Think a Home PC is too expensive?  Take a look at these machines priced at less than $1,000!

Just in time for the holidays, these machines make it possible to join the computer revolution without breaking the bank!

Brian Wilson, Systems Manager

Have you dismissed the thought of buying a home computer for a gift because you are worried about price?  Not so fast.  Many manufacturers are offering PCs at prices below $1,000 to entice new buyers into the home PC market.

Before now, you could always buy a cheap computer, if you didn’t mind giving up performance and buying from a no-name company.  But that’s all changed over the last year with major players such as Compaq and Hewlett-Packard offering products that have major bang for the smaller buck.

Almost overnight, this market is one of the fastest growing segments in the retail PC industry.  As of September, systems priced under $1,000 made up 27% of the retail market.  Many are predicting that during this Christmas season, that percentage will rise as high as 40% as many people who have so far ignored the computer revolution will buy their first computers.

In the past, it’s always taken a “killer app”-- something new, different, and useful -- to bring in new buyers.  This time, the killer app is the Internet.  And since surfing the web doesn’t really require huge amounts of processor power, the lower priced machines are becoming more attractive to first-time buyers.

So what can these sub-$1,000 systems offer you?  Here are some examples:

Compaq: $999 without monitor (at CompUSA)
Presario 4505
Pentium 166MHz Processor with MMX
16 MB (Megabytes) of RAM (memory)
2.1 GB (Gigabyte) Hard Drive
16X CD-ROM
33.6 Kbps Fax Modem
Microsoft Windows 95

Hewlett-Packard: $899 without monitor 
(at CompUSA)
Pavilion 3100
Pentium 166MHz Processor with MMX
16 MB RAM
2 GB Hard Drive
16X CD-ROM
33.6 Kbps Fax Modem
Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Works
Quicken Money Management Software

Micro Center: $899 without monitor
Power Spec 4110 (Home Multimedia)
Pentium 166MHz Processor with MMX
16 MB (Megabytes) of RAM (memory)
3.1 GB (Gigabyte) Hard Drive
24X CD-ROM
33.6 Kbps Fax Modem
Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Works

The key in purchasing a computer is to ask friends, co-workers and relatives about their experiences with different brands.  Almost every manufacturer has a website that will allow you to browse the price and specifications of their products.

This month’s Internet Spotlight falls on the websites for major computer manufacturers.  The Internet has become a great tool for comparison shopping and the computer industry is leading the way.  Take a look at these sites to help you determine the best system for your needs and budget.
 
 

Brian Wilson is the new Systems Manager.  He comes to us from the Newark Campus, where he was the Help Desk Coordinator and Webmaster.

Robert R. McKenney, FAAMA, Director

There have been various e-mail communications circulating about viruses like Join the Crew.  This virus is a hoax.  The real problem is that e-mail boxes become filled with such warnings.  Unfortunately, there are real viruses out there in the computer world.  Below is a list of some of these viruses.  If you suspect a problem on your computer, floppy, or with a file, please do not hesitate to contact the IS Office at 8-5635.
 
 

Robert R. McKenney, FAAMA, Director

During the last couple of months, in addition to the daily operational activities, the IS Office has been working on the enhancement of the College’s (Meiling and Graves) infrastructure to increase the performance level at an individual’s workstation.  Also, this laid the initial groundwork of phasing out the aging remote configuration and application (ReachOut) that was considered not to be user-friendly and certainly not predictable in regard to the chances of connecting and staying connected.

The Office will be rolling out its new solution which will include the delivery of Microsoft Office, Paradox, and Groupwise via Citrix’s WinFrame technology.  This solution is regarded in the industry as being very dependable and user-friendly.  In an article, “In Pursuit of Remote Application Solutions,” appearing in Network Computing (November 15, 1997), it was noted that their “deployment showed Citrix WinFrame as the most scaleable and manageable remote application strategy … It worked on everything we could throw at it—from DOS to Windows 95.”  With Citrix and Microsoft working jointly on such technologies, it makes the selection of this strategy even easier based on the existing platform of the University, Hospitals and College.

More information about this rollout will be made available at future IS Roundtables and e-mail communications.

P.S.  Happy Holidays from the IS Staff !