Contents

• Introduction
• Recommended computer system components

Introduction

The following information is provided for Pathfinder 201 students who are considering the purchase of a personal computer.

Owning a personal computer is not a requirement for this course. PCs in the Earth and Planetary Remote Sensing Laboratory (EPRSL) will be available for use by Pathfinder students (see How To Use Computers For This Course). However, there are about 15 students in the class and 6 student PCs in the laboratory. Students with their own computers will have the advantage of working from their dorm rooms or elsewhere, without having to wait for a turn in the lab.

Here are some guidelines for purchasing a system that will be compatible with the personal computers used in the EPRSL for Pathfinder 201 and 202. For more information contact Tom Stein (314-935-5744, stein@wunder.wustl.edu) who works in the EPRSL.

Recommended computer system components

Following are baseline computer system recommendations for the student entering the university this fall. The price of a computer pales in comparison with tuition and housing costs. Nevertheless, most consider a computer purchase as a five-year investment and the components chosen should reflect that thinking. It is interesting to note that the system outlined below is 20 times faster than the "top-of-the-line" model of five years ago.

PC vs. Mac

At Washington U., most students have PCs and there is much more support for PCs than Macs on campus. If you wish to run the Pathfinder 201 modeling software on your computer you will need a PC or a Mac that emulates a PC.

Processor (CPU) type and clock speed

A 2.0-GHz CPU is satisfactory, but the faster the better. With increased speed comes increased price.

Memory, usually referred to as RAM

The more the merrier! Recommended 1 GB. With today’s fast Pentium CPUs, adding extra memory can be a better choice than getting the fastest CPU.

Monitor size

A 17-inch monitor is strongly recommended, but a 15-inch will work, too. Just like TVs, computer displays are typically smaller than advertised. A 17-inch monitor is usually about 15.9 inches, a 15-inch monitor is 13.9 inches, and a 14-inch monitor may only be 12.9 inches!

Graphics card memory

The more memory you have on the graphics card, the more colors and higher resolution the computer will display. Minimum recommended is 128 MB, but get 256 MB if you can.

Hard drive

There is a computer truth that says, "the data expand to fill the space." In other words, no matter how big the drive is, it will never be enough. Recommendation: at least 80 GB (gigabyte). IDE-type hard drives are much cheaper than SCSI-type hard drives, but SCSI drives can be bigger and faster..

CD read/write drive / DVD

Must have. CD write-once disks are an inexpensive backup option and an easy way to take your files with you to another computer. Although most DVD drives on campus are used for watching movies on the computer, data DVDs are becoming more common. Since you plan to use this computer for at least four years, make a DVD burner/drive part of it.

 

Audio/multimedia configuration

Most, but not all systems are configured with audio. This is a fairly inexpensive add-on. Be sure to specify powered speakers. The term "powered speakers" just means that the speakers have an A/C adapter and can be plugged in. Some cheap speakers run only on batteries. Plus, powered speakers are shielded magnetically so they don’t affect the rest of the computer. Recommendation: 16-bit wave sound with powered speakers.

 

Operating system

Most new computers come with an operating system, but make sure. Windows XP Professional is highly recommended. The campus computing centers provide great support and are geared more towards Windows than anything else. Linux is not recommended for a personal computer.

Network

All of the dorm rooms are wired so that your computer can be networked to the rest of the campus and the outside world. To connect, you will need a network card that supports 100-BASE-TX Ethernet.

Printer

There are printers in most of the dorms, but if you would like one closer, consider the Epson Color Stylus or HP DeskJet models. Warning about all inkjet printers: if the page gets wet, the ink tends to smear.

Software

For most of your computing needs, Microsoft Office XP should do the trick. This includes Word (word processor), Excel (spreadsheet), PowerPoint (presentation) and Outlook (personal information manager). The "professional" edition of Office also includes Access (database). Unless it’s bundled with your computer, you should wait to buy this at the campus computer store at a 50-75% educational discount.

Laptops

If you can afford a laptop, great! Laptop/notebook computers are typically twice the price of an equally-equipped desktop machine.

A final word

Computers are available from a variety of sources. I recommend purchasing from a vendor whose main business is computers.  We suggest purchasing an onsite replacement from the vendor for 4 years.  We also suggest purchasing a locking cable for a laptop.  What seems like a great deal is often reflected in inferior components and poor service. I will gladly discuss our experience with specific vendors at your request. You can contact me, Tom Stein, via phone or e-mail (314-935-5744, stein@wunder.wustl.edu).