Purchasing a new
computer?...
Any
current-technology
system you can buy
on-line or in a
retail location will
work fine at
Bradley. Following are
a few guidelines we
offer to ensure that
you have the best
possible computing
experience at
Bradley.
Does my
major matter?
A
Windows-based
system is the
correct choice for
the majority of
academic disciplines
on campus. However,
there are some
specialized programs
such as multimedia
and electrical
engineering for
which an Apple
Macintosh or
specially configured
Windows machine may
be more appropriate
and useful. Please
contact academic
departments directly
if you have a
question about which
type of system would
be most appropriate
for a particular
major.
Computer
hardware and
software
We
recommend Windows
XP Professional or
Mac OS System
10 operating systems
on computer hardware
which will support
them (recent
technology with
plenty of
memory). These are
the same operating
systems recommended
for University-owned
system purchases.
You may bring older
systems or other
operating systems,
but they may not
work ideally on the
network.
Hardware The following recommendations will make your shopping easier:
- Purchase a system with at least 512MB of RAM
- Purchase a system with a CD or DVD burner to make backing up your files easier
- Purchase a copy of Microsoft Office (see journeyEd)
- Purchase an extended warranty if possible
Apple
For educational
discounts on
Apple computers, click the Apple logo below to shop Apple systems, or call 1-800-692-7753 to
order. Please be sure to mention that you are with
Bradley University to ensure you get your special
discount.
Software
Bradley has teamed up with JourneyEd.com and Microsoft to extend our current licensing agreement to students. You may go to www.journeyed.com/select (or click on the logo below) to purchase software at reduced pricing. Select "College", then click on the Bradley University link to begin shopping.
Shop for Software
Microsoft Office
(current version for
either system) is
used on campus, and
we also suggest that
you download a copy
of Adobe Acrobat
reader (free on the
Web from Adobe at
www.adobe.com).
Norton AntiVirus (NAV)
is provided FREE to
all Bradley
students. It is
very important that
you have current
anti-virus software
installed on your
computer, with daily
updates scheduled,
BEFORE you come to
campus. You may
obtain your free
copy of NAV from the
http://antivirus.bradley.edu
Web site.
Additionally, we
recommend that
system firewalls be
turned on to protect
against computer
viruses called worms
which can be spread
via
network connections.
This
and other important
information
regarding securing
your system can be
found on Bradley's
Responsible
Computing Web site http://respcomp.bradley.edu.
Network
Connectivity
In
order to connect
your computer to the
campus network (and
Internet) from the
residence halls, you
must have a
10/100 Ethernet card
(also called an
Ethernet adapter)
installed on your
computer. We do not
provide Ethernet
card purchases or
installations.
Contact a local
computer vendor or
wholesaler for
Ethernet card
purchase and
installation.
In
order for your
computer to
communicate on the
network, it must be
connected with a
proper
Ethernet cable.
A telephone cord
will NOT work. You
may purchase
Ethernet cables from
your local computer
vendor or at the
Bradley (Barnes & Noble) Bookstore.
Wireless
connectivity is
available in many
location on campus
including the
library. We
recommend a 802.11b
compatible wireless
card if you have a
portable computer.
Network cards for
Macintosh systems
vary. Contact your
local Macintosh
Sales representative
for advice before
purchasing your
card.
There is no charge
to access Bradley's
network from the
residence halls or
public areas.
Questions?
Call Campus Computer Sales at 309-677-3044
