One of the college student’s most valuable resources is the personal computer.  Not only does it provide a means for conducting research and completing assignments, it also provides a world of convenience in delivering information, communications and entertainment.

Menlo College provides an ideal environment for the student who wishes to use his or her personal computer while visiting or living on campus.  Learn more about the equipment and software needed to help succeed in pursuing a degree and making the most of campus life. Read more about the services the Menlo College Office of Information Technology offers to students.

Buying a computer can be quite difficult, particularly to the inexperienced consumer.  There is a lot to know, and so many different specifications.  How does one really know if he or she is getting the best quality at the best price?

The good news is that today’s computers and computer operating systems are very stable and reliable.  Here are a few guidelines for purchasing a personal computer.  These recommendations are from the professional staff in the Menlo College Office of Information Technology.

• Bottom of the Barrel – Don’t buy the absolute cheapest system you can find.  There’s probably a reason it costs less than the others.  A college student wants to invest in a system that will be dependable for four solid years and then some.  You should realistically plan on spending a minimum of $400.  Under spending will only lead to complications down the road.
• PC vs. MAC – The network at Menlo College will support either PC or Mac.  Many families prefer Apple Mac over PC, as they are easy to use and some people have had them in their households for years.  PC’s are more affordable and more widely used in the college environment.  As the majority of the computer-based curriculum is offered on the PC platform, we recommend PC’s to students who are purchasing computers to bring to the campus.
• Desktop vs. Laptop – There are advantages and disadvantages to each.  Desktop computers are more affordable.  The hardware is a little bit more durable – desktops are less prone to breaking down and they are easier to repair.  The down side is that they are completely immobile.  You can use the desktop in your dorm room and nowhere else.  Laptops are more expensive, they are not as powerful as desktops and are built around smallness, not durability.  The advantage is that they are mobile.  With the wireless adapter built in to the laptop, a Menlo student is not confined to the dorm room in connecting to the Internet.
• Brand Name Computers – There are many quality name brand computers on the market.  Here is a list of our favorite brands, although there are many others that we would endorse that are not mentioned.

• If you spend a little time shopping around you will see that some retailers offer better deals than others.  Some of our favorite web vendors are CDW and PC Mall.
• Remember when you are shopping for a computer to ask your retailer about special pricing for college students!
• Bells and Whistles – Computer retailers will try to entice buyers to select deluxe enhancements for new computer systems.  Here’s a quick breakdown of some common add-ons:

• Printers – A printer is nice to have, but the Menlo student could likely survive without it.  There are laser printers on campus available to students.  To students who want a printer in the dorm room, we suggest HP and Epson Ink Jet printers.
• Flat Screens – we recommend these for anyone who plans to spend a lot of time using the computer.  They give off less radiation and are easier on the eyes.  Students who spend less than one hour per day on the computer can save money by going with the CRT monitor.
• More memory – this is the one add-on that we recommend the most enthusiastically.  Adding RAM to you computer will make it faster and perform better, particularly when you run many programs at the same time.  We recommend at least 512 MB.
• More processor – having the latest and greatest won’t necessarily yield notable improvements to your PC’s performance.  We do recommend Intel Pentium processors – 1.8 GHz or higher.  Intel Pentium 4 and AMD are suitable.
• Advanced Graphics – the standard graphics adapters will do just about anything you need them to.  The typical student computer would not need the upgrade.
• Hard Disk Drives – They don’t make disk drives anymore that are too small.  For people who keep large media libraries an 80 GB drive would keep them busy for a while.  For basic college work, the manufacturer’s standard hard drive will likely be sufficient.

Operating System

For PC’s we recommend Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition w/ Service Pack 2.  Though most new PC’s only come with Microsoft Vista.  If you're purchasing a PC with Vista, we believe Vista Home Premium edition is the most suitable choice.

For the Mac, we recommend Mac OS X Tiger. 

The lower cost alternative is the Linux implementation.  This OS is basically free and is extremely stable and immune from viruses, but may pose an unfamiliar operating environment.  Working in Linux the student may encounter difficulties with software compatibility and file formats. If you're going to use Linux, Umbuntu is a good choice.

Office Tools

Every college student should have some type of word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software package.  Menlo College uses the Microsoft Office suite and recommends this product to its students.  Corel and StarOffice are good, but may not be suitable for specific academic work in some programs.

Online Services

The campus Internet service does not require any special software.  The student computer should have a web browser and email program.  These are included with Microsoft Windows (Internet Explorer and Outlook Express) and Mac OS (Safari and Mail).  A better alternative to these products is Firefox for web browsing and Thunderbird for email.  They’re both Open Source software.   

Anti-Virus

No personal computer should be without anti-virus software.  Many new computers come with trial versions of anti-virus software built in, with option to buy.  McAfee VirusScan and Symantec Norton Anti-Virus are the products we recommend.  This is critical; don’t forget the anti-virus software!

Menlo College provides every student resident with a high-speed connection to the Internet from the dormitory room.  All you need is a standard Ethernet connection to the personal computer and you are online.  The service is always on.  There is no dial-up or login required.  Internet service is provided at no additional cost to the student.

Security

Internet security is important in protecting your computer from potential threats and in protecting yourself from having your personal information compromised.  The Menlo College network features the following security safeguards:

1. Firewall – protects computers on campus from exposure to outside threats such as hackers and hijackers.
2. Traffic Shaping – guarantees quality of service so that you can rely on your Internet connection to deliver the web content you need, when you need it.
3. Virus and Spam Protection – protects computers from harmful viruses, spyware, adware, and unwanted email messages.
4. Intrusion Prevention Services – monitor the network for voluntary and involuntary intrusions, such as denial of service (DOS) attacks

Keeping your Computer Safe

Every computer using Menlo College’s Internet connection is part of a Local Area Network.  Often when many computers are close to each other, they have a tendency to share potentially threatening resources with one another.  It only takes one infected computer to spread a virus to many others. 

The Internet service provided by the College includes many security features at no additional cost.  This however does not guarantee that the network is free of all threats.  As such, it is imperative that every computer owner takes the following precautionary actions in order to ensure the safety of his or her computer.

1. Operating System Updates – OS manufacturers such as Microsoft and Apple continually release security patches for their operating systems.  As new threats spread to the public, security patches are designed to protect your computer from such threats.  How-to
2. Anti-Virus Software – Every computer that is connected to the Internet should have an ISO approved anti-virus software application installed.  To optimize the effectiveness of anti-virus software, the user should:
1. Enable Real-Time Protection – in doing so, your system will be constantly monitored for potential threats to the health of your PC.
2. Download Live Updates – Viruses are constantly changing.  In order to keep up with all the new “strains,” your computer must obtain signature definitions from the anti-virus software manufacturer on a regular basis.  This should be done at least once a week, and can easily be set up to run automatically.

Recommended:  NOD32 Antivirus, it won’t bog down your PC, it protects you from spyware and adware as well.  One of the free antivirus products like AVG is also a good choice. 

3. Spyware/Adware Removal Tools – Spyware is a piece of computer programming that is loaded onto a computer unbeknownst to the user.  Similar to a virus, a spy program will transmit information about your computer out to a parent host somewhere on the Internet.  Spyware can adversely affect the performance of a PC, as well as present a threat to your personal privacy.  There are many commercial and free anti-spy software packages available. 

Recommended:  Ad-Aware Another free product, that’s been around for years and works great.  You may have to run anti-spyware software more than once to get everything.  Beware, some providers of anti-spyware are actually using their software to infect your PC.  

Taking these fairly simple precautions will help ensure the health of your computer and the health of other computers within the academic community.

Any computer that is actively infecting the network will be blocked from service.  In order to have service restored, the computer’s owner will have to demonstrate that:

• The operating system has all of the most current security updates installed.
• The computer has anti-virus software installed, with real-time protection enabled and all of the current live updates.
• There are no viruses on the computer (determined by performing a full scan of the computer’s hard disk drives).

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing

Many students enjoy building collections of music and other media through downloading.  Currently there are a number of Internet-based music stores that are sanctioned by the entertainment industry and offer CD-quality digital music downloads to subscribers at reasonable rates.

Additionally, there are Internet-based media sharing organizations that are not sanctioned and whose operational activities are illegal.  Although these peer-to-peer file sharing applications continue to be quite popular, Menlo College strongly discourages participation in such activities.  Consider the following:

• While peer-to-peer applications are not blocked on Menlo College’s network, the bandwidth allocated for this type of traffic is restricted so as to ensure quality of service to those users engaged in normal Web related activities.
• Entertainment companies are on the hunt for individuals who offer proprietary copyrighted materials through file sharing.  In order to ensure absolution of any potential indictment, Menlo College intends to cooperate fully with the authorities in follow up to any incident related with illegal file sharing.
• Programs such as Morpheus and Kazaa are notorious for adversely impacting the performance of personal computers.  Menlo College strongly discourages the installation of file sharing software programs on personal computers.

Online Gaming and Collaboration

Gaming, chatting, and other means of collaborating are encouraged.  Please keep in mind that since our computer is behind a firewall, it will not be visible to other systems outside our network.  In other words, many online games that require knowledge of people’s IP addresses won’t work.

Students who do not own computers have convenient access to personal computers that are maintained by the College specifically for student use.  The open access lab is open late Sunday through Thursday and until 6PM on Friday.  Students have access to the software programs needed to complete class assignments, a high-speed Internet connection, black & white and color laser printers, scanners, and CD-R burners.

A lab monitor is available to help computer users who require assistance in the open access lab.  Each student is assigned a secure login to the network, along with dedicated secure file storage space, and a personal email account.  More Information

The Bowman Library also has computers available for students to use.  The PC’s in the library are set up identically to those in the open access lab, and are convenient and easy to use.  More Information

Menlo College’s new wireless network allows personal computer owners with 802.1 1g rated WiFi adapters to connect to the Internet.  This network features four hot spots located in some of the most popular locations on campus:

1. Bowman Library
2. Student Union
3. College Dining Room
4. Open Access Computer Lab

In order to connect to the wireless network, the user must have a valid user ID and password (same as the open access lab).  Please review the section on Keeping your Computer Safe in the Residential Internet Service section of this document.

Menlo College does NOT have a computer repair center on campus.  Students may seek advice on computer troubleshooting from one of the qualified staff persons in the Office of Information Technology by calling 650-543-3830.  If you would like a consultation, that staff person will schedule a personal meeting with you. 

If the computer requires professional servicing, we will refer you to a local service center that is certified by your computer’s manufacturer.

For liability purposes, the Office of Information Technology will not accept custody of your personal property.  Furthermore, Menlo College employees are unable to perform repair work on any personal computer, as mandated by the manufacturer’s warranty.

For any issues regarding on-campus Internet service, telephone service, wireless, computer labs, email, or IQ.Web, please contact the Menlo College Office of Information Technology.