Multimedia 2010/2011 First Years

callaway92

anybody doing Multimedia starting this year?

I had Multimedia (Level 8) down for CIT but wasn't near the points. This was my first choice Level 7.

Looking forward to it, it seems like a decent course:D

Staying in Manor Village

shanemul

Good course i'm going into 3rd year in it. Be prepared for some hard work and if its anything like last year well over 100 people in 1st year

MitchKoobski

I'm headin into 2nd year now. 97 people started it last year to be exact. 64 remaining as of May.

Very enjoyable course, work can be challenging if you don't keep track but you should have no problems seeing as you were interested in a Multimedia course anyway. A lot of people in my year thought it would be a piece of piss. Hence why theres 64 or less left now.

wobbles

Finished up the final year of that course in May. Course is grand, some lecturers are great, some are utter crap. We got screwed over when electives were not run because they couldnt get a lecturer (i still cant believe they couldnt run graphic design on a multimedia course) so fight your corner all the way.

Workload can be demanding but if you work through it as it comes in, and not leave it to the last day, then you should be fine.

callaway92

jesus I didn't realise the classes would be so big..I was expecting 20 at the most

MitchKoobski

Well they split us up into 4 different classes for it. All one group for lectures, separate groups for practicals and tutorials.

wobbles

I really wouldnt worry about large numbers, the course tends to have a high drop out rate. 55 of us started in 2006, down to 25 by the end of first year, and down to around 12 by the end of year 4

Digitalism

Is there much computer/laptop work in this course as im looking to buy a cheap netbook and wondering is it needed. Are programs such as photoshop/office etc used often?

shanemul

your going to need something more powerful than a netbook if you wanna do some of the project work at home! One of your first modules will be using photoshop and you'll end up using all the way along until you finish

Digitalism

Ive got a very powerful laptop at home yeah but its very big and heavy and not sure if id like to be bringing it in with me all the time as its very heavy and was expensive. Does everyone bring in their own laptops for photoshop or is there supplied pcs and did anyone use a netbook for photoshop?

shanemul

Most of the Labs in the IT building have photoshop so u can use them but i don't think photoshop would work well on a netbook

a1000pigeons

Computers will be provided with software installed for your lectures where needed. Yes, you'd preferably want a fairly powerful machine for what you'd be doing if working at home but I do bring my laptop all the time (17inch). Sometimes if I've spare time or especially when trying to finish a project, it may be hard to get into a room with software you need. If there's no free rooms in the IT building some lecturers may let you sit in and work quietly in their lecture if there's a free machine but some won't. If you have your own machine you can just go downstairs in the library because the pc's there are crap, are always occupied and have no multimedia software installed. I know a few others do bring theirs too, it's by no means required but it is an IT course and you'll be using computers a lot of the time. I'd have to say I find it useful as I can always work on things when I want/need to.
I'm going into second year btw.

LuckyFinigan

i did a multimedia course for a year in wcfe and i now got accepted to this. origanally wanted to do graphic design but no luck there. hopefully this will be enjoyable.

MitchKoobski

I bring my laptop in most days, because theres never a 100% guarantee the computer you go to will have the software you want. Some of the IT rooms are specific, as in theres a Multimedia room and a Mac room. I find it a lot easier having my laptop with me because I don't have to rely on a computer room being free at a certain time.

Sully

Best advise: Bring a laptop.

It can be very hard to get a room with what you need, nevermind a room with working PCs that are free!

wobbles

In my opinion, if your serious about the course, invest in a good laptop. While their are plenty of pc's in the IT building, not all of them have the software you need installed. The ones that do, are often in rooms that always have classes on I.E. the multimedia room or the mac lab. So most of the time you will have to stay back after college to get stuff done. Which is fine, but i lost count of the times i was kicked out of a room when the evening classes start at either 6.30 or 7.30 (was once kicked out of the multimedia lab for an evening class teaching microsoft word!!!). Another problem you'l run into is that it can take ages (im talking weeks for some programs) to get software installed at the start of the semester, so if you have it on your laptop, you can get a head start.

With a laptop, you dont have to worry about getting a room, getting a pc or being kicked out when a class starts. Head to the library and work away for hours without being interupted. Hell, most of my 4th year project was done upstairs in the library.

If you cant afford a decent laptop, another option is to get the portable applications eg photoshop portable, and there should work off a pen drive on any of the pc's in the IT building.

Anyone else miss DO1. Used to live in that room

Et Cetera

Absoluely need a laptop for the computing courses.

Et Cetera

wobbles wrote: »

In my opinion, if your serious about the course, invest in a good laptop. While their are plenty of pc's in the IT building, not all of them have the software you need installed. The ones that do, are often in rooms that always have classes on I.E. the multimedia room or the mac lab. So most of the time you will have to stay back after college to get stuff done. Which is fine, but i lost count of the times i was kicked out of a room when the evening classes start at either 6.30 or 7.30 (was once kicked out of the multimedia lab for an evening class teaching microsoft word!!!). Another problem you'l run into is that it can take ages (im talking weeks for some programs) to get software installed at the start of the semester, so if you have it on your laptop, you can get a head start.

With a laptop, you dont have to worry about getting a room, getting a pc or being kicked out when a class starts. Head to the library and work away for hours without being interupted. Hell, most of my 4th year project was done upstairs in the library.

If you cant afford a decent laptop, another option is to get the portable applications eg photoshop portable, and there should work off a pen drive on any of the pc's in the IT building.

Anyone else miss DO1. Used to live in that room

IT103 is where it's at now. Hopefully they will get the 'promised' locks on it too.

Hedgehog10

Hey i'm starting Multimedia this year too!
Hey when you mean get a good laptop how good? I got one for College and I dunno if it will do. Also what programs do I need to get for it?

Sully

Hedgehog10 wrote: »

Hey i'm starting Multimedia this year too!
Hey when you mean get a good laptop how good? I got one for College and I dunno if it will do. Also what programs do I need to get for it?

What spec is your laptop? I'm not sure what software the college uses but InDesign and Adobe Photoshop would be two leading graphic design applications.

I assume some colleges still teach Dreamweaver, but a lot of developers don't use visual editors and develop pure raw code instead.

Hedgehog10

320 GB hard drive
4 GB memory
intel pentium processor T4300

Sully

Hedgehog10 wrote: »

320 GB hard drive
4 GB memory
intel pentium processor T4300

Graphics card?

Hedgehog10

Graphics card Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M

Shaza141

Hey I'll be doing this course meself, got a pretty decent laptop,but would Adobe PS CS5 be alright for this course?? or will I need to go to older versions??

MitchKoobski

Shaza141 wrote: »

Hey I'll be doing this course meself, got a pretty decent laptop,but would Adobe PS CS5 be alright for this course?? or will I need to go to older versions??

The course is currently using CS4 versions, and they were only installed on the computers last year so they won't be getting CS5 editions anytime soon. You should still be fine though.

Shaza141

MitchKoobski wrote: »

The course is currently using CS4 versions, and they were only installed on the computers last year so they won't be getting CS5 editions anytime soon. You should still be fine though.

Ahh ok, thats grand ! Really looking forward to starting this course! :P

wobbles

When i was getting software, i always got which ever one the college had. Saves a bit of hassle not having to worry about formats when working at home on and on the college PC's.

CS4 is in college after there was a scare when they said they couldnt afford the licences.

Et Cetera

Living with 2 second years actually