I completely agree with Dave on this one. If it were high school, I would totally understand, but this is college, and they should be allowed for most classes, but I'm sure they aren't appropriate for all classes, so it depends on what class he is professing to.

Anyways though, they are totally taking over standard methods for taking notes, ie paper and pen(cil), and it's a good think. For one, you don't waste paper and such, and it's easier to have everything in one place and you don't have to worry about running out of paper or space, like in a notebook. Eventually, this will be what everyone does, although they may not technically be laptops, but instead, note pad-like devices, so just the touch screen, the term is slipping my mind. A tablet.

The concern of bringing a laptop is that they won't pay attention, but instead play games or surf the web or something, but that simply isn't the case. This is college, and if you aren't going to pay attention during a class, then you won't even show up.

Banning laptops from the classroom is ridiculous. Laptops are replacing the paper and notepad methods of taking notes and professors that want to ban them are very 'old school'. I know they are concerned about kids not paying attention and whatnot, but those same kids would probably not pay attention without the laptop as well.
There will be a day when people look back and wonder what it was like before laptops were in all classrooms.

Well i think if your paying for the classes who are they to say you cant have a laptop? Unless your disrupting the class then no.

I agree with Zach especially on his last statement. People who are stupid enough to surf the net in class (which in my experience, a lot of those classes aren't mandatory) are the ones who fail the class. For the most part, I think people respect their professors enough not to slack off in that manner because they realize that they are PAYING for their education.