2008-2009 Residential Computing Baselines

Macalester College does not require students to bring computers to campus. If you choose to bring one, Information Technology Services (ITS) strongly recommends that it meet the following standards.

COMPUTER HARDWARE BASELINES:

• Operating System: Supported operating systems include Macintosh OS X version 10.3 or later, Windows XP (Home or Pro) with Service Pack 3, and Windows Vista (any version) with Service Pack 1. For all computers, apply any patches or updates before coming to campus. No other operating systems are supported.

• RAM: Please see your OS manufacturer’s guidelines for how much RAM your computer needs; 512 MB is a minimum, and 2 GB or more is strongly preferred.

• Hard Disk Space: Macalester provides a number of software tools, including anti-virus and some discipline-specific packages. You will need sufficient hard drive space to install these.

• CD or DVD Drive: Required. Any speed should work.

• Wireless and Wired Networking: Wireless network access is not yet available in all places on campus. Be prepared to use a wired Ethernet connection in residential rooms. If you need an Ethernet cable, you can pick one up at the Help Desk.

• Other Hardware Notes: Apple Macintosh laptops require video adapters to connect to projectors—bring yours if you have them. A surge protector is strongly recommended. Consult your vendor to make sure your hardware is working properly. For liability reasons, we will not open computer cases. You must make certain that all appropriate drivers are loaded.

COMPUTER SOFTWARE BASELINES:

Students should bring all system software required by their computer, including restoration CDs, software installation CDs, printer drivers and other hardware drivers. We cannot legally make system repairs and networking changes without them.

Whether you have a Mac or a PC, ITS will provide you with a variety of software at no charge. This includes our College-licensed and fully supported anti-virus package, which you are strongly encouraged to install and use.

All student computers attempting to connect to the campus data network must first complete a brief on-line registration process. Registration associates the computer’s electronic address with its owner, should it become necessary to contact an individual about network problems.

CAUTION: PROBLEMATIC NETWORK DEVICES

Do not bring wireless hubs, switches and wireless printers to campus. These devices often cause problems for others on our network. ITS reserves the right to bar problematic devices from our network, and we do not support wireless devices other than computers.

Information Technology Services (ITS) staff will make reasonable efforts to support those computers that meet or exceed all of these baselines. If yours does not, you may still try to use it—but our support mission is explicitly limited to these baselines. If you have questions about this information, please call the ITS Help Desk at (651) 696-6525 or e-mail us at helpdesk@macalester.edu.

Click here to download a copy of these baselines in Adobe's PDF format.

Macalester College · 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105 USA · 651-696-6000
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