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New Computer Purchases
Recommended Minimum Requirements |
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Item |
PC | Macintosh | |
CPU |
2.0 GHz or greater | 2.0 GHz or greater | |
Wired Network Card with Cable |
Ethernet cards are a standard feature | ||
Wireless Network Card |
USB wireless transceiver OR card supporting 128-bit encryption required. | ||
Hard Disk |
120 GB | 120 GB | |
Operating System |
Windows Vista Home | Mac OS 10.4 or greater | |
System RAM |
2 GB | 2 GB | |
Anti-virus Software |
See http://antivirus.cofc.edu for specific information | ||
Microsoft Office is the CofC standard for general course work. Students should know the basic features of their computers operating system and MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint for optimal academic performance. MS Office and other software, discounted for academic use, can be purchased through our purchase programs with Dell and Apple, or the CofC online bookstore (or call (800) 874.9001). You may also have recommended software installed when you order a computer. Be sure to ask the vendor about academic discounting.
College recommends and supports only the following versions of MS Windows: XP (w/Service Pack 2), and 2000 (w/Service Pack 4) for use on our network. We do not support earlier versions of Windows. Support for Vista is limited to antivirus and Campuswide wireless at this time.
Student Computing Support at the College of Charleston can only provide Vista support for CampusWide wireless and antivirus at this time.
The College of Charleston’s IT department understands that soon Microsoft XP will no longer be an option on new computer purchases. If you purchase a PC with Vista, please try to make sure it already has Service Pack 1 installed to reduce the chance of software and hardware conflicts. Even though Vista Service Pack 1 has been released, there will be delays in the development and release of some patches and software fixes. For these reasons Student Computing Support is unable to fully support Windows Vista at this time. Programs identified as having Vista-related problems can be found at http://www.cofc.edu/it/software/unsupported.pdf. Microsoft plans to continue supporting Windows XP for some time, so there is no need to rush upgrading to Vista. We will continue to keep the campus informed about Vista-related issues as new information becomes available. If you would like to more information Microsoft has published about technical requirements for Windows Vista-capable PCs, see the Windows Vista website for further details.
Note: If you use Office 2007 Suite which may ship with Vista, documents should be saved in Office 2003 format in order for them to be compatible with other Office applications on computers across campus.
Computer Requirements
We recommend that any new computer meet or exceed the specifications listed in the diagram above.
Computing Centers
All students, whether living on or off campus, can use the large, general-purpose Student
Computing Center in the new Addlestone Library. Selected dormitories have computer rooms available for their residents, and some academic departments may have their own computer labs for students enrolled in their programs.
Recommendations For New Computer Purchases
And while the College of Charleston does not endorse any particular brand of computer, you can
obtain a
College of Charleston discount if you purchase from Dell or Apple. We also offer recommended laptop packages with specific configurations, accessories and warranties.
These models, plus a printer of your choice, are designed to meet the complete needs of the vast
majority our students over four years of college. Information on the above
computer purchasing programs are available online
or you can send email to computerinfo@CofC.edu.
Students living in campus housing will need an appropriate network card for
Internet access.
A laptop with built in network cards provide much more flexibility since it lets you have ResNet Internet access in any of our residence buildings. Some residences require wireless cards. Others require cards made for hard-wired Ethernet connections. A list of residence buildings and the type of access appear below. You may also email inquiries to computerinfo@CofC.edu.
Wired Residence Buildings include: |
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Wireless Residence Buildings include: |
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Bringing An Older Computer From Home
This may be an ideal solution because it allows you to determine your computing needs over your first
year before buying a new machine. We recommend that you contact us with questions regarding older
computers. If you are living in a college residence building and want Internet access, you will
need to ensure your computer includes an appropriate network card (see above).
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