* * * Updated for 2006-2007 Academic Year * * *
Minimum Configuration for Bagley College of Engineering Student Computers
2006-2007 Academic Year
Platform: Laptop or Notebook
2 GHz (or faster) Pentium 4 Processor (1)
[Any speed Centrino or Pentium M class processor is acceptable]
1 GB RAM
60 GB Hard drive
CD-RW drive (24X speed recommended--used for data backup and file transfer)
DVD-R required (DVD-R/W recommended is budget permits)
USB flash drive, 128 Mb (for file transfers, instead of floppy drive)
14 inch screen or larger
Video Card with at least 32 MB Memory
10/100BaseT Ethernet card
Wireless Network Card, IEEE 802.11b/g capable
56K Modem (required only if living off-campus and using dial-up service or if you plan to travel/work in an area that only has dial-up capability)
Recommended Operating System: Windows XP Professional (XP Home Version is not suitable)
Required Software: Microsoft Office 2003 Professional to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook. Microsoft Works is NOT an acceptable substitute.
Microsoft Office 2003 Professional is available to students through the University’s Information Technology Services department at a substantial discount as part of the Microsoft Student Select Program. There is no less expensive way of obtaining this software than through this program. Once you have registered for classes, you will be able to purchase the software through MSU ITS.
Norton Antivirus is available to students free of charge on the University intranet once they arrive on campus and should be installed as soon as possible.
A wireless network interface card compatible with the IEEE 802.11b/g standard is a required option. Cards manufactured by 3-Com and Orinoco have been used successfully. Other cards may also work. Wireless connectivity is available in many parts of campus and in portions of all of the engineering buildings. More information on the ever growing wireless network at Mississippi State can be found on the ITS webpage.
We recommend that the Network Interface Card (NIC or Ethernet card and 802.11b wireless) and modem be integrated with the laptop. If this is not possible then a combo card (a single PCMCIA card that has both the NIC and modem) should be purchased. This will free the laptop’s PCMCIA card slots for other devices you may wish to install. Laptops will be able to connect directly to the network when campus and a modem will usually need to be used when off campus.
Minimum specifications are published as a guide for both students who already own a computer and would like to use it for a few semesters before having to buy a new one and for those who will be making a new purchase. A computer meeting the minimum specifications should be able to serve the needs of a student during his or her time at Mississippi State. If you already own a computer that closely meets these specifications, then you are encouraged to use it as long as you can.
A computer that meets the specifications above should meet your needs while at Mississippi State. Admittedly in three or four years, faster processors and larger hard drives will be available but we do not believe this will impact the ability of the computer to meet the academic needs of our students. You may wish to upgrade or replace your computer while you are in school but we do not require nor necessarily encourage you to do so.
To get more enjoyment out of your computer you may wish to exceed the specifications we have listed above. If you do wish to upgrade a computer from the minimum specifications above, we suggest that you first purchase additional RAM, then increase the processor speed, and finally increase the size of the hard drive. These items will most affect enhanced performance.
Unless you have experience using a laptop computer, you should not rush to buy docking stations, external monitors, external mice, etc. Most users of laptops find that these peripheral devices are unnecessary and are not a wise use of money. You should use the laptop for a few days to see how well you will adjust to it and then decide if you need any peripherals.
You are encouraged to purchase a high-quality computer that will serve your needs while you are an engineering student at Mississippi State. There are many computer vendors, and product quality varies greatly. The computer industry is also highly competitive. If you see two computers that claim to be identical yet one is significantly less expensive than the other, then the lower priced computer most likely will have either inferior parts, service, and support -- or the two computers are not really identical. Do not buy a computer solely on the basis of price. A computer is an essential tool to an engineering student and one that will last and give little trouble is well worth the additional expense.
As a student you will be using additional software not specified above. Much of this software is available to students at little or no fee on campus and is made available when needed. We do not currently require students to purchase a package of software when they arrive on campus because much of it will be outdated by the time it is used. Microsoft Office and the anti virus program is the only software we ask students to purchase with their computers.
(1) We do not encourage students to use Apple Macintosh computers. Macs are great computers and they will meet many of the needs our students have; however, we have found that some of the software we use in the College, particularly high-level math and programming software, is not supported on the Macintosh platform. Our experience with Windows emulators on the Macintosh (RealPC and VirtualPC) has also not been positive. The Windows-based math and programming software used in the College does not seem to work well with these emulators. If you have a Macintosh and wish to try it, you are certainly free to do so. We do not recommend the use of Macs but we do not prohibit their use. Keep in mind however that you are responsible for ensuring they will allow you to do all the work you need to do.
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