Your steps for preparation:
When considering bringing a computer, please work through the following checklist. More information on each item is found below on this page.
▢ Read "Do I need to bring a computer to campus?" (immediately below this check list)
▢ Review the minimum recommended specifications for the computer you bring to campus
If you're going to buy a computer:
▢ Decide on a laptop or desktop computer
▢ Decide on Mac or Windows (and how about a Chromebook?
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It isn't necessary to have your own computer in your room, although over 94% of students choose to do so.
Other students find that the computers available for general use meet their needs. Lab computers are abundant, there is virtually no wait for lab computers, and lab hardware and software are kept up to date.
Bringing your own computer to campus is an optional convenience, not a necessity.
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▢ Review our suggestions for where to get a good deal on a computer
▢ Decide on your backup strategy, so you don't lose your work.
Technology strongly recommended in addition to your computer:
▢ Ethernet cable and adapter if you don't own them (see Wi-fi and Network Considerations below)
▢ Headset (or earphones) with microphone if you don't own one
▢ Webcam if your computer doesn't have one built-in
▢ Personal printer (optional)
▢ Other devices... (Gaming, entertainment smart appliances, routers, etc... all optional)
Software/Apps:
▢ Download Microsoft Office 365, free! (through Whitman's agreement)
▢ Update your web browser (Chrome, Firefox) to the latest version
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Do I need to bring a computer to campus?
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Whitman highly recommends that you have a computer of your own for your education. Having your own computer is NOT a requirement however. You may find that your needs are met by computers available for general use on the Whitman campus (in general use computer labs and in Penrose library, see more details below). There may very likely be cases where having a computer (possibly substituted by a tablet or smartphone) may become critical. In such cases, if you do not have access to a computer, please contact the Technology Service's Help Desk for assistance.
If I don't bring a computer, are there ones for me to use?
Yes! Students have access to computers in the general computing labs in Maxey Hall, Reid Campus Center, and Penrose Library. These facilities house Windows PCs, Macs, and printers. Laptops are also available for checkout and use within the Library, offered on a first come first served basis for a four-hour checkout period (Windows, Mac, & Chromebook). The Multimedia Development lab in Hunter Conservatory houses Macs with multimedia software (Adobe apps, Apple apps), image scanning, and more. Several academic departments, including computer science, art, music, math, geology, and physics provide specialized computer facilities for their students as well.
But...
If you need a computer to do your schoolwork and you don't have one, please contact the Technology Services Help Desk (helpdesk@whitman.edu or 509-527-4976) office for assistance. They have a limited number of Chromebooks available to checkout.
What if I don't bring other things listed on this web page that are "recommended"?
All of the items listed below (computers, headphones, webcams, etc) are available online and can be shipped to you here at Whitman. If you do not have these items, are unable to acquire them, and need assistance, please contact Bridget Jacobson (jacobsbk@whitman.edu, 509-527-5158) in the Dean of Students office.
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Minimum recommended specifications for your computer
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As long as the computer is able to run at least Windows 10 or macOS 13 "Ventura", it should be okay. Be sure your computer is up to date with all security patches and running the latest version of the operating system. Though we don't officially support it, most modern Linux distributions should be fairly compatible with our systems, and will run quite well on older computers. Further:
- If you have a Windows PC, it should have at least an Intel I3 processor (intel I5 recommended) with 8GB RAM (16GB recommended), running Windows 10 or higher
- If you have an Apple Mac, it should have at least an Intel I3 processor (Apple m1 recommended) with 8GB RAM (16GB recommended), running macOS 13 "Ventura" or higher.
Keep in mind that older computers may not continue to last more than a year or two. And even if it is able to run the necessary software now, that may cease to be the case in a year or two.
If you're going to buy a computer...
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It really depends on your personal work style and preferences, but the vast majority of the students who bring their own computers choose to purchase laptops.
Students say they find a laptop easier to bring home during term breaks and , summers, and they off campus study. They also appreciate the ability to take their laptop to the library or other locations to work. If you do consider a laptop, make it a good one -- laptops tend to misbehave more and have shorter life-spans than desktop machines, so if you buy a cheapie, you'll probably have trouble. Laptop portability is a major factor in the selection process, make sure that the weight and dimensions will work for both you and any accessories you might have already purchased or are in the process of purchasing.
Many major manufacturers, such as Dell or Apple, offer educational discounts to students . Some students find they dislike using a laptop keyboard for extended periods, or they don't like the smaller screen. These students tend to equip their laptops with external monitors and keyboards/mice that they use in their rooms.
Also, make absolutely certain that you budget for an external hard drive. There are few things worse than losing years worth of data when your computer's main drive misbehaves. Before you even arrive on-campus, put together a backup plan .
Mac or PC?
Many incoming students wonder whether they should purchase a Mac or a Windows PC. (more info below). Purchasing an extended warranty is advisable and bringing any warranty information and parts/cables that came with your computer to campus is recommended in case service work is needed.
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Mac or Windows... this is entirely your preference. Both platforms are fully supported by Whitman and have full access to the college’s resources, including printers and networks. We estimate that student computers are split about 50/50. 60/40 (Mac/Windows). The decision comes down to personal preference, so research which will best suit your needs. An additional option is to buy a Mac and install Windows, which will allow you to boot in either operating system.
How much of the campus is wired?
Almost everything is wired.
When in a residence hall or campus house, we strongly recommend plugging into the wired network. A wired connection will be faster, more secure, and more robust than a wireless connection. It will also help keep the load on our wireless network down, which helps balance the network's overall performance.
What about wireless?
Whitman's wireless network broadcasts a Wireless-B (802.11b) signal which any Wireless-G (802.11g) or higher card can receive as well. We still recommend you have a regular wired ethernet port for the fastest connection (see the info below about connecting to the network in your room), but all residence halls do have wireless as well. You can connect to the Internet wirelessly If there are particular Major areas of study you are interested in at Whitman, you may wish to consult with those departments to see if they have any advice in this matter, but this is entirely optional. No Major at Whitman will require you to own a particular type of computer.
A word about Chromebooks: These wonderful, low cost computers will work in many cases at Whitman, but not all. If you bring one of these, be prepared to encounter difficulties in properly formatting documents for class assignments. You will also not be able to install software used in your classes (often free of charge) because Chromebooks will not allow software that runs outside of the Chrome web browser to be installed on the computer.
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Where can I get a good deal on a computer?
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Whitman does not sell computers on campus, but you can receive educational discounts from many major manufacturers. As a starting point for looking for a good deal, we offer you information here on Apple and Dell educational sites:
- For Apple products, visit the Apple Store for Education.
- For Dell products, visit the Dell Member Program Page (Dell University).
Program details:
- Quickest way to shop is online at Website: https://www.Dell.com/dellu/whitman
- If you prefer to speak to a sales representative, please call 1-888-243-9964 and reference Member ID: 126620756
Dell’s Member Benefits:
- Best Price Guarantee on consumer PCs from Dell
- Up to 30% off desktops and laptops
- Discounts on thousands of electronics and accessories
- Exclusive Monthly Offers
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Before you arrive on-campus, put together a backup plan. Options include: an external hard drive and online services like Google Drive, Office 365, or Box. There are few things worse than losing years worth of data when your computer's main drive fails.
Other technology we recommend
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Wi-Fi and network considerations
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Whitman's wi-fi network is available throughout the campus. You can connect to the wireless Internet when you are working in the library, the campus center, Ankeny field, or any academic buildings. You can access your email, surf the Web, or use other network-based resources while sitting in a study room or even a comfy overstuffed chair!
If I don't bring a computer, are there ones for me to use?
Students have access to computers in the general computing labs in Maxey Hall, the Hall of Science, and Penrose Library. These facilities house Windows 7 PCs, Macs, black & white Laserjet printers, color printers, scanners, and even large-format color plotter printing (available in the Maxey and Science Computer Labs by appointment). Laptops are also available for checkout and use within the Library, offered on a first come first served basis for a four-hour checkout period (PC, Mac, & Chromebook). The Multimedia Development lab in Hunter Conservatory offers high-end multimedia Intel Mac Pro's, multimedia software, slide scanning, slide recording, flatbed scanning, DVD-Rs and video editing equipment. Several academic departments, including art, music, math, geology, and physics provide specialized computer facilities for their students as well.
If I'm planning on buying a computer, what do I need so I can connect to the network?
An ethernet cable. That's it! If you don't already have one, they can be purchased quite cheaply at most office supply stores. They are also usually available in the Whitman bookstore.
Windows PCs — Generally speaking, any new computer available from a major, well-known PC manufacturer will meet your needs, and any requirements for connecting to the Whitman network. Whereas it is not necessary to have to plug directly into the network via an ethernet cable, it can be useful and will generally give you a faster connection speed. If you are wanting the option of plugging into the network, check with your manufacturer to make sure that your specific model of PC laptop has an ethernet port built in. Newer, thinner models, i.e. Ultrabooks, do not have an ethernet port built in and may require the purchase of a separate adaptor.
When selecting your operating system version, we recommend the "Professional" version over the "Home" because of its networking features. "Home" is fine too, but will not provide quite as many advanced networking capabilities as will "Professional." You will also need at least a 10BaseT compatible ethernet network card installed. For connecting to our wireless network, make sure your machine's wireless card is at least compatible with "Wireless-B (802.11b)". Newer "Wireless-G (802.11g)" and "Wireless-N (802.11n)" is preferable.
Also, and this is important, make sure to bring along your Windows CD(s) or DVD(s). It is not uncommon for your computer to ask you to insert your Windows disk(s) when you are configuring your network settings for connection to the Whitman network.
Macs — Any new Macintosh should be fine. Most Macs desktops already come with built-in ethernet and wireless. Newer Mac laptops, especially the Air and Retina display models, are wireless only and will require you to purchase a USB to Ethernet adaptor to plug into the wired network .
Where can I get a good deal on a computer?
Does Whitman sell computers to students or are Whitman students able to get computers at a discount?
Whitman does not sell computers on campus, but you can receive educational discounts from many major manufacturers. For your convenience links to both the Apple and Dell educational sites have been provided below.
- For Apple products, visit the Apple Store for Education.
- For Dell products, visit the Dell Online Store.
- Locate the Higher Education heading.
- Follow the link labeled Faculty, Students, & Staff Personal Purchases. You do not need a special ID number, just follow the link provided for entering the Dell Store without an ID number.
What kind of "not-so-new" computer is okay to bring?
As long as the hardware is able to run at least Windows Vista SP 2 or Mac OS 10.6, it should be okay. Though we don't officially support it, most modern Linux distributions should be fairly compatible with our systems, and will run quite well on older hardware.
- For an old PC, you'll want to have at least a Pentium IV processor with 2GB RAM (recommend 4GB), running Windows Vista SP2.
- For an old Macintosh, you'll want at least an Intel processor with 2GB RAM (recommend 4GB), running OS X (at least version 10.6).
What software will I need?
, and more. (Technical note: Whitman's wireless network supports WiFi3, WiFi4, WiFi5 or higher. Especially for Windows computers, it's worth confirming before buying that the computer's wifi capabilities support these protocols.) If your device is set to randomize its MAC (hardware) address, please turn this option off as it is not compatible with Whitman's network.
But...
It's always possible to encounter wi-fi interruptions in particular places/occasions. If this happens, it can be inconvenient or intrusive to your learning. Technology Services is doing everything it possibly can to ensure these interruptions to wi-fi don't happen, but just in case, we recommend you bring an ethernet cable (and an ethernet adapter if necessary) so you can use our wired network. (See "How much of the campus is wired?" below.)
To be prepared for plugging in to the Whitman wired network, we recommend you bring:
- an ethernet cable (such as these found on Amazon, but available in many places)
- an ethernet cable adapter if your computer does not have an ethernet port (looks like these on wikipedia) to plug in to. Which adapter you will need depends on the type of computer you have and what ports are on it. We do not explicitly endorse any of the following adapters, but this list will give you an idea of what to look for:
- If you are confused about any of this and need help, feel free to contact Technology Services for assistance.
How much of the campus is wired?
Almost everywhere has wired network capabilities, including residence hall rooms. Just look for the plug in the wall.
When in a residence hall or campus house, we strongly recommend plugging into the wired network. A wired connection will be faster, more secure, more stable, and more robust than a wireless connection. It will also help keep the load on our wireless network down, which helps balance the network's overall performance.
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Headset (or earphones) with a microphone
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Your classwork may necessitate connecting to certain interactive online resources/events. Any headset with a microphone made to be used with a computer will work, though you may wish to consider headsets that are "over the ear" rather than "ear buds" due to their comfort and increased ability to block out surrounding sound. If you own earphones for a smartphone, these may in some instances work with your computer. Try them out!
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Webcam (if your computer doesn't have one built-in)
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Your classwork may necessitate connecting to certain interactive online resources/events. Many, but not all, computers have built-in webcams. If your computer doesn't have one, we recommend purchasing any webcam made for plugging in to a computer. Do make sure that before purchasing a webcam you find out what kind of plug it has-- the most common one is USB. Make sure your computer has a USB port! If you do not, determine the name of the port that you do have (a prevalent example is USB-C) then google that port name plus the word "adapter." If the results are confusing, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Technology Services for assistance.
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Personal printer?
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Whitman has printers available for your use in a wide variety of locations. (Here's how to connect to those printers.) Bringing a small personal inkjet printer for your room is entirely optional. It needs to be connected to your computer via USB, and not wireless, as wireless printers cannot be connected to our network.
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About other devices: Apple TV, Chromecast, Smart TVs, wi-fi routers, Gaming Consoles
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- Apple TV, Chromecast, Smart TVs, Gaming Consoles, and other network devices: Most will work and can be registered on the Whitman network if they have a MAC (hardware) address. You'll need to register them on our "whitman_devices" wi-fi network, be sure to fill out this form. If possible, connect your device using an ethernet cable for the most consistent and reliable network connection. The previously linked form will need to be filled out before being able to use the wired network. Please be aware that Chromecast sticks will not work.
- Wireless routers and modems: These devices are not allowed on the Whitman network. There are wireless access points all over campus and ethernet ports in every room in the residence halls for student use.
Software/Apps
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What software will I need?
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Microsoft Office (see next section) and a web browser or two should be sufficient for the vast majority of your activities at Whitman. Beyond the basics, most specialized software that would be required by students depends heavily on specific classes. Anything that cannot be obtained for free will be available in one or more computer lab around campus. In general, the only software students students need is an "office/productivity suite" and a modern web browser.
Office/Productivity Suites
We have standardized campus on Microsoft Office.
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Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc), LibreOffice, Google apps: free!
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Microsoft Office is installed on most Whitman-owned computers, including both Windows and Mac computers found in our computer labs.
For In addition, for current faculty, staff, and students Whitman now offers Office 365 for their personal computers and mobile devices. The The Office 365 licensing allows for up to 5 downloads to install the current version of Office for personal computers (both Mac and Windows) and also up to 5 mobile devices (Office apps are available for iPhone/iPad, Android Phone/Android tablet, and Windows phone/Windows tablet.) Also Also included is unlimited space on Microsoft's cloud storage OneDrive.
Note: Cloud Cloud storage access to OneDrive is only available with a current Whitman account. Access Access will end when accounts are closed. Individuals are responsible for transferring or saving documents to their personal devices prior to termination of their Whitman account.
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- Go to https://portal.office.com
- Log in using your Whitman email address and Whitman network password
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Some students also make use of the free and open-source OpenOffice.orgLibreOffice suite and Google DriveSuite, which comes free with your Whitman email (Whitmail).
Modern Web Browsers
Each version of Windows comes bundled with a version of Internet Explorer. We strongly encourage the use of other browsers on Windows though. If you prefer using Internet Explorer, make sure you have to the most recent version installed.
OS X comes bundled with the Safari web browser, which is more than sufficient for most students.
Alternative browsers such as Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome are also supported on both platforms.
For more information, please contact WCTS.
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Update your web browser, and which browser to use
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Various web browsers are available for your computer. Short and sweet: stick with with Firefox or Chrome. Other browsers like Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari may work, but also have certain known trouble issues-- so don't use them unless you must.
Also, make sure you frequently update your web browsers (and your computer). Doing this will ensure functionality and will help keep your computer and privacy safer online. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Technology Services for assistance.
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If you have any questions about technology, or need help:
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