When it's time to start packing for school, thoughts usually turn to the question of a computer for school. This can be a confusing area for the neophyte -which brand to buy, where to buy it, what specifications or features are important, etc. Many families would like to use this opportunity to upgrade their home computer and send their old one to school, but wonder if the old clunker will work.
每当要开始为开学打包物品的时候，常常会想到上学要用到的电脑。对于新手来说，这可是个让人困惑的领域——到底要买什么牌子，要到哪里去买，电脑哪些规格和性能比较重要等等。很多的家庭常会利用这次机会去升级自家的电脑，而把旧的电脑送去学校，但又会担心那个旧电脑究竟能不能用了。
Fortunately, College Confidential has answers and can help families chart a course through the computer jungle. Here's where to start:
幸运的是，“大学秘籍”已经回答了这些问题，可以帮助这些家庭在电脑难题上找到解决方法。接下来便是具体解答了：
Does the Student Need Hisor Her Own Computer?
到底学生需要有私人电脑吗？
While most schools make "computer clusters"available in dormitories, classroom buildings, libraries, and other locations,in our opinion a student should have his or her own computer. When it's necessary to work until 4 AM finishing a paper, the computer cluster that is in another building may not be convenient. (Mom,do you want your kid wandering the campus at 3 AM looking for a free computer?)During peak us age times, computer clusters may be crowded, causing delays and sometimes even inability to complete assignments. A computer purchased freshman year will probably last all four years and will be a minimal expense compared to the rest of the cost of the college education.
尽管大部分的大学在宿舍，教学楼，图书馆以及其他一些地方会提供公用电脑，但是在我看来，学生应该有他自己的私人电脑。当有时不得不赶一篇论文直到凌晨4点，那么在另一栋楼的公用电脑那就不方便了。（妈妈们，你们真的想要自己的孩子半夜3点还在校园里游荡只为找一台可以免费使用的电脑？）在电脑的使用高峰期，公用电脑会非常抢手，这可能会导致作业的迟交甚至根本没办法做。大一时买的电脑通常可以用到大四，这点费用跟其他的大学教育所需费用比起来可以说是非常微不足道的了。
Check the College's Literature or Web Site查看学校的文献资料或者校园网站
The first thing to do is familiarize yourself with the school's computer policy. Very few schools either furnish a computer or require that a specific model be purchased, but if your school is one of these it's important to know in advance. Typically, these schools will make this very clear in their pre-orientation materials.
让自己去熟悉学校的电脑政策可是头等大事。很少的学校会为你配置一台电脑或者要求购买某一种型号的电脑，但要是你的学校真的是这样的，那提前去了解这些规定就很重要了。通常情况下，这些学校会在入学前教育资料上把这很清楚地告诉你。
It is far more common for colleges to provide a general set of minimum requirements for student-owned computers. Most commonly, these are recommendations rather than strict requirements; usually, they aren't particularly demanding and leave quite a bit of latitude for a range of brands, processor speeds,etc. Be aware, too, that people will show up with every imaginable kind of computer. Sticking to the guidelines, though, may make getting help from the school's computer help desk easier.
更多的大学对于学生的私人电脑会只提供一个很笼统的要求，并没有什么过多的要求。最普遍的情况是，学校这是给出一些建议而不是严格的要求；通常来说，他们不会特别给出电脑品牌，处理器速度等的范围。但也要认识到，人们将可能带来任何一种能够被想象到的电脑。遵守相关规定，这可能在寻求学校IT部门帮助的时候会更容易一些。
Network Cards. 网卡
Many computers today have a built-in network interface card(NIC). Some computers, particularly older models and non-branded"clones," don't have a built-in network connection and need to have a NIC installed; the computer specs may describe a "10/100" network interface, meaning it can connect at either 10 MBps or the faster 100MBps if the network supports the higher speed. This is one area where it is wise to pay close attention to the school's recommendations. When the student arrives at college, the first thing he or she will do after setting up the computer is attempt to connect to the school's network. This is usually very simple, but sometimes troubleshooting is needed. If the NIC installed in the computer is a model recommended by the school, their technical staff will be able to provide the "driver" software and troubleshoot the problem. If the NIC is a cheap, no-name brand, driver software may not bereadily available and the college's help desk may have more difficulty troubleshooting the problem. 3 Com is a well-known brand supported by most schools and recommended by many network professionals.
现在很多的电脑有一个内置的网络接口卡（NIC），但是有些电脑，特别是一个老款的或者非品牌的“山寨机”却是没有内置网络连接的，因此需要安装网卡。计算机的规格可以描述一个“10 / 100”的网络接口，这意味着它既可以联接10兆位/秒，要是网络能够支持的话，也可以联接更快的100兆位/秒。在这方面，密切关注学校的建议是很明智的选择。当学生到学校的时候，他们在装好电脑后会做的第一件事情将是去联接上校园网。这通常是很简单的，但有时候却也可能很麻烦。要是你的网卡是学校建议的规格的话，相关的技术人员会提供驱动程序软件去解决这个问题。可要是买的网卡是地摊货，连牌子都没有的那种，那么驱动软件不一定能方面地用到，校园的技术服务人员也更是爱莫能助了。3Com公司是一个很有名的设备提供商品牌，大多数的学校是支持的，很多的网络专家也很推荐它。
文中生词：
Neophyte：someone who is new to a particularactivity
n.初学者，新手；新近改变信仰或皈依某宗教的人；新来杂草植物；新引种植物
Clunker：If you describe a machine, especially a car, as a clunker, you mean that it is very old and almost falling apart.
n.年久失修的旧机器；破旧不堪的汽车；严重的错误；大错
Confidential：adj.秘密的；机密的；表示信任的；亲密的
1）Information that is confidential is meant to be kept secret or private.
2）If you talk to someone ina confidential way, you talk to them quietly because what you are saying is secret or private.
Latitude：n.纬度；范围；[天]黄纬
1）The latitude of a place is its distance from the equator.
2）Latitude is freedom to choose the way in which you do something.
原文转自：http://www.collegeconfidential.com/college_life/college_computers.htm
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