November 1, 1999

Dear Chapman student,

Welcome, or welcome back, to Chapman University.  I am the Director of Academic Computing, and I want to give you some information about computers at Chapman. You should expect to use computers extensively in your educational endeavors at Chapman. You will use computers to gather information from our Library and from the Internet, to communicate with your teachers and fellow students using email, and to write your term papers.

If you do not have your own computer, you will be able to use the computers in Chapman's eleven computer classrooms and laboratories. We are currently purchasing Dell Pentium III 450MHz machines with Windows NT 4.0 and Microsoft Office 2000 for our computer labs. If you plan to purchase a computer, I recommend that you purchase an "IBM compatible" computer with Windows 95, Windows 98 or Windows NT and Microsoft Office 2000 software. Our current computer configuration standards are on our website at http://www.chapman.edu/oac/Desktop99.doc, and our software standards are on the web at http://www.chapman.edu/oac/standards.html. Chapman does not sell computers to students or faculty, or repair student or faculty personal computers, but you can purchase software through our bookstore at educational discount prices. There is a list of some of the software available through our bookstore on the web at http://www.chapman.edu/oac/software.html.

Notebook computers cost about $1000 more than comparable desktop computers, but if you purchase a notebook computer you will be able to use it to connect to the Chapman network and to the Internet from the classrooms in our new Beckman Business and Information Technology Hall and from some of the classrooms in the Argyros Forum. I urge you to consider purchasing a notebook computer if you can afford the additional cost.

If you have a Macintosh computer, you will be able to use it to connect to the Chapman network. You should use Microsoft Office 98 software for the best compatibility with other systems at Chapman.

The rooms in Pralle-Sodaro Hall, North and South Morlan Halls, and the Harris Apartments are wired with data jacks through which you can connect your computer directly to the Chapman network and to the Internet. In order to use this data jack, you will need to have an "ethernet card" in your computer. If your have a modem but not an ethernet card, you will be able to connect to the network using your modem, but this will tie up your telephone line while you are connected, and your connection will be much slower than if you had an ethernet card. For a detailed description of the difference between an ethernet card and a modem, please refer to the "Chapnet network access for Chapman Residents" document on our website at http://www.chapman.edu/oac/documentation/connecting.html. This document was written by a Chapman resident student to help other resident students connect their computers to the network.

If you are a commuter, or if you live in a residence hall which has not yet been wired, you can connect to the Chapman network from your home or residence hall by using a modem. Chapman currently has 96 modem lines, 48 of which are new high speed 56K lines. Use the telephone number 714-244-5000 if you have a 56K modem and use 714-997-6511 if you have a slower modem. Chapman also has an agreement with IBM to provide Internet access for our students at reduced rates through the IBM Global Network. If Chapman is not a local call from your home, you way wish to take advantage of this offer. You may get additional information and download the necessary software from our website at http://www.chapman.edu/software/PC/

If you are a first time Chapman student, a Chapnet network account has been created for you. If you registered before July 15, your "userID" and "password" were mailed to you before school started. If you registered after July 15, you can go to the Academic Computing Help Desk on the second floor of Beckman Hall to get your userID and password. If you are a continuing Chapman student and have never received a Chapnet account, you should go to the Academic Computing Help Desk on the second floor of Beckman hall and request an account. Your userID is also your email address. For information about how to use email at Chapman consult the documentation on the web at http://www.chapman.edu/oac/documentation/connecting/.

If you need help configuring your computer to connect to the Chapman network, you can call the Academic Computing Help Desk at (714) 744-7939. A computer support person will answer your call Monday through Friday from 9:00 am until 10:00 pm, on Saturday from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm and on Sunday from noon until 10:00 pm. If you call at other times, you can leave a voice mail message and receive a call back.

My office is here to help you succeed in using computers to achieve your educational goals. Please let me know how we can best meet your needs.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Fahy, PhD.

Director of Academic Computing

Email: fahy@chapman.edu