Choosing and Ordering a System

Recommended Systems
Choosing a computer
Dorm Support Policy
Common Q&A
Glossary

This section explains what to look for in a computer, and how to place an order. Regardless of what kind of computer you bring to campus (and even if you don't bring one), please return the pink order form included in this packet.

Selecting a Computer (brand, design, removable storage, price)

We recommend Macintosh and Gateway systems in a range of sizes, shapes and prices. Recommended systems are described in the blue and purple colored sections. You have a choice of Macintosh or Gateway, desktop or notebook, and more powerful or less expensive systems. Any recommended system will help you do your schoolwork. However, you may find one system better than another, based upon your personal needs and preferences.

Macintosh or Gateway

Both Macintosh and Gateway make excellent computers. Haverford has been a predominantly Macintosh campus for about 10 years, and until last year we provided only limited support for Windows computers. Most faculty and students currently use Macintosh computers, but the number of Windows computers on campus is definitely growing. Since we started fully supporting Gateways last year, about seventy-five percent of students and half the faculty getting new computers have selected the Windows platform. We recommend you choose whichever platform you prefer.

We try to provide equal support for both Macintosh and Gateway users, with seamless file sharing between platforms. If you adhere to our minimum recommended system requirements, you should be able to do most of what you need with either a Macintosh or Windows 95/98 PC. Both platforms have equal access to the Internet, run a very similar set of supported software packages (Microsoft Office, Netscape, Eudora Light, etc.), and have access to most of the same servers on campus. Most assignments can be done on either a Macintosh or a Gateway, and generally you can move back and forth between platforms. In those rare cases when you need special software that will not work on your personal computer, you can use the computers in our public labs.

If you choose the Windows platform, be aware that while all Windows computers are similar, they vary significantly in ways that may not be immediately noticeable. We recommend and support Gateway E-Series computers due to our long-term experience with them and their continued reliability at a reasonable cost. Like Apple, Gateway consistently ranks near the top of customer satisfaction surveys.

Warranty

If you have problems with your Apple or Gateway computer, your Residential Computing Consultant (RCC) will help you. However, if it is a hardware problem, you will need to get additional assistance to have the computer repaired, as RCCs cannot repair hardware. Apple and Gateway have different warranty policies, and different methods of providing repair service.

Haverford College has an authorized Apple repair center on campus. Haverford does not have Gateway authorized technicians on staff. This is why we include the Gateway Gold Premium Service and Support extended warranty with our recommended bundles.

If your Macintosh needs hardware repairs you can bring your computer to any authorized Apple repair center, including Haverford. If you want to take advantage of our on-campus technicians, you will have to bring your troublesome hardware into our repair center. There is no charge for repairs on items under warranty; you must pay for parts and labor on non-warranty repairs.

If your Gateway needs repairs, you need to call a special Gateway support telephone number. If you have the recommended desktop, Gateway will troubleshoot your problem over the phone, mail you a replacement part, and have a technician contact you to come out and install the part (if applicable). After the new part is installed, you will have to mail Gateway the original part that was replaced. If you have our recommended Gateway notebook the process is similar. However, since we recommend the mail-in option rather than the on-site repair warranty, you may have to mail all or part of your notebook back to Gateway for repair. Gateway will then repair the notebook and return it to you. Gateway covers warranty repairs, although you will have to pay postage under Gateway’s mail-in notebook warranty.

We have recommended Epson printers for those who want printers. These printers are covered by an Epson warranty - not your Gateway or Apple warranty.

Return Policy

Gateway has a thirty day return policy, no questions asked. Apple does not accept returns on computers purchased at their discounted pricing offered to college students and others in higher education.

Gateway or Macintosh Summary

If you buy any of our recommended bundles, we are committed to providing you with our highest level of support for your full four years at Haverford.

• If you like using Windows, we think you will find our recommended Gateways an excellent value when you compare them feature for feature with other brands.
• If you like the Macintosh, you will be happy to find that Macintosh offers a wonderful array of very fast, well designed products. Apple's computers have been getting great reviews for their speed, design and innovations.
• If you don’t already have a preference for either the Macintosh OS or Windows, consider other factors like features, design, and price of the hardware. Feel free to call for additional help with this choice.

Design

Over the past year, Apple has introduced new shapes and colors which have added a whole new dimension to selecting a computer. Gateway makes more traditional-looking systems. Issues of color are obvious. However, when selecting a design, there are a number of more practical considerations.

iMac’s All-In-One Desktop Design

The colorful iMac combines the computer’s base unit and display in one piece, with a separate keyboard and mouse. This compact system has few cables, making it easy to set up. Since some of the dorm rooms are quite small, the iMac’s size is particularly advantageous. Although inexpensive, the iMac is surprisingly fast and sturdy. On the downside, the iMac is less expandable than modular desktop systems. While the iMacs USB ports offer plenty of expansion options, those students who like a larger monitor or use sophisticated applications (such as desktop video) will be happier with a desktop system.

Gateway introduced an all-in-one system during the drafting of this document, but we do not recommend it for Haverford students.

Modular Desktop Systems

A modular system has several separate pieces: base unit, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It is the most popular type of system and the most flexible. Upgrades and repairs are relatively easy, because each piece can be changed without affecting the rest of the system.

For the base, Gateway makes traditional beige desktop models as well as beige tower models (illustrated left) Apple offers only a bright blue and white tower (illustrated right).

On the Gateways you have a choice of a 15" or 17" monitor. Apple only sells a 17" monitor (unless you consider their $1200 15" flat screen). Although the 17" monitors are very nice, the desks in most of Haverford’s dorms do not easily fit today's large computer systems. The typical dorm desk is 24" deep, 48" wide and 30" high. A few students have complained about the desk size, but most seem to find a way to make the computer they want fit on the desk. Many people place the tower unit beside the desk on the floor so as to have more space on the desk for the keyboard and monitor. Even so, workspace on the desk is quite limited.

Notebook Systems

A notebook system fits the CPU, display, keyboard, and pointing device (i.e. mouse, trackpad) into one little lightweight bundle. Although small, today’s notebooks approach the capabilities of a desktop system in terms of speed, disk storage, and even expandability. Large, bright color screens, CD-ROM or DVD drives, and expansion ports are now standard features on notebook computers.

Some people love their notebooks, carry them everywhere (class, library, home), and stash them in a closet when they don’t need them. However, you pay substantially more for a notebook than a desktop with similar speed, memory, and disk space. Thus, you are generally better off with a desktop system unless you will take advantage of the notebook’s portability.

Apple’s notebook (illustrated top left) is a new slim model which advertises a 5 hour battery life. Gateway’s notebook is a bit thicker (illustrated to the right).

Removable Storage

From the mid-1980’s through last year, almost every personal computer on the market included a 3.5" floppy drive. Inexpensive and portable, the 3.5" floppy disk provided the most popular way to backup data and move data and programs between computers. The 3.5" high-density double-sided disk is slowly becoming obsolete. Apple no longer even makes a floppy drive. However, you will still want some sort of removable media. (There is limited temporary storage space available on the network, but you should not rely on this for any important data.) There are many types of removable media, but we recommend you select one of two popular products: Iomega’s Zip drive or Imation’s SuperDisk drive. Both Zip and SuperDisk use their own special format of disks, which hold up to 85 times the data you can put on a standard high-density double-sided floppy disk. You should purchase your system with a Zip or SuperDrive for your computer so you can back up files and transfer data between computers. Unfortunately, Zips and SuperDisks are not compatible with each other.

Zip or SuperDisk?

Zips have been around longer than the SuperDisk, and we have a lot of Zip drives in our public labs. Until a couple of months ago, Zip drives always used a type of disk that holds a 100MB of data. However, Iomega recently came out with a Zip drive that can read either a 100MB Zip disk or a new 250MB format. We do not currently have these 250MB drives on campus.

Imation’s SuperDisk drive reads both the traditional 3.5" HD/DS floppy and their own 120MB format. However, we have very few SuperDisk drives in our public computing labs, so they are bit less convenient than Zips when it comes to moving data between your home computer and the labs. On the other hand, you can use a standard 3.5" floppy to transfer data from your SuperDisk drive to lab computers.

If you already have a lot of data on traditional 3.5" HD/DS diskettes, and you are getting a notebook (where you want to keep the weight and add-ons to a minimum) or Macintosh (which does not include a floppy drive), the SuperDisk is really useful. Otherwise, a Zip may be better for you.

Both 120Mb SuperDisks and 100Mb Zip disks cost about $15 each, and are sold in the college bookstore.

Price

Our recommended models give you a range of moderately priced computers. Although you can get a less expensive system, you may have trouble running standard Haverford software or connecting to our campus network with this non-supported system. Likewise, you can get more expensive computers, but such a computer is beyond the needs of most students. If you are an experienced computer user, and you think you would benefit from a better configuration than our recommended models, you can upgrade most components when placing your order. As long as you adhere to our minimum recommendations for your new Apple or Gateway system, it will be fully supported for your full four years here.

Today you can get a fairly good computer for $1500 and a really nice computer for about $2000 to $2500. In the world of computers, you really do get what you pay for. However, even the best system you can buy today will likely seem mediocre compared to will be available by time you graduate. While we cannot predict specific new technology that will be available in the next few years, it is a safe bet that at least some of these new technologies may become important tools for your education here. The more expensive desktop computers allow you to get the best systems today, with the most expansion options for tomorrow. Notebook computers are more expensive today, and more expensive to upgrade than desktops. Although low in cost, iMacs are pretty good machines, even compared with the more expensive desktops. However, you need to make sure you order them with enough memory, or upgrade the memory shortly after you buy them.

Our recommended models include detailed specifications of each computer’s components. A glossary is provided at the end of this document. Note that similar-sounding components on a Mac and PC do not always provide the same advantages or utility. There are very few tests comparing Apple Macintoshes to Windows computers, and the value and fairness of these is always subject to interpretation. Each platform has benefits over the other in some areas. However, those looking for a comparison might want to read the July 1999 issue of MacWorld Magazine.

We have included system prices with our recommendations on the blue and purple sheets. However, computer prices change frequently, and you should check with Gateway and Apple for up-to-date quotes. Note that there may be additional charges for sales tax, network cable, shipping (Gateway only), and Microsoft Office (Macintosh only).

Ordering Information

Once you select your system, you can order it directly from either Apple Computer or Gateway Computer. You may place an order at any time. You may ship your order either to your home or to Haverford College. We recommend shipping your computer to your home, so you get a chance to work with it over the summer. If you do ship to Haverford, use your regular Haverford address:

Your name
Haverford College
370 Lancaster Avenue
Haverford, PA 19041

The prices and system were based upon our best information as of June 12, 1999. Prices and system configurations are subject to change. If there are changes, they are likely to result in a better system or lower price. Confirm prices with a sales representative at Apple or Gateway.

How to order

Apple Computers: Apple has a very nice on-line store that makes it easy to configure and purchase exactly the Macintosh you want. You can access this through Haverford's Academic Computing Web site (http://www.haverford.edu/acc). If you do not have access to the Web, or prefer to talk with a sales representative directly, call Apple at 1-800-780-5009. Apple does require a copy of your Student ID, or a copy or your letter of acceptance as proof you are eligible for the educational pricing.

Gateway Computers: For current pricing information and availability, call Gateway at 1&endash;800-846-2754. You can ask for Haverford College Bundle A, B, or C. If you are interested in modifying a bundle to add features or save money, just ask the sales representative. You can also buy our recommended bundles from Gateway’s retail stores, called "County Stores", if you tell them you are a Haverford student.

If you have questions about which computer model is best for you, or you have problems ordering from Apple or Gateway, please call our office at 610-896-1045 and ask to speak with a consultant in User Services.

When to order

We cannot predict exactly how long it will take to a ship a computer to your home or Haverford College. While you can generally expect a two to three week delivery time, there is no way to guarantee this. Ask for an estimate when placing your order. However, remember an estimate is sometimes only a guess&emdash;especially when an item is not in stock at the time of ordering.

For those shipping computers home, we suggest placing your order before July 25. Although it will probably not take 3 weeks to get your system, you don’t want it to arrive after you leave for Haverford. Note: Apple has a promotion scheduled this summer &endash; Order an iMac, Powerbook, or Power Mac from Apple between July 12 and October 22 and receive a $50 discount on certain peripherals ordered with your computer, including the Iomega USB Zip Drive, the Apple Studio 17" display, and the Epson 740i USB color printer. Ask your customer service representative for more information.

If you will ship your computer to Haverford College, we suggest you place your order the week of August 2 if you want the computer when you arrive on campus. If you order earlier you may pay more than you need to, as prices may drop. Also, your warranty starts the date our mailroom signs for your package, so you don't want the box just sitting unopened. Furthermore, Gateway buyers have a thirty day return period, starting from when the mailroom signs for the package.

Glossary

The components of your computer determine how fast the computer works, what software programs it runs, and how many programs you can use at the same time. Understanding computer terminology will help you compare the different models we recommend, as well as other computers you might be considering.

Processor: The microprocessor chip, often called the brain of the computer, is one of the biggest factors in determining how fast your computer works. All currently manufactured Apple computers use the PowerPC G3 chip. Our recommended Gateway Computers use either the Pentium II or Pentium III chip. There are a variety of other processor chips for computers which run Windows software, including Intel’s Celeron chip and AMD’s K6 processors, but we do not recommend any computers using these chips. This is not to say that these other chips won’t work well, just that we cannot adequately test and support every available product line.

Today’s chips are very complicated, performing a wide variety of critical tasks. However, the easiest thing to note is the speed at which a chip is rated. Chip speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz). This sounds straightforward, but it is not. For any particular chip, a faster clock-speed means a faster processor; a 450 MHz Pentium II is faster than a 400 MHz Pentium II. However, it is not necessarily true that a 400 MHz Pentium II is equal to a 400 MHz PowerPC G3 chip. In fact, Byte Magazine’s benchmark tests comparing the 400Mhz G3 and 400Mhz Pentium II rank the G3 noticeably faster in most areas. Now consider the Pentium III chip. A computer with 450Mhz Pentium III is noticeably faster than the same computer with a 450Mhz Pentium II if you are performing particular multimedia activities, such as video playback or Web browsing. However, the same 450Mhz Pentium III will be only slightly faster than the Pentium II when doing calculation and text-based activities such as spreadsheets and simple word processing. While benchmark tests are not always an accurate representation of how fast a computer will be for your particular needs, the comparison can still be valuable.

Although the processor chip is the single most critical component in your system, it is just one of many factors affecting how a microcomputer performs. The internal computer design (which is hard to see from a spec sheet) and components play a major role. The particular software you run on a computer also affects its speed a great deal.

Memory (sometimes called RAM): Many students use several programs at the same time. For example, you may simultaneously use a word processor to type the paper, a spreadsheet to add a supplemental chart and the Web to check facts. The amount of memory in your computer affects how many programs you can use at once, and the speed at which these programs will run. Insufficient memory can lead to computer crashes. The Macintoshes and Gateways we recommend have SDRAM or SGRAM. These are simply different types of memory. We recommend a minimum of 64 megabytes of memory on any new system that you buy. Luckily, memory is easy to upgrade.

Cache: This is another type of memory. It stores the most commonly used information for fast access, and makes a big difference in the speed of your computer. Most computers sold today include cache, but they don’t always allow an easy way to upgrade that cache.

Hard Drive: The hard drive provides permanent storage space; it's like a filing cabinet for your computer. While memory determines how much you can do at one time, disk space affects how much you can store for the future. You need disk space to hold both your software programs and the documents you create with those programs. We recommend at least 4 gigabytes (GB) of hard disk space, with 6 GB preferred, on any new system. Should you ever need more storage space, you have a wide range of upgrade options.

CD-ROM drive: A computer CD-ROM drive uses the same technology as an audio CD player. Compact discs hold over 600 MB of data, and are the primary delivery medium for program installations, multimedia, and other large applications. All recommended systems include a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

DVD-ROM drive: This upgrade from a CD-ROM drive plays regular CDs and a new format, DVD, which holds up to seven times more data than a CD. While there is not a lot of software on DVD yet, there are many videos available. If you have a DVD-ROM drive, you will be able to watch videos on your computer.

Ethernet: You need 10Base-T Ethernet to connect to our campus network and the Internet. Likewise, you can use a 10/100 card to access our network. The 10 or 100 refers to the speed your computer will communicate with a network, at either 10 or 100 megabits per second. Because our dorm network is currently limited to 10 megabits per second, you don’t get much benefit from a 10/100 card over a 10Base-T card. However, a 10/100 card does not necessarily cost more than a 10Base-T card, and it will be much faster if your computer is ever connected to a faster network. 10Base-T or 10/100 Ethernet is included with all our recommended systems. You will need to order a network cable on the pink form in this packet. The network cable connects your system to the network jack on your dorm wall.

Expansion Slots: Expansion slots allow you to add special cards that add features or functions to your system. There are several types of expansion slots. PCI slots are the industry standard for desktops and are available in all our recommended desktop systems, except the iMac. Type II PC card slots, sometimes called PCMCIA Type II slots, are the industry standard for notebook computers. USB and FireWire (a.k.a. IEEE 1394) also provide excellent external expansion opportunities. PCI, PCMCIA, USB and IEEE 1394 are available for Macintoshes and Gateways and most other systems made today. Thus, provided you have the necessary software to make a computer recognize a particular expansion card or peripheral, you can use the same cards and peripherals on a Macintosh, Gateway, or other computer.

FireWire: FireWire provides a very fast and versatile port allowing you to easily connect external devices such as a digital video camera or fast hard disk to your system. It can transfer data at rates up to 400Megabytes per second, and you can chain up to 64 FireWire devices together on one port. FireWire is standard on Apple’s modular desktop systems. It may be added to other systems through add-in cards. FireWire is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. You may also see this product on non-Apple products under its generic name, IEEE 1394. Note that you will have to purchase FireWire-capable peripherals to take advantage of this feature.

Monitors: Monitors are the displays for your system. Looking at a monitor is the best way to see how well you like it. However, when examining specifications, compare viewable screen size (often much less than the overall size), resolution (density of dots on the screen), and dot pitch (affects the sharpness of the image; smaller is better). Most of the notebooks today, including Gateway’s and Apple’s, have bright active matrix displays which are very easy to read.

Multimedia (sound and video): Sound and video capabilities are built into all Macintoshes. Windows computers need speakers and special cards (a graphics accelerator and sound card). These are included in our recommended Gateway models.

Operating System: One of the primary differences between the Macintosh and most other computers on the market (including Gateway computers) is the operating system. Macintoshes come with Mac OS System 8.6; we recommend Windows 98 for the Gateways. Windows and the Mac OS are similar in many ways, but each has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Removable media: Removable media is the generic term for diskettes, Zip disks, SuperDisks, and other types of storage disks that you can easily pop in and out of a computer. Currently two companies that make competing, incompatible products dominate the removable media market. Iomega makes the Zip drive and Imation makes the SuperDrive. You should select at least one of these products for your computer so that you can back up files and transfer data between computers.

For more information, see the earlier section on removable media.

Software: Your computer’s software is one of the most important factors affecting its productivity and ease of use. Software provides the instructions that tell your computer how to work. We support Microsoft Office (which includes MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) for word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. The recommended Gateways include Microsoft Office 2000. If you buy a Macintosh, you need to order Office 98 from the enclosed pink form. A variety of other software packages are available at no cost through Haverford’s network. We recommend you use these College supported packages during your time at Haverford. While other software may do a fine job, using standard campus software makes it easier to collaborate on class assignments and to get help if you have difficulty with your software. Even if you bring a non-recommended system to campus, we strongly recommend you order Microsoft Office on the enclosed pink form.

SuperDrive: A SuperDrive reads both a traditional high-density/double-sided 3.5" floppy disk and a new type of media, called a SuperDisk, which can store up to 120MB of data. We recommend a SuperDrive for Macintosh buyers who already have a lot of diskettes, or for notebook buyers who are looking to limit the number of components in their system. For other computer buyers, we recommend the Zip drive. Both drives come in a variety of models, to fit different types of computers. If you are not ordering one of these drives as a part of your system, talk with your vendor to be sure you get the correct model for your computer.

USB: USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. It is a fast and flexible serial port that lets you easily connect peripheral devices like printers, scanners, and disk drives to your system. You can also use it for essential components such as keyboards and mice. USB has only been available a couple of years, but it has emerged as a standard port on most new hardware. You can chain up to 127 devices from one USB port, although you need to get an additional device if you are chaining multiple items together. All our recommended Gateway and Macintosh systems have USB ports.

Zip Drive: A Zip Drive reads a 3.5" storage media called a Zip disk. There are now two types of Zip Drives. The original type stores up to 100MB on a disk. The new models can read the 100MB format, as well as a new 250MB format We have quite a few 100MB Zip drives in our labs, making these drives a convenient way to transfer work between your home computer and a lab computer. However, the SuperDrive competes with the Zip drive, and it is very useful for Macintosh buyers who already have a lot of diskettes, or for notebook buyer who are looking to keep down the number of components in their system. Both drives come in a variety of models, to fit different types of computers. If you are ordering one of these drives as a part of your system, talk with your vendor to be sure you get the correct model for your computer.