Find out if you can get service in the Tuscaloosa area. Find out the guaranteed response time for mail-in repair. Make sure you get a name-brand printer for which ink or toner cartridges are easily available, and be sure you understand the warranty and repair terms on your printer. The most common operating system currently available for individual PC use is Windows Me. All Macintosh computers are shipped with the current Mac OS, which at the time of this writing was OS 9, with OS X due in March 2001.
Most new computers come with browser and e-mail software.
Many computers for home use come with some version of Microsoft Works software. This is adequate for some purposes, but most students will need Microsoft Office. If your computer does not come with Office, you can purchase it at the University Supply Store at a student price, which is likely to be less than the prices offered by other software or office supply vendors. The Supply Store also offers student pricing on other programs you might need, such as Web page production, mathematical, or statistical software, or other software recommended by your department. The computer center recommends that everyone purchase a quality surge protector adequate to handle the power surges that might be generated by lightning.