Information Technologies developed this Standards guide to assist students in selecting computer hardware and software for campus use. These recommendations have been developed to achieve the following minimum standards for personal computing at NCF:

1. A desktop or notebook computer with sufficient resources to run current software products with very good performance. The preferred solution is a Pentium 4 or compatible processor with 1GB minimum; 2GB preferred.
2. NCF is currently supporting Windows 2000 or XP Pro; the preferred operating system is Windows XP Pro.
3. Full-feature word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and communications software with the ability to exchange documents across hardware platforms. The recommended product is Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003; the preferred product is Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003.
4. Full Internet and campus access using an Ethernet card. For a notebook a built-in Ethernet card and a 802.11g wireless card is recommended for on-campus connectivity (note: There is wireless connectivity available in the commons areas of the residence halls).
5. A good quality surge protector with an Ethernet port is recommended; a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is preferred (500VA or more recommended).

CPU	Intel Core Duo/Core 2 Duo or Higher, or comparable
Memory	2 GB RAM
Hard drive	80 GB
Optical Drive	DVD-RW Drive
Monitor	14" notebook or 17" desktop flat panel monitor or higher capable of 1280 x 800 resolution
Video	Video card with 256mb of ram
Network Interface	10/100 Ethernet for desktops or built-in Ethernet and 802.11g Wireless Card for laptops
Operating System	Microsoft Windows XP Pro Edition
Additional:	A good quality surge protector, extended service plan, protective carrying case with adequate padding for notebooks, keyboard and optical mouse for desktops, USB memory device, Enhanced Cat 5e Ethernet Patch Cable

Wireless Standards for Windows Notebooks:

1. Any wireless card that is IEEE 802.11b/g compliant should be compatible with the University's network. The wireless card must be registered prior to use on campus.

CPU	Power PC G4 1.33 GHz or Power PC G5
Memory	1GB RAM
Hard drive	40 GB
Optical Drive	CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
Monitor	13" notebook or 17" LCD Flat Panel Desktop monitor or higher capable of 1280 x 800 resolution
Network Interface	10/100 Ethernet Card
Operating System	Macintosh OSX 10.3, Mac OSX 10.4 (Recommended)
Additional:	A good quality surge protector, keyboard and optical mouse for desktops, USB memory device, Enhanced Cat 5e Ethernet Patch Cable

CPU	Intel Core Duo/Core 2 Duo or Higher
Memory	2 GB RAM
Hard drive	80 GB
Optical Drive	DVD-RW "Super" Drive
Monitor	13" notebook or 17" Desktop monitor or higher capable of 1280 x 800 resolution
Network Interface	Ethernet Card for desktop or built-in Ethernet and AirPort Wireless Card for Mac Books
Operating System	Mac OS X Tiger (10.4)
Additional:	A good quality surge protector, extended service plan (AppleCare) protective carrying case with adequate padding for notebooks, keyboard and optical mouse for desktops, USB memory device, Enhanced Cat 5e Ethernet Patch Cable

Wireless Standards for Apple Notebooks:

1. iBooks, PowerBooks, and MacBook Pros with Apple's Airport or AirPort Extreme card comply with the campus wireless network. The wireless card must be registered prior to use on campus.