By SANDRA BROWN KELLY
THE ROANOKE TIMES

Archives Reprint

   

    The other day a friend got all excited about a television ad for a $699 computer. It was just perfect, he said. A new computer without spending much money.

    Just one problem, I told him. This computer wouldn't work for what he wanted because it didn't have everything he needed on it. He would have to spend at least $1,100 - and probably a couple hundred more - to get a basic desktop that allowed a variety of uses.

    That's what students and their families will learn, too, as they purchase computers for back-to-school. Unless a school has some extraordinarily special deal going, a family can expect to pay between $1,000 and $1,500 for a computer that includes the basics for a student: a modem for accessing the Internet, a ZIP drive for backing up a system or storing data and Microsoft Office and perhaps a longer than one-year warranty.

    You'll find most of the lower cost machines come with Microsoft Words Suite, which does include Word, but not Excel, which students likely will need. Students might also need PowerPoint, which calls for the professional version of Office and runs the price up still another $100 or so.

    Last week, Gateway had a $799 machine ($699 after a $100 rebate) that did include a modem, but no ZIP drive and only Microsoft Works. Adding those and increasing the warranty to two years brought the price to $1,136 - and shipping and handling still had to be added. It would be a good idea, too, to increase the RAM from 128 for a college student who might want to use a variety of programs and games. (By now the $699 computer is more than $1,500.)

    The point here is to think carefully about the user's needs before jumping at a low price. A cheap start will cost more in the long run. ost computer companies such as Dell and Gateway offer financing plans so the purchase is less painful.

    Smokey Robinson and the Miracles were not talking about computers in the 1961 recording "Shop Around," but their advice applies to technology. Virginia Tech has an excellent reference page on computer purchasing for students at www.compreq.vt.edu/specs.html. A reading of this will also give non-Tech folks an idea of what is considered the basics these days.

    Ferreting out trivia

    Of course, I went to the Internet to verify the aforementioned Smokey Robinson song that says, "Mama told me, you'd better shop around." If you are on a similar pursuit, check out the following site for songs, www.allbutforgottenoldies.net. An even more enchanting stop for little known entertainment details is the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com).

    The movie site popped up on the African-American Literature listserv I belong to, where a member suggested you be prepared to get way more information than you expected if you try to find just one person who plays a particular soap opera character. If you don't believe this, try searching under Characters and Dr. Grant. (The answer is David Wolos-Fonteno.)

    Internet Movie Database has a Pro version offered by subscription for really serious movie research.

    Back to school

    Classes begin Wednesday at Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke and activities also rev up at the various work force training centers run by the college in Franklin, Craig and Botetourt counties. Classes still open for work force training include a variety, ranging from wood turning to photography and the computer and from Japanese to welding. These courses are offered through the Greenfield Training and Education Center in Daleville, but you can get a listing of everything offered at each site through www.vw.cc.va.us (click on Workforce Development & Lifelong Learning).

    Especially check out the Roanoke Higher Education Center link. VWCC has a really nice photograph of the center online. Community college courses there include a chef apprentice program, Microsoft certification, massage therapy and the intriguing Backflow Prevention Certification.

    Virginia Western also runs the Microsoft IT Academy for certification.

    You can reach free-lance writer SANDRA BROWN KELLY at sbk@rev.net.

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