Suggestions for Spending My $600 Research Stipend

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the best use of a $600 research stipend after purchasing a laptop. Suggestions include investing in educational software like MATLAB, though some participants caution against it, noting that universities often provide access to such programs. Instead, they recommend using the funds for books that enhance knowledge and enjoyment, emphasizing the importance of personal preference in book selection. Various software options are mentioned, including Mathematica and Maple, with advice to consider student licenses for cost savings. Overall, the consensus leans towards prioritizing books over software, particularly for those in academia.
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I have $600 left of my research stipend after buying a laptop, anyone have any suggestions as to what I should use it on?

I need to use it on something educational so I figured I'd just buy MATLAB or something similar and some books but I am looking for suggestions as this is just an offhand decision.
 
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Send it to me, so that I can buy textbooks (that's educational). I'll PM you information for wiring it to me.

Or to make it better I can sell you the latest version of MATLAB (v7 R14).
 
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Is it possible to hold onto that $600 so if you run into a problem and need certain software or whatnot, you could just buy it?
 
exequor said:
Or to make it better I can sell you the latest version of MATLAB (v7 R14).
Really, are you the copyright owner? Buying software doesn't mean you get the right to sell it. Anyway, i know(hope) you're kidding. If you're in college I would not recommend buying matlab, because if you need it there will always be computers available with it already, and depending on what classes you take you may get it for free. Use it to buy books, not textbooks necessarily, but books that will expand your knowledge and be fun at the same time. As to which books that's more of a personal preference, I don't think i'd be able to help you there, search amazon.com see what you like. With 600 you could make a very nice collection.
 
Here is a list of possible software programs you could buy>>

http://www.electronicsworkbench.com/html/proprodg.html
http://www.electronicsworkbench.com/html/proprodb.html
http://www.electronicsworkbench.com/html/proprodc.html
Mathematica
http://www.wolfram.com/products/calccenter/

Also check out http://www.wolfram.com/products/field_specific.html for a list of more field specific software.
 
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I would admit to "what", don't spend these money on some kind of software. There are enough at the university, better to spend them on books what you'll really need. But if you want to buy some software go to http://www.maplesoft.com/products/maple/index.aspx they offer student license for Maple, so you can save a lot of money.
 
depends on the line of research your in...if your doing something related to programming
then i suggest getting the full version of MATLAB if that's the programme you use because matlab, thogh not realtime 3D graphcis intensive, has awesome toolkits, especially for engineering and modelling...i didn't even know you could do implicit differentiation till a prof showed me how. but its costs like i think 300-400.

and then get numeircal recipes in C++.
 
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