A new era dawns for the PC enthusiast - guía para comprar computadoras para uso en la universidad - TA: guide for purchasing computers for use in college

Through the recent years of computer technology -- we have been plagued by obsolescence. Don't expect that shadow to end any time soon. In fact, we're at the dawn of a new era in what you can do with your Personal Computer. The experts advise that new purchases should stretch the pocketbook as far as possible, in order to accommodate new innovations, software and usages that are just over the horizon.

It used to be much easier to head for college. Today, the chances are you'll have your own computer. And, there is more than money to consider when choosing a computer for school. The two big concerns are whether to get a Mac or Windows system, and whether to go with a laptop or desktop.

The decision to buy a Mac or PC -- that is, a machine using Microsoft Windows as its operating system -- is sometimes more important for a college student than for the general public.

Although few campuses insist on one type of machine, it is often an advantage to get the machine that prevails at one's school or department. In some instances, professors may provide special software that will run on one type of machine but not on the other.

OFF TO COLLEGE

Our best advice for the newly enrolled college student is to check with the campus computing store before making your purchase. Many college stores have deals with Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM and other vendors to offer special pricing for students, staff and faculty.

You may find that the prices are better than anything the competition offers.

In particular, Apple offers very aggressive pricing for college students, and for those short of cash, Apple even has its own eightyear loan program. Some campus bookstores have computing departments with a staff that can offer advice.

Many schools also have campus computing centers that keep track of which departments use which machines, as well as what special hardware and software might be needed.

LAPTOP OR DESKTOP?

Another very important consideration is whether to purchase a laptop or desktop. Laptops are getting cheaper and faster, but they're still more expensive than desktop machines of equivalent power. They have the advantage of being smaller and, of course, they can be carried to class or to the library.

But, an important word of caution: Laptops are more likely to be lost or stolen, and they are harder to upgrade than the traditional desktop variety.

Some universities have site-license deals that allow members of the community to use software at no charge. Many have discount arrangements that might cut the price of, for example, Microsoft Office to $150 rather than the $470 it would cost at most retailers.

SURFING THE NET

Before equipping the PC, find out what is and is not needed if you are going to be in a college setting. It may well be that your dorm has ethernet connections for the campus network. Students might need ethernet hardware but can dispense with modems, as they can usually access the Internet directly through the campus network.

Ethernet adapters, which are essential on many campuses, cost about $200 for a laptop and as little as $29 for desktop machines.

Now, it is important to realize that the Internet is a good tool for communication and research. However, certain rules apply: Remember that if you wouldn't write the message on a billboard, don't write it on an e-mail message. If you wouldn't copy the information from a book and claim it as your own work, don't copy it from the Internet.

There is a temptation among people using the Internet to assume that everything on the net, including messages from discussion groups and group archives, is "in the public domain." This isn't so. Just because an author offers material for the public to read on the Internet does not put the materials in the "public domain." Materials in the public domain are strictly limited to government documents and material in which an author has clearly relinquished his or her copyright. Information (text, graphics, and photographs) found at web sites (other than information from the government) is copyrighted material.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

While the Internet is rapidly becoming the communication tool of choice, even eclipsing the telephone, there is confusion over just what the Internet is and how it can be used.

There are several things a computer user should consider when sending an e-mail message to another person or to a group, or when gathering information, pictures, and graphics from sites on the WWW.

We need to remember that most of the information placed on the Internet can be read by millions of other people. This means you cannot send a "confidential" message. You also cannot take and distribute information because most of it is copyrighted or trade-marked. Defamation, criminal and civil harassment, and copyright and trademark laws are presently being used to limit the types of communication on the Internet in the United States.

Don't be surprised if you are warned by your Internet provider or discussion group administrator that your privileges to participate in a group could be terminated if you post defamatory messages or copyrighted information. Internet providers do not want to be drawn into a defamation, harassment, copyright, or trademark case because of e-mail messages sent by one of their subscribers.

E-MAIL MESSAGES

An e-mail message about a person should be treated the same as a spoken statement or a message sent by mail or fax. An e-mail discussion group is nothing more than an electronic roundtable. As with any roundtable, the participants share information about a particular topic. A subscriber to the group would i ask other members of the group for a reference about a subject, person, or product. It is incumbent upon you to use only response information that you know from personal knowledge or experience.

This all means that the person who contributes a message to a discussion group is the owner of the message copyright. Then, the compilation of those messages may be used by the group administrator, perhaps archiving them and making them available to group members or even to a broader public. A subscriber, then, receives information from others, and in turn, can expect that his or her messages will be shared.

BASIC NEEDS

Whether in or out of college, you might not need as fast or powerful a computer as the industry's hype suggests. If you are mostly doing word processing and e-mail, you can get away with a very low-power machine, including sub-Pentium 486-grade models.

As for printers, a cheap inkjet will probably do for most tasks.

Students in engineering fields are usually more comfortable with PC's because they are more popular within the profession. Art and graphics departments at many schools tend to prefer the Mac. So, the decision about making this all-important and expensive purchase might be determined by where you are going to be, what you will be learning, and what your dorm has to offer.

Upgrades are inevitable. Obsolescence is a fact of computing life. Technology progresses so rapidly in the field that even today, with all our sophistication, we cannot comprehend the uses and advances that are just around the corner for computers.

In addition, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this is indeed an era of software copy-cats. Read on to tap into some of the examples:

"BASICS" UPDATE

A lot of stranger-than-fiction things have been happening lately. Microsoft has announced the purchase of a chunk of Apple computer, with former archenemies Bill Gates and Steve Jobs making the announcement. The patent infringement suits between Apple and Microsoft have been cancelled. And now Apple has introduced its first operating system ever that can boast of being more like Windows.

Whatever you may think of the Mac, or the recent corporate perils faced by Apple Computer, the Mac is generally considered the leader when it comes to case of use.

But then along came Windows 95. It revolutionized the industry. It was even easier to use than Windows 3, and more intuitive. PC users were able to become even more productive.

A sincere compliment to Microsoft's Win95 development team, the product made sure the ease-of-use which it provided made it no longer a factor in choosing between Mac and Windows.

Then, over the years, Apple released so many upgrades to the Mac operating system, and it even borrowed some of Win95's best interface features.

NEW FEATURES

The Mac now has a Browse the Internet icon right on the desktop. Just as with Windows, you can configure this icon to launch any Web browser you want. There's also a similar icon to launch your e-mail program of choice.

One especially neat feature is that when you click on a menu in the Windows menu bar, it drops down and stays down. Prior to this, Mac users had to click and hold on a menu to keep it dropped down. With OS 8, Apple has introduced a "new" feature called sticky menus that makes the Mac menu bar work the same way the Windows menu bar has worked for years. Just click and that menu stays right where you want it.

It was many years ago that Microsoft standardized the two-button mouse for Windows. This second mouse button is so helpful, because you just click on an icon and a little menu pops up offering you a whole list of options.

Meanwhile, the Mac was stuck with the single-button mouse, so there was no way to click on an icon even if you wanted to. Well, that didn't stop Apple engineers from adding Windows-like pop-up menus to OS 8. Now, when Mac users hold down the Control key and click on an icon, they achieve the equivalent of a right-click and a little pop-up menu shows up to offer options.

In the opinion of many computer experts, the Mac still isn't as good at multi-tasking as Windows, but it's much better than it was before.

So, whether you are off to college, gaining access to the Internet and e-mail, or computerizing for your every-day life, the best advice is always to determine your own personal needs and uses for computing, try to personalize the machine to your own lifestyle, research the brands and places to access the equipment, and then go for the most updated and upgraded machine, hardware and software, which your budget will allow. This article has made the effort to show that there are variances between student-use and general-usage of computers. Putting in the research and preparation before your purchase will greatly benefit your decision-making.

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