BUYING A PERSONAL COMPUTER (PC) QUESTIONNAIRE

Tau Lambda

Computer Seminar

Buying A Computer

&

Getting on the Internet

8/14/98

Computer Components

Component	Description	Units
Central Processing Unit (CPU)	The brain of the computer. Performs calculations. CPU Names: 386, 486, Pentium, Cyrix, AMD, Pentium Pro	Megahertz MHz 25Mhz – 400Mhz Higher is better
Random Access Memory (RAM)	The Primary, temporary memory of the computer. Used to hold software currently in use. The more the better. Best computer component upgrade, per dollar value.	Megabytes MB 4MB – 128MB More is better
Hard drive	The Storage Room of the computer. Used to hold software not in use.	Megabytes MB or Gigabytes GB 1000 MB is 1 GB GB is now more common 1 GB – 18 GB
Monitor	The TV screen of the computer.	Inches: 14", 15", 17", 19"
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM	Same as a music CD, but stores software.	X: 16X 24X, 32X X = Times like in multiply
Modem	The telephone of the computer. Used to contact other computers.	Kilobytes K 14.4k, 28.8k, 33.6k, 56k
Graphics Card	Tells the monitor, how to display information. The Megabyte reference refers to storage capacity of the card.	Megabytes MB 1 MB, 2MB, 4MB, +
Printer	Outputs computer information to paper.	Dots Per Inch (DPI) 300 DPI – 600 DPI
Scanner	Reads a paper copy or picture into the computer. From paper to electronic format readable by computer.	Dots Per Inch (DPI) 300 DPI – 1200 DPI
Operating System	Instructional software that tells the computer what to do and when to do it	MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT

Buying A Personal Computer (PC) Questionnaire
Please answer the questions below

1) How much can you invest on a Computer? $____________________

(Expect to pay a minimum of $900 for a basic Budget computer)

[ ] Budget PC	[ ] Mid-Range PC	[ ] Power User – PC
Cost (Up to $1200)	Cost ($1300 - $2000)	Cost ($2200 +)

What will you do with your computer? (Check ALL appropriate boxes)

[ ] a.) Word Processing (Letter writing, document drafting)

[ ] b.) Surfing the World Wide Web (Electronic Library of Information, News, Shopping, etc)

[ ] c.) Small Business Operations and Management

[ ] d.) Children’s Educational needs (Educational Software)

[ ] e.) Family Financial Management

[ ] f.) Graphics Design

[ ] g.) Creating a Photo-Album or Putting pictures on the computer for other uses

[ ] h.) Storing large amounts of information (Office files)

[ ] i.) I wear glasses or I will be using my computer frequently.

[ ] j.) Playing Computer Games

[ ] k.) I want my computer to sound like my hi-fi Stereo System

Additional Computer Components
The following computer components are suggested based on your responses above. Look at the items you checked in question 2. For each one checked, look below in the brackets to see if you need the suggested computer component.

[ ] I need a Scanner [2g, 2h]

[ ] I need at least 32MBs of RAM; preferably 64MBs. [2d, 2f, 2g, 2j]

(RAM is temporary computer memory; like your short-term memory.)

[ ] I need a 33k or 56k modem. (Info: A cable modem is 100 times faster) [2b]

(A modem is used to communicate to other computers or make a phone call)

[ ] I need a 17" modem [2f,2i ]

[ ] I need a CD-ROM drive that is at least 20x [2d,2j]

( A CD-ROM allows you to play music CDs, Games)

[ ] I will need a Game joystick. [2j]

[ ] I need hi-fi speakers and a subwoofer [2k]

[ ] I need at least 4GB of hard drive space [2f,2g,2h]

(A hard drive is a permanent storage unit on your computer)

[ ] I need a graphics card with at least 2MB of memory. 4MB suggested [2d,2f,2j ]

(A computer monitor uses a graphics card for displaying pictures)

[ ] I need a computer CPU that is at least 266MHz [2f and 2g ]

(A CPU is the brain of a computer. It does the calculations)

Buyer’s Minimum Computer Specifications

Feature	Budget PC			Mid-Range PC	High-End PC
Processor – CPU	200MHz			300 MHz	350 MHz +
Systems Memory – RAM	32 MB EDO			32 MB SDRAM	64 MB SDRAM
Hard drive	2 GB			4 GB	6 GB
CD-ROM	20 X			24X	24X
Sound Card	16 – Bit			32- Bit	32- Bit
Speakers	2 piece			2 piece	3 piece hifi
Graphics Card Memory	2 MB			2 MB	4 MB
Operating System	Windows 95			Windows 95	Windows 95
Software Bundle	Word Processing & Internet			Word Processing, Internet, Graphics
Warranty	1 year			1 year	1 year
Price Average	Cost (Up to $1200)			Cost ($1300 - $2000)	Cost ($2200 +)
Your Candidates		Computer A	Computer B		Computer C
Computer Name
PC Model
Processor (CPU)
System Memory (RAM)
Hard Disk
CD-ROM
Sound Card
Speakers
Graphics Card Memory
Monitor
Modem
Operating System
Warranty
Expansion Slots
Software Bundle
Price

PC Service & Reliability

Desktops

A	B	C	D
Dell	Compaq	Apple	Acer
Hewlett-Packard	Digital	CompuAdd	AST
IBM	Micron	DTX	AT&T
	Midwest Micro	Everex	CompuDyne
	Quantex	NEC	Packard Bell
	Sony	Toshiba	Tandy
	Gateway	Unisys	Zenith Data Systems
		ZEOS

Notebooks

A	B	C	D
Dell	IBM	Acer	AST
Gateway	Micron	Apple	Compaq
		Hewlett-Packard	Texas Instruments
		Hitachi	WinBook
		NEC	Zenith Data Systems
		Toshiba

Printers

A	B	C	D
Epson	Canon	Apple	Okidata
Hewlett-Packard	IBM	Brother	QMS
	Lexmark, NEC, Panasonic, Star Micronics	Citizen America	Tektronix
		Digital	Xerox

Contacting Leading Vendors

Company	Phone	Web Site	Tech Support	Warranty Years	Money Back Policy
Acer	800-723-2237	www.acer.com/aac	24/7	3	None
Apple	800-776-2333	www.apple.com	9 – 9 M-F	1	No direct sales
AST	800-876-4278	www.ast.com	24/7	1-3	No direct sales
Compaq	800-345-1518	www.compaq.com	24/7	1-3	30 days
Dell	800-289-3355	www.dell.com	24/7	3	30 days
Digital	800-344-4825	www.windows.digital.com	24/7	Parts 3; labor 1	30 days
Everex	800-383-7391	www.everex.com	24/7	1-3	No direct sales
Gateway	800-846-2000	www.gateway.com	24/7	3	30 days
Hewlett-Packard	800-752-0900	www.hp.com	8-8 M-F	3	30 days
IBM	800-426-3333	www.ibm.com	24/7	Parts 3; labor 1	None
Micron	800-438-3348	www.micronpc.com	24/7	Parts 3 – 5; labor 1	30 days
MidWest Micro	800-445-2015	www.mwmicro.com	9-9 M-F 10-4 Sat	CPU & RAM, 5; parts & labor 3	30 days
Packard Bell	800-733-5858	www.packardbell.com	24/7	1	No direct sales
Quantex	800-346-6572	www.quantex.com	24/7	Parts 3, Labor 1	30 days
Sony	800-352-7669	www.ita.sel.sony.com	24/7	1	No direct sales

PC Magazines Suggested Computers

Budget Systems

IBM Aptiva E26, $999 (no monitor), $1100 with 15" monitor, 233 MHz CPU, 32 MB RAM, 24x cdrom,

MidWest Micro MR-2233 Basics PC, $924 no monitor, $1099,233 MHz CPU, 32 MB RAM, 3.2 GB hard drive, 32x cdrom

Compaq Presario 2254, $899, 266 MHz CPU, 4GB hard drive, 32 MB RAM, 32x cdrom, No Monitor, 56 k modem

Midrange System

Gateway 2000 G6-266, $1499, 233 MHz CPU, 56k modem

Gateway 2000 G6-300, $1776, 300 MHz CPU, 56k modem, 17"monitor, Altec speaker, 4 GB hard drive,32 MB RAM

High-End System

Dell Dimension XPS R400, $2399 (with monitor), 400MHz CPU, 64 MB, 10GB,3D graphics and sound

Gateway P6-400, $2479 (with monitor), 400MHz CPU, 64MB, 3D graphics and sound

10 Tips for Mail Order & Internet Order Success

Always Use a Credit Card

Credit Cards offer the most practical way to enforce your rights.

Get a No-Questions-Asked Money Back Guarantee

Steer Clear of Restocking Fees

Avoid Credit-Card Surcharges

Know the Details of your Service Policy

Determine how your service policy address Parts and Labor on components

Clarify Delivery Terms

Mail-order merchants are obligated to ship products within the time period they specify. If the vendor can’t deliver within that time, it must inform you in writing of the delay and recommit to another date. You have the right to cancel your order if the delay is unacceptable.

Accept No Substitutes

Before you finalize an order, especially on a PC, have the vendor send or fax you a detailed list of components. Don’t settle for a spec sheet that leaves component choices open.

Pay No More Than Advertised

Don’t fall for the classic bait-and-switch scheme, in which a product is advertised at an enticingly low price, but the vendor tells you that it is sold out and pitches a more expensive product.

Get All Sales Terms in Writing

When Things Go Wrong, Get Going

When the vendor won’t cooperate, contact the credit card company. Contact the Better Business Bureau

Getting on the Internet

Getting on the Internet, requires THREE main components:

I. A capable Computer with a Modem

II. A Telephone Line

III. An Internet Service Provider


Home Computer	Telephone Line	Internet Service Provider	World Wide Web

COMPONENT I (Computer)

Minimum Computer Requirements:

- 486 66MHz Computer

- 8 MB of RAM

256 Color Capable VGA Monitor
14.4k Modem
Web Browser*

Suggested Min. Computer Requirements:

- Pentium 100 MHz Computer

16 MB of RAM
SVGA Monitor
28.8k Modem
Web Browser*

Web Browser – Computer software that enables you to visit the different places(web sites/pages) on the Internet (Information Superhighway, World Wide Web). Three most popular web browsers are:

1) Netscape Navigator or Communicator, 2) Internet Explorer, 3) AOL web browser

The above software comes in many different versions. It is suggested that you obtain at least Version 3.0 of any of the above software.

COMPONENT II (Telephone Line)

The telephone line is used by your computer’s modem to actually make a phone call to another computer. The modem is the same as a telephone to a computer.

You can use the current telephone line in your home to access the web.

Action	PROS	CONS	COSTS
Use existing telephone line	No extra cost	Cannot receive or make a telephone call while on-line (On Internet)	$0
Obtain second telephone line	Can receive and make phone calls without leaving Internet	Additional costs	$25 - $30 per month
Obtain a Cable Modem	- 100 Times faster than Modems. - Uses your existing cable line. - Internet Service included in monthly fee. - Cheaper than installing a second telephone line. - Can setup more than one computer on service	- High Setup Cost - Limited Service Area	Up to $200 Initial Setup $50 per month

COMPONENT III ( Internet Service Provider)

The Internet Service Provider allows you to connect to the Internet. How? You have a modem on your computer that calls the Internet Service Provider’s computer. The Internet Service Provider then connects you directly to the Internet; through their system.

Company	Service Description (Companies offer access based on number of hours. All below, Unlimited Hours). Most also have setup fees, not more than $25.00	Monthly Cost	Location
AOL	Extensive services for the New User. On-line cataloging system. Offers services not available elsewhere. Offers: Special Services, Email, Web Access	$21.95	National
Netcom	Offers Email, Web Access. (1-800-NETCOM1)	$19.95	National
Mindspring	Offers Email, Web Access (800-719-4332)	$19.95	National
Bellsouth	Offers Email, Web Access. (1-800-436-8638).	$19.95	Local