Climb Debate Camp
Preparing your Computer before Camp
YOU SHOULD HAVE A WINDOWS, MAC, OR CHROMEBOOK COMPUTER
--smart phones and tablets may NOT work
--your laptop needs to connect to the internet and to have a webcam
--Contact Jim Hanson at jim@climbthemountain.us if you need to rent a laptop.
We have a few select Windows laptops and can provide for you depending on your location and you telling us as soon as possible.
DO UPDATES ON YOUR COMPUTER
--update Windows, Mac, Chrome OS
--update ALL of your software especially Word and Zoom
--make sure your anti-virus/anti-malware software is updated
DO AN INTERNET SPEED TEST ON YOUR COMPUTER
Click this Link to do your Test
Download should be at least 50mb; Upload should be at least 8mb
Latency should be less than 100ms; Jitter should be less than 30ms
If your scores do not meet these standards--test again in 30+ minutes. If the score again doesn't meet these standards try these Two no cost suggestions to improve your scores:
1. Sit by or near your internet router (or connect with an ethernet cable instead of wireless)
2. Reboot your internet router
Still not cutting it? Email Jim Hanson with your scores for advice on what to do.
DOWNLOAD THE LATEST VERSION OF ZOOM
WHO NEEDS A LAPTOP/TABLET
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All participants need a laptop or tablet that can access the internet over wifi. You will be using Google Docs.
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LD: You will use Microsoft Word.
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We have laptops available for rental ($20 per week).
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We strongly advise against using smartphones to do your speech and debate work--the screen is too small for the documents we prepare and the ability to edit some documents is questionable.
EVERYONE: WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE CLIMB CAMP
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If you are bringing your own laptop or tablet, you will need to show us your laptop including that it is updated and has anti-virus/malware software, and that it is working with the wireless network.
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If you need help, we will help you get your laptop setup right for Verbatim.
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Please–do as much as you can before arriving at the camp or we will have long lines at Check-in Tech Check.
EVERYONE: CAN’T DO’S WHILE AT THE CLIMB CAMP
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–No downloading movies, music that you don’t have legal access to; doing so will be caught and then you will lose your internet connection.
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–Please do NOT broadcast (broadcasting is where other people connect to your computer for their wireless connection)–that causes the whole wireless network to crash. Connect only directly to the real wireless network.
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–Moving to another room or desk with your laptop?–Put it to sleep AND carry it _very carefully_ (holding BOTH the screen AND the bottom of the laptop). Not doing this is a common way hard drives and screens break.
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--Don't use the computer to harm others (eg emails/texts that harass or threaten) nor damage the computer network (eg delete other people's files without their permission or do damage to the network, the google folders you use, etc.)
BRINGING A WINDOWS LAPTOP? UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE
Please put your name on your laptop and especially on your power charger.
Windows—Click Start and type in Windows Update
Note: You sometimes need to do the update process several times–keep doing it until there are no more updates.
Update your anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
BRINGING A MAC LAPTOP? UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE
Please put your name on your laptop and especially on your power charger.
Macs—Click the apple in the upper left of your screen then click Software update . . . and follow the directions.
Note: You usually need to do the update process several times–keep doing it until there are no more updates.
BRINGING AN ANDROID, CHROME, IPAD?
Be sure you can access Google Drive/Docs and can edit documents online.
Do a system update (in Android, click settings, system/system update).
Make sure you have anti-virus software installed--there are free versions available.
Notice--these do NOT work for LD debate--you need a computer with MS Word, full version.
LD Verbatim Template . . .
DEBATE WINDOWS USERS: WORD-OFFICE 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019
You need MS Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019—other versions do not work.
Note–Office Starter, Office 365 online, and Office 2003 and 2007 do not work with the template.
Install the Verbatim Template--we recommend standalone manual install
The Template helps you cut cards and debate efficiently and engage in paperless debate.
1. Download the Windows Debate.dotm
2. copy the file debate.dotm
3. open ms word
4. click file open
--then, on the left pane, go to Microsoft word, templates
--then, on the right pane, paste the file in (debate.dotm)
--then, right click the file debate.dotm and choose create shortcut
--then, drag the shortcut to your desktop (or my documents—wherever you want to access the template)
5. From now on, just doubleclick the shortcut to open the template.
You can also automatically Install the Template for Windows PCs but note that the automatic install will permanently change your ribbons and some other settings that may cause frustration when you are doing non-debate work:
NOTE: The Template works only with Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019. It does not work with Word 2007 and previous editions. Word Starter does not work. MS Office for Student and Home does not work. Word 365 online does not work.
DEBATE MAC USERS: WORD-OFFICE 2011 and 2016
You need MS Word 2011 or 2016—other versions do not work.
Note–Office X, 2004, and 2008 do NOT work with the template.
Install the Verbatim Template for Apple Macs--we recommend standalone manual install
1. Download the Mac Debate.dotm
2. I don’t have a mac to test how to install; in a nutshell, you need to get it into the templates folder and then make sure you can access this file to open up a debate template in Word.
You can also automatically Install the Template for Macs but note that the automatic install may permanently change your ribbons and some other settings that may cause frustration when you are doing non-debate work:
The Template only works if you have Word 2011 or 2016.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
Ask Jim at jim@climbthemountain.us
We want to provide information you want and need.