Buying a Home Computer

Buying a home computer can be a bit like buying a car-it's a major purchase decision. There are many makes and models, and many people willing to give advice about what to buy and where to buy it. To make the most of your shopping experience, and sense of the variety of choices facing you, you'll want to do your homework before heading out. And, whether buying new or used, know what you want the computer to do for you and how much you can afford to spend.

Computers can be categorized into two basic operating systems or types-those designed primarily for graphics work and those primarily intended for word processing. Although both are capable of either function. To help you decide between the two operating systems, determine whether you will use the computer more for graphics or mainly for producing text, the type of software you want to run and which type of computer it runs on (although most software has versions for both operating systems). If you're buying the computer for your child's use, see what kind of computer is used in his or her classroom. If you want to send files back and forth with your sister, check out her system. Both systems are great- one is not better than the other-but it helps to know what you want to do with your computer before you commit to either type.

How will you use the computer? Do you plan to write papers for a class using word processing software, keep track of your finances or business on a spreadsheet, send electronic mail (e-mail) to relatives across the country, surf the World Wide Web, or just play computer games? Knowing how you'll use your computer will help you determine what type of minimum requirements the computer needs to have.

A sales associate should be able to tell you how many megabytes of memory you'll need based on your planned computer use. Typically, you'll need a minimum of 64 megabytes of memory to adequately run most programs. Most computer systems come with preloaded software. Be sure to check the inventory of what's on the computer, so you'll know what you're getting.