Whenever possible I insist on using my laptop to give a presentation or workshop. Sometimes I get a a weird look from the local person and something along the lines of “but our computers will do just fine.” Here’s one reason why:
“My paranoia around getting set up explains why I prefer to use my own laptop [when giving a presentation]. If my laptop explodes, I’m to blame, and I’d rather it be my fault than put myself at the mercy of a tech guy I just met, who may have been hired yesterday and have even less of a clue than I do.”
— Confessions of a Public Speakerby Scott Berkun
The other reason is that I know what software is on my laptop and how it’s going to work. Sorry, but I don’t know your equipment and even if it does work, you may have done something in the name of “security” that prevents me from doing what I need to do.
Michael Sauers is currently the Director of Technology for Do Space in Omaha, NE. Michael has been training librarians in technology for the past twenty years and has also been a public library trustee, a bookstore manager for a library friends group, a reference librarian, serials cataloger, technology consultant, and bookseller since earning his MLS in 1995 from the University at Albany’s School of Information Science and Policy. Michael has also written dozens of articles for various journals and magazines and his fourteenth book, Emerging Technologies: A Primer for Librarians (w/ Jennifer Koerber) was published in May 2015 and more books are on the way. In his spare time he blogs at travelinlibrarian.info, runs The Collector’s Guide to Dean Koontz Web site, takes many, many photos, and typically reads more than 100 books a year.
View all posts by Michael Sauers
OMG! I’ve gotten burned a couple of times when I haven’t taken my own laptop (really long flights) and then found that the computer I was given didn’t run what I needed.
OMG! I’ve gotten burned a couple of times when I haven’t taken my own laptop (really long flights) and then found that the computer I was given didn’t run what I needed.
If only I could run everything off of my phone….