The following is a list of common questions CIT staff is asked. Please note that these are our recommendations only, and that there is no single answer that applies to everyone. Your technology experience, field of study, study habits, financial situation, and the location of your residence will all play a part in deciding what is best for you.

If you have more questions, you can e-mail cit@hope.edu or call us at 616-395-7670.

• Do I need to bring a computer to Hope?
• Should I buy a laptop or a desktop?
• Windows or Macintosh?
• What make or brand should I buy?
• "How much" computer do I need? What specifications?
• Connecting to the Internet: Wireless Ethernet or wired?
• What programs should I have installed?
• Do I need a printer?
• More questions?

Do I need to bring a computer to Hope?

Nearly 100% of Hope students own their own computer.

If you are not sure about bringing a computer, you might want to try our labs during their first semester and see if they will meet your needs. Hope has 18 general use labs with just over 200 computers. All computers in these labs are less than 3 years old, and each lab has a laser printer. Several more department specific labs bring the total of lab computers to more than 300.

Should I buy a laptop or a desktop?

Over two-thirds of Hope students own a laptop. There are many advantages to a laptop. Since they are small, they leave more space in your room. They have fewer cables and accessories to install and move around, so they tend to be a little simpler considering the amount of moving you will do. Finally, CIT has been installing additional network connections in the Van Wylen Library, the Kletz, and selected labs so that you can plug your laptop into the network when you study outside of your room. If you have a compatible wireless Ethernet card, there are many locations on campus where you can bring your computer and not even need to plug in!

One thing to keep in mind is that while laptops are convenient for you to transport, that also makes them a target for theft. While those on Hope's campus generally do not have problems with theft, laptops left unattended or in unlocked rooms are always targets. Therefore, we encourage everyone with laptops to avoid leaving them unattended and to always lock your residence hall door when you leave.

With the drop in computer prices in the last couple years, desktop computers still offer the best value for your dollar. While you'll give up the portability of the laptop, you can generally get more features (bigger monitors, faster processors, etc.) in a desktop for less money than a laptop. Again, it's all a matter of preference.

Windows or Macintosh?

Approximately 97% of College-owned computers run Windows. All of Hope's public computer labs run Windows, and most faculty have a Windows computer it their offices. Therefore, you may want to bring a Windows system for the greatest compatibility. However, there are several Macintoshes on campus too, and there is a great deal of compatibility between Windows and Macintosh these days. We generally recommend a Windows computer, but do not discourage Macintoshes.

On a related note, there are several versions of Windows that you can buy: XP Professional, XP Home, Vista Basic, Vista Premium, etc. Each will work fine on Hope's campus. Some of the versions contains some advanced networking capabilities needed in larger "corporate-type" environments. These capabilities are not needed at Hope, so any version will work equally well here; in general, you won't notice any difference between them.

What make or brand should I buy?

Hope College buys Gateway computers for desktops and Toshiba computers for laptops. We've found both to be high quality, reliable systems at a decent value. Of course, there are several other good manufacturers as well, including Dell, HP, and Apple. Our experience has been that purchasing from a large, name brand company provides for a more reliable, more easily serviced system. In general, we advise against locally-built and "home built" computers, as they're not always full tested for compatibility, and can present service and support problems down the road.

If you'd like to see some specific models that we recommend, visit our Personal Purchase page. Although primarily focused toward faculty and staff purchases, the systems on this page would also be very appropriate for student use. Of course, you can always contact us to talk about specific questions or details.

Gateway offers a discount of approximately 2% to Hope College students on computer purchases. To take advantage of this, go to the Gateway website and configure your system. Then call Gateway Higher Education at 1-800-846-2754 to order. You will need the Program Code 01RPH11635 to receive the discount. You may also have your new computer directly shipped to Hope College so that it is waiting for you when you arrive. Our shipping address is: Hope College CIT, 110 E. 10th Street, Holland, MI 49423

"How much" computer do I need? What specifications?

In general, your time at Hope won't require you to have a "high end" computer in order to complete your studies. The most popular use of personal computers are for Internet access (including e-mail), typing papers, and creating presentations. Almost any new computer sold today will more than suffice for these tasks. Even if you plan to do things like photo or video editing, almost any new computer will be fine.

So what about the numbers? How much is enough? Here's some general technical recommendations:

1. Get at least 2048MB (2GB) of RAM. Unless you're into gaming or commercial-type photo/video editing, in which case you'll probably want more. A computer with 1024MB might work okay today, but is going to leave you wanting more in the future.
2. For Windows computers, there's often a choice between several processors. While their technical design makes some perform faster, all are very fast, and for most applications you probably won't notice a difference.
3. If you're buying a laptop, it will almost certainly have wireless capability (see "Connecting to the Internet" below). If the system supports the new 802.11n wireless, just be sure that it will also work with 802.11b and/or 802.11g as well (those are what's currently used at Hope).
4. Some manufacturers offer the option of including Microsoft Office with your purchase. While your best route may be to include this program with the new computer, be sure to read the "Programs" section below first to make sure you're getting the right features and the best deal.

Connecting to the Internet: Wireless Ethernet or wired?

Each residence hall has one wired Ethernet port per resident. As a first-year student, chances are that you'll be living in a residence hall, so you want to be sure that your computer has a wired port. It's almost impossible to buy a computer without one these days, so that's probably not something that you need to worry about.

Wireless Ethernet is available in many places around campus, including about 64 cottages and apartments (primarily housing 2nd - 4th year students) that are completely wireless (no wired connections available). Even while living in a residence hall, you may want to take your laptop to the Library or other wireless location and use the wireless there. In that case, you'll want an 802.11b or 802.11g wireless Ethernet card.

If you have a laptop or desktop computer and end up moving to a cottage or apartment with wireless only, you can always add a wireless Ethernet card then. They're available from most online and local electronics retailers, as well as on campus at the Hope-Geneva Bookstore.

What programs should I have installed?

Hope provides hundreds of computers in labs for student use. Some are setup for basic Internet access and word processing. Others are more specialized, with high-end (and expensive!) programs tailored to specific disciplines. Most students use their personal computers for writing papers, reading e-mail, surfing the Internet, and for entertainment. When the need arises for a specific program for class, they'll go to the appropriate lab where that program is installed. That way, they don't have to buy the program themselves and have it take up space on their computer. For this reason, the one suite of programs that we recommend for personal computers is Microsoft Office, especially a version that includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. All of the computer labs have these programs, as do all professors' computers (Windows or Mac). Using these programs will be the most seamless way to submit assignments, correspond and collaborate with others, and move files from one computer to the other. When shopping for Microsoft Office, make sure that you're getting a version that includes PowerPoint, as it's used extensively for creating presentations.

As mentioned above, some computer manufacturers offer discounted copies of Microsoft Office with new computers. The Hope-Geneva Bookstore also sells Microsoft Office to students at a significant discount over retails pricing.

Antivirus software is essential. Hope College provides free antivirus software to all students with Windows-based computers. Click here for more details.

Do I need a printer?

This is entirely a matter of personal preference. Each residence hall has a black-and-white laser printer in its lab (usually located in the basement) and students can setup the computer in their room to print to it. There is no cost for this, but there can be a bit of a walk to the printer. There's also the option to save your file to a disk or memory stick, then print them in a lab. For more convenient printing or color capability, some students choose to bring their own color inkjet printer for their room.

Still Confused? More questions?

Feel free to e-mail (cit@hope.edu), call (616-395-7670), or stop in at CIT (Durfee Hall, 110 East 10th Street). We're always happy to answer questions and help you figure out what will work best.