Finding the PC that Fits
Your Needs By Angie Guillen, Pulse Staff Reporter

Shopping for a personal computer can be an overwhelming experience. With research, however,  students  can  buy a computer that will meet their needs both now and in the future. According to Computing Essentials’ Annual Edition, there are four questions students need to ask before purchasing a computer:           • What needs do I want a computer to serve?           • How much money do I have to spend?           • What software will best meet my needs?           • What hardware will best meet my needs? The average student will need a computer that has word processing capabilities, an Internet connection, and the ability to run games. Word processing software allows students to type papers. This software can be bought alone or in a software suite package. Software suites, like Microsoft’s Office 97, are the better deal since the suites are cheaper, according to Computing Essentials Annual Edition. An operating system is also needed and should be one that students are familiar with, like Windows, or Macintosh. From there, students need to consider the hardware, like the keyboard, mouse and monitor. The hardware requirements are listed on the computer’s box. There are industry standards that students need to be aware of, according to Eric Watermolen, author of The Basics of Buying a Personal Computer System. The current industry standards are the Pentium II for the processor’s type and 233 to 450 Megahertz for the processor’s speed, 32 megabytes of memory, a 168-pin dual inline memory module, 100 Megahertz bus speed, 256 kilobytes of synchronous cache memory, a four gigabyte hard drive and a 56.6 kilobytes/second modem. However, Watermolen writes that if students can afford to buy more than the industry standard they should. Students also need to be familiar with the brand of computer they choose to buy. Students might want to look at the brands that the college’s computer labs are using and consider buying one of those, according to Watermolen. All this will affect the price of the computer. According to Dave Krauss’ Guide to Buying a Home Computer, students can spend anywhere from $200 to $1,000 for a used or rebuilt computer, but might pay more if the computer is fairly new or has high-end components, like a scanner. The average price of a new computer is $1,000 according to a report by ZD Market Intelligence. However, Time magazine writer Daniel Eisenberg writes that students may find high-powered computer systems for less at Radio Shack and Best Buy. Where to buy a computer is the last step and there are a variety of places to buy a computer. “We bought our computer at the Dell headquarters in Austin because Dell is one of the top two brand in the nation,” Computer Information Systems major Josh Smith said. Computers for sale can also be found in the classifieds, but there is one disadvantage: students might not receive the technical support they would get from Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA or Radio Shack. “When you buy from a good reputable dealer, what you’re doing is you’re buying their quality control and support,” said John Dunn, chair of the Computer Science Department. “Get hold of a company that’s willing to support their PC and help you out of problem periods.”  The problems started early for Secondary Education major Toni Vicenio.  After dealing with sales representatives with little knowledge of computers and others who tried to sell her more hardware than she needed, Vicenio thought she took the easy way out. “The sales representative showed me a computer that was already programmed with Windows 95, an encyclopedia, and Netscape Navigator,” Vicenio said. “It had a lot of icons but the sales representative gave me the wrong information and the computer wouldn’t let me add more programs when I got it home. It was a mess.” Students might avoid these pitfalls if they research what kind of computer they want.  Palo Alto College does provide about 200 computers for student use. However, when everyone is trying to finish his or her semester papers, there may not be a computer readily available on campus. The advantage of owning your own computer is that you will always have one awaiting your command. Next Story