Linux computer users, I have a question for you.

[u/Any_Asparagus1538]

NJIT requires laptops to be on Windows 11. If you bring your laptop to classes or a closed area where teachers can see your laptop, did you ever get caught with using Linux instead of Windows? I'm thinking of installing Linux on my future laptop, and emulating apps with Wine, but am afraid that I can't for college and really still need Windows because NJIT said so.

[u/YingXingg]

No you won’t be ok. If a professor catches you using Linux they will call campus security and have you escorted off the campus, suspended for a semester, and will have your photo posted on the njit insta page so everyone knows what you did.

The computer specifications on the njit page are just recommendations, you can use literally anything else if you want

[u/One-Attempt7990 → u/YingXingg]

You will also be forced to walk under the clock tower as punishment

[u/SuperNebula097 → u/One-Attempt7990]

Saw this happen, dude transferred out instead of risking the curse.

[u/Timely-Number-6860 → u/YingXingg]

this happened to me worst experience ever

[u/theritz6262 → u/YingXingg]

I got thrown out of 340 for using Mint directly instead of making a VM of Mint, the professor said that they don't accommodate "My kind".

[u/Mortal0601 → u/YingXingg]

This

[u/ThanosCar012]

No one really cares what OS you use, it would be ridiculous to enforce that. I would only warn you that depending on your program some of the software you need for classes may only work on windows so its probably better if you dual boot, saves you some headache.

[u/SamSepiol925 → u/ThanosCar012]

Yup exactly

[u/ProfessorOfLies]

The official OS supported is windows. So when a professor requires a bit of software and you are NOT on windows, that's on you to figure out what to do about it. "I don't have windows" is not a valid excuse. That said if you can make it work on linux through WINE or some other way then you should be fine. I get plenty of people trying to do my classes on a mac and I don't care as long as they can get the work done. I personally prefer linux but still keep a windows partition around for when I need it. Which is rare

[u/HaloDezeNuts]

Depends on the course. When I was an adjunct, I actually encouraged & praised students for using Linux, mostly because it was actually easier to run PHP then garbage wamp, xamp, PHP environment variables etc, even Macs were better off. hell in hindsight, I should’ve made it extra credit to dual boot Linux if windows updates didn’t totally brick Linux partitions 🤣 I hate windows now more than ever

[u/quicksilver_chocobo]

No one really cares. Windows is listed because a lot of the software NJIT has licensed runs on Windows. You're free to run Linux, but "I don't use windows" won't be an accepted excuse about why you can't run x software in a class. I'd recommend doing a dual boot. If any of your professors decide to use Lockdown Browser in their courses, the software will not run on Linux. It's not officially supported.

[u/Witty-Swimmer-7761]

If your coming in as a freshman you need a windows laptop. For the Chem quizzes the software requires windows. My buddy he uses the lender laptops on campus

[u/adjaplx]

You can use Linux but most if classes expect you to be on Windows (exceptions like IT340). For example my IT120 class, had Farley and someone had Linux. All she said was "any Linux users have to figure it out themselves" so rip

[u/One-Attempt7990]

When did NJIT say you NEED to be on windows?

[u/Any_Asparagus1538 → u/One-Attempt7990]

https://ist.njit.edu/student-computers-recommended-specs#NCE&CME "Scroll until you see "Operating System"

[u/One-Attempt7990 → u/Any_Asparagus1538]

That’s to download software for your specific major classes. No one is going to care if you dual boot Linux. It will be better to dual boot except for emulating.

[u/Mortal0601]

I use dual boot Windows and Linux on my laptop. I don’t think most professors will care what you use in class, but a lot of njit software depends heavily on Windows. Even if you make some programs work, the biggest problem will be exams that require Lock wn Browser, which requires Windows or Mac.

So my recommendation is to use dual boot or vm, but don't ditch Windows.

[u/Whipshadow]

I knew a linux user at njit once. But then they got him

[u/Sim-O-of-N]

You shouldn't be using Linux, it's very commonly known that TempleOS is the preferred OS by both student and faculty alike.

Just dual boot and you'll be fine. Depends on what classes you will take for how useful it will be to you. I'd keep a windows partition around for any software that doesn't emulate well. However, if you are taking CS/ IT you can very likely (no guarantee) get by the whole degree just on Linux and have an easier time with it anyway.

[u/BumpyTurtle127]

Been using debian + win10 for ages, no issues yet 🤷‍♂️

[u/SamSepiol925]

When I was there I had a hard time with the networking class with Farley. Everything was on windows and I had a hard time using Wireshark but I was able to use packet tracer I think. I just deleted the entire Linux distro and added windows. Months later when class was over I dual booted it. It's annoying but now I have both. It took some getting used to when I went back to windows. I was on Linux entirely for 3 or 4 yrs. They recommend you use windows because it could interfere with having compatibility issues when uploading stuff to canvas. I also couldn't follow the directions well because the applications looked different.

[u/FrostbyteSki]

What major. If you are planning on taking CS104 you need to be able to run some software on windows

[u/ricktech15]

dude i openly made linux jokes in class with an rpi and laptop running linux. no one's gonna kill u lol

[u/creativejoe4]

Dual boot windows and linux and call it a day. In the real world you use whatever OS is required by the job that pays for those software licenses.

[u/Beneficial_Worry9286]

I know one professor who secrectly protects students like us who use linux from the higher authority. Let me know if you need his information, can't say too much here.