guide on what kind of laptop to buy

On campus we have a Learning Resource Center (LRC) which houses 96 computers with access to university applications, email, and the Internet. Along with the LRC, we have opened our Student Laptop Area where students can have their laptops configured to connect to the University's network and to the Internet. We currently have 30 cubicles with this access for students without a wireless card, and most of the campus has wireless coverage. Your laptop must be configured with either Windows 2000 or Windows XP To take advantage of this service.

If you are looking to purchase a new laptop before coming down to the island, I recommend your laptop have the following specifications:

Windows 2000 or XP Operating System
Office 2000/2003 or XP Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point)
10/100 Network card (Almost all new laptops come standard with an internal network card)
Wireless network card (For the Campus Wireless Network)
20 GIG Hard Drive (Minimum)
256 MB Memory (Minimum)
USB Flash Drive (128, 256, 512MB)
Norton, McAfee or Panda AntiVirus Software.

Or you can consider one of the new laptops that we have designed with CDW to meet our specifications. Click here for more information on our University Laptop Program.

(If you plan on taking advantage of the Wireless network or student laptop area, you will be required to purchase the Antivirus license from the university for $15US. This means that the Antivirus program on your computer will be uninstalled and will be replaced with Norton Corporate Edition)

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Have a safe trip and I look forward to meeting you all upon your arrival!

Sincerely,

Ron Spaide
Director of Information Technology
Email Me