaching lab at the center. On that list is
replacing our old desktop computers. My initial assumption was that I needed
to replace all of my old desktops with new desktops and add a few laptops.
However, my VP asked if we could/should replace desktops with laptops,
either completely or partially. This seems like it might give us the
greatest flexibility. So, from a teaching standpoint, what would I lose if
we used all laptops instead of desktops? The only things I can think of are
keyboard layout and the size of the monitor for magnification users, both of
which can be connected to a laptop. I realize that the financial side of the
decision looks different, scince workstations typically cost less than
laptops, but I'm just asking from a teaching perspective.

Thanks for any opinions.

Best,
Greg

Greg Aikens
Senior Assistive Technology Instructor
Center for the Visually Impaired<http://www.cviga.org/>
739 West Peachtree Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-602-4285

[Title: CVI Logo - Description: CVI Logo]<http://www.cviga.org/>

CVI<http://www.cviga.org/> empowers those with vision loss to live with
independence and dignity.



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