# Should I bring my laserdisc player to the dorms? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818 "2010-08-20T02:28:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/1 "2010-08-20T02:28:30Z")
packing up for college and I leave on Saturday ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/2 "2010-08-20T02:35:02Z")
I voted no but only the first part. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/3 "2010-08-20T02:43:25Z")
I think there will be plenty of DVDs around. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/4 "2010-08-20T02:43:41Z")
Yes. Also, a wooden train and an 8-track player. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/5 "2010-08-20T02:48:36Z")
Yes. Absolutely yes. But hereā€™s the thing - you need to make your room the retreat, not the party center. Make it the exclusive ā€œyou gotta be cool to be hereā€ room. Itā€™s pretty easy to do, you just have to convince some freshmen to convert their rooms to having 1/2 inch of beer slime on the floors on the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/6 "2010-08-20T02:52:07Z")
good plan I should get some bean bag chairs too ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/7 "2010-08-20T02:58:32Z")
Of course you should. How else will people know youā€™re cool? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/8 "2010-08-20T03:02:33Z")
You might wanna ā€œbringā€ an English usage manual. (Yeah. I couldnā€™t help it. I feel dirty now.) ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/9 "2010-08-20T03:12:28Z")
I donā€™t get it what is wrong with my English ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/10 "2010-08-20T03:20:28Z")
You are _going_ to college, so you _take_ the laserdisc player with you. When you _come_ back home, _bring_ it back. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/11 "2010-08-20T03:21:56Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I donā€™t get it what is wrong with my English College is certainly a wise choice for you but you really shouldnā€™t be focused on late 1970ā€™s technology as part of your preparation. I think our resident grammarian was referring to the ā€˜takeā€™ versus ā€˜bringā€™ distinction that seems to escape young people who havenā€™t yet stepped foot inside the hallowed walls. That will come with time. Also, rent Revenge of the Nerds and watch it before you go but donā€™t let the irony escape you if you watch it on a laserdisc player. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/12 "2010-08-20T03:25:22Z")
I voted no also. College dorms are full of distractions. Short of finding a group of people that are really into the movies you have, itā€™s novelty will wear off pretty quickly. Dorms arenā€™t big enough to waste space on something that wonā€™t get much use. Besides, do you really want it getting ruined because someone spilled something on it or it got stepped on or you roommate wanted to plug the DVD player in knocked it over trying to move it. Nah, leave it at home. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/13 "2010-08-20T03:31:26Z")
Get with the times man. The English language is changing. Should I also make sure to distinguish between thou and thee? Also last year I tantalized all my friends with stories of how great my laserdisc player is so I already got some people anxious to experience the greatest home video format ever conceived. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/14 "2010-08-20T03:33:38Z")
When I was in college there was another guy in my dorm who had a laserdisc player. His room was the cool room ā€“ he had a great collection of movies, concerts, etc. on laserdisc and you had to be accepted into his good graces to be invited to watch. Of course, that was 1983. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/15 "2010-08-20T03:39:38Z")
Due to some guy changing his mind and deciding he wanted to live off campus instead, I now have no roommate. Donā€™t know how long itā€™ll last, but I will have enough time to get my laserdisc player settled in before anyone can tell me otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/16 "2010-08-20T04:08:43Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > College is certainly a wise choice for you but you really shouldnā€™t be focused on late 1970ā€™s technology as part of your preparation. I think our resident grammarian was referring to the ā€˜takeā€™ versus ā€˜bringā€™ distinction that seems to escape young people who havenā€™t yet stepped foot inside the hallowed walls. That will come with time. Itā€™s probably because those young people know that itā€™s another false rule thatā€™s propagated solely to provide a reason for some to feel superior to others. Or maybe itā€™s because those young people have better access to dictionaries: > [@MW dictionary](#): > > Main Entry: bring > Pronunciation: \Ėˆbriŋ > Function: verb > Inflected Form(s): brought \ĖˆbroĢ‡t; bringĀ·ing \Ėˆbriŋ-iŋ > Etymology: Middle English, from Old English bringan; akin to Old High German bringan to bring, Welsh hebrwng to accompany > Date: before 12th century > > transitive verb1 a : to convey, lead, carry, **or cause to come along with** one toward the place from which the action is being regarded. > > c dialect : **escort** , accompany Where is the ā€œplace form which the action is being regardedā€? Not **PSXer** ā€™s home, but the college. And thereā€™s always [this](http://www.businesswritingblog.com/business_writing/2007/05/bring_takenot_s.html). And even [this guy](http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/mcintyre/blog/2006/07/bring_me_the_head_of_a_usage_c.html) admits that this usage is fine: > [@](#): > > But letā€™s get to the point. Merriam-Websterā€™s quotes the 1984 edition of the Longman Dictionary of the English Language, which says, ā€œ **Either verb can be used when the point of view is irrelevant.** ā€ The entry continues with an example of a couple who are about to leave home for a concert; the wife says, ā€œDonā€™t forget to bring the umbrella.ā€ Merriam-Websterā€™s says that the wife ā€œis already thinking of being at the concert and possibly needing the umbrella. The notion of direction exists entirely in her head; it does not refer to her immediate external surroundings.ā€ Once again, usage nazis have to sit down and shut up as, as common usage (and common sense) rules the day, and another made-up rule goes up in flames. Next youā€™ll be telling us that ā€œtheā€ (not ā€œaā€) should be used when talking about a unique item.:rolleyes: Despite his silly use of ā€œstigmataā€, I like the closing paragraph that [this guy](http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jlawler/aue/bring.html) uses: > [@](#): > > Officially Correct English, like the Tooth Fairy and Civic Virtue, is a product of grade school mythology and rarely leads to satisfying answers or useful decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/17 "2010-08-20T04:09:29Z")
Iā€™m just surprised your ā€œfriend doesnā€™t want to knowā€. [Like he seems to in every thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=548403) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/18 "2010-08-20T04:21:41Z")
PSXer, I bet your friend never envisioned you being involved in such a grammarian nerd-off, did he? ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/19 "2010-08-20T04:50:50Z")
Usually I am the one correcting petty errors in grammar but I must admit I did not know this rule. I am beaten. My friend has a lot of trouble remembering when to use subjunctive so I have to correct him on it. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818/20 "2010-08-20T05:44:42Z")
You should totally major in web design so you can catch the tech expansion we all feel coming. And shit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-bring-my-laserdisc-player-to-the-dorms/550818.md?page=2)