If only that were true. Video: intel i915.modeset=1, ATI nomodeset (until questionable drivers are installed). Downloading and compiling drivers for wifi (the new one I bought cause there was no chance of it working with an old card I dug up). Even after the headache of getting everything up and running X has crashed a few times. With Windows it just works. As much as it pains me to say that, its true. I am thinking I should go back to Fedora (first jump from Fedora to Ubuntu -- was with RedHat since well before Fedora split off and 10.04 has been a nightmare). You guys who say Ubuntu is best for hardware compatibility must be purchasing only hardware pre-screened to work. If you have a legacy system or didn't spec out every purchase for linux compatibility then it's a real pain in the ass. I would rather have out of the box hardware support over look and feel, bundled packages or anything else.
Good call not allowing an ipod in a physics class...
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/matlab-mobile/id370976661?mt=8
Get the 4 function calculators. You can test physics knowledge with a 4 function calculator. I would say a 3x4 index card (or a formula sheet) would also be acceptable. That way you could better test their ability to apply formulas rather than memorize them. If a student needs a translation dictionary then there are very reasonably priced self contained models available. Well worth the investment for any class that allows it.
And Tracfone/Net10 uses the ATT network which, in the US, is 10x better than T-Mobile. You couldn't pay me to use T-Mobile's network. You mean I get to have calls dropped, calls missed and a plain inability to call out most of the places I go for only $45 / month?! OH BOY! Where do I sign up!
There are two ways to write error-free programs; only the third one works.