Computer Requirements

Dear CPS Parents,

The administration of CPS is committed to fostering the integration of computers into its curriculum. As Director of Technology, I need to make sure that our students will have the technology resources required to complete their assignments that require the use of computers. Our campus is equipped with ample computers to allow students to do this work while at school, but we realize that extra- and co-curricular commitments can make it impossible for some students to take advantage of these resources. The intent of this letter is to inform you of the computer equipment and software that will allow your child to work easily from home. What follows are recommendations designed to minimize problems of inaccessibility and incompatibility, not requirements for study at CPS. For those who might have trouble meeting the expense of acquiring a capable computer for home use, CPS has financial aid available.

HARDWARE

CPS maintains a cross-platform computing environment. For the purposes of schoolwork, it does not matter if you choose to use a PC or Macintosh computer. Neither is it important that you have a particularly powerful computer. Your computer should, however, have certain minimum capabilities required to run the software that is used on the CPS campus. Regardless of platform, your computer should have a CD-ROM drive and an internet connection. 

Minimum Hardware Characteristics

	Processor	Operating System	RAM	Hard Disk Size	Modem Speed
Macintosh	G3 333mhz	OS 10.2	128MB	3GB	56K
PC	Pentium III 333mhz or higher	WindowsXP	128MB	3GB	56K

Increasingly, students are exercising the option to bring their own laptops to campus. If the machine is equipped with current anti-virus software, an Ethernet card and/or an 802.11b (or 802.11g) wireless network card, it can join the school network. Doing so will enable on-campus Internet access and printing capabilities for that laptop. Those wishing to use a laptop at school should bring the machine to Edwin Kirimi for machine approval and network settings.

SOFTWARE

On the CPS campus, we have chosen standard applications for word processing, spreadsheet/graphing, presentation, web browsing, and e-mail. These applications are listed below. There are certainly other applications on the market that perform the listed functions, but your student will have fewer difficulties if he or she uses the same software package at home and at school.

	SOFTWARE PACKAGE	AVAILABLE FROM:	PRICE
WORD PROCESSING	Microsoft Office 2004 (Mac) or Office 2003 (PC)	Academic versions available at most office supply outlets and online software vendors, such as Creation Engine.	~$145
SPREADSHEET
PRESENTATION
WEB BROWSING	Mozilla Firefox1.0.4 (Mac) or 1.2 (PC)	www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/	free
GRAPHING	Vernier Graphical Analysis	The CPS Core Apps CD	free
E-MAIL	First Class Client 8.0	click here	free

The web browser, e-mail client, and Graphical Analysis software are also available on The CPS Core Applications installation CD-ROM. You can get this disk from Edwin Kirimi, Preston Tucker or Roger Wise.

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY

A connection to the Internet is key to making effective use of your computer. CPS students may use the Internet at school to conduct research, transfer files, participate in class conferences, and to e-mail teachers and classmates. To connect to the Internet from home, families will need to contract with an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Look for an ISP that will provide unlimited Internet access over your phone line at a speed of at least 56k. Another option for Internet connectivity is cable or DSL broadband access. A reputation for good technical support should also be a key factor in the choice of an ISP, since the CPS tech support staff cannot provide assistance with home Internet connections. Remember, like all computer choices, home connections to the Internet are helpful but optional, since all students have access from school.

There are many ISP’s in the marketplace vigorously competing for your business. Most will charge between $15 and $20 per month for dial-up access and $40 to $50 per month for broadband access. Some companies charge a setup fee that should not exceed the cost of one month of service.

As a point of reference, CPS uses Silicon Connections as its ISP. We have had excellent service from their technical support staff. This company has assembled a package for students providing unlimited 56kbps dial-up access for $15.95 a month. There is no setup fee. Contact their sales department at 1-888-4-SIL-CON.

Other sources for information about ISP’s include:

1. In the yellow pages of the phone book under INTERNET.
2. On the Internet (available at your public library) at the following web location: http://thelist.internet.com/areacode.html
3. In the computer magazine and catalog, Computer Currents, available free from any local computer store and from many newspaper kiosks. Lists of ISPs and their phone numbers are collated handily in the back of Computer Currents.
4. From software that was included with your new computer or that you obtained from your computer store.

Once you have signed on with an ISP, you will receive either detailed instructions on how to set up your account or a software package that will automate the process for you.

FINANCIAL AID

All of the above mentioned computer resources and more are available to all CPS students from 7:45AM to 5:00PM every day. That schedule does not work for every student, however. If you are interested in getting these resources for your home but have concerns about covering the expense, please contact Jonathan Zucker, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at (510) 652-0111. He can also be reached by e-mail.

I hope that this information will be helpful for you and your child. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at CPS.

Preston Tucker
Director of Technology