About buying a computer

But just feeling left out because you're not online is not reason enough to run willy-nilly to the nearest computer dealer, say MaryJac Reed and Zia Mafaher at The Catholic University of America's computer center in Washington, D.C.

You must first decide how you'll use the personal computer, they say, or you'll spend a lot of money for a model that may have more features than you'll need.

Decisions

Maybe your greatest need is for word processing. Or do you want to keep track of your financial records and investments? The more you want to do, the more power you need.

Once you've figured out what you want the computer to do for you, decide whether you want an IBM-compatible personal computer, called a DOS (disk-operating system) machine, or a Macintosh.

More graphics programs are currently available for the Macintosh platform, Mafaher said; but with the advances in software, he's "not convinced there's a difference" between the capabilities of the two types of machines for the home market. And, he added, the DOS platform has generally been less expensive for the basic equipment.

Speed in space

"Microcomputers are commonly described in terms of three specifications -- CPU (central processing unit), memory and hard disk," according to an article by Salvadore Motsuk in the university's computer center newsletter. "In general, you want a fast CPU, lots of memory and a big hard disk."

"The faster the CPU, the faster your programs will run," said Motsuk, suggesting the would-be consumer wander the software aisles of a computer store to look at desired programs and jot down the hardware requirements.

The CPU is usually labeled by number, for example 386 or 486. The higher the number the more powerful it is. After the 486, the next most powerful CPU is the Pentium, which is the name of the Intel microchip inside. Reed said it is wise to go with the Pentium because while 486s are still available, they are usually not much cheaper and a store's customer support decreases the older the machine is.

Minimums

She and Mafaher suggested the minimum features you'll need, including: