Student Info

Welcome Students!

Technology is a critical part of students’ life at Oberlin. Having a computer that is well-supported on our campus network can make students’ academic and personal lives fun, easier, more convenient and more productive.

Students planning to buy a new computer are strongly encouraged to purchase from the Oberlin Technology Store, part of the college's Center for Information Technology (CIT). The Store is an authorized sales and service provider for Apple and Hewlett Packard (HP) professional model computers, and also sells a wide variety of technology products and accessories from manufacturers such as Radio Shack, Samsung, Sandisk, Griffin and several major headphone companies. Purchasing through the Store gives students a number of advantages:

  • Peace of mind: If something goes wrong, we do our best to make it right, providing Peace of Mind, Guarenteed.
  • Free on-site tech support services: The Technology Store provides customers with loaners, a lemon policy, and unique extended warranties that cover accidental damage. If you purchase from us, we do not charge for most repairs.
  • Below educational pricing: We negotiate for the best pricing from our vendors and pass the savings to you.
  • Try before you buy: Get hands-on experience with our demos before you make a purchase decision.
  • Support technology at Oberlin: Buying from us supports techology initiatives at Oberlin College.

 

The Technology Store Back-to-School Sale

Because technology changes so frequently, students are advised to purchase computers as close to the start of the semester as possible. The Technology Store holds its annual Back-to-School (BTS) Sale from July through September. Because the Store orders in bulk for this sale, we can negotiate with the vendors for big discounts on the latest technology and pass the savings on to students. Also, vendors often offer special promotions at this time. For example, last year Apple offered a free $100 iTunes card with the purchase of a Mac computer.

Our sale features recommended systems and important items such as printers, protective sleeves, security kits, surge suppressors, external drives and a free ethernet cable to all first year students. Details on the sale’s offerings will be posted on our web site by early July.

No payment is due with your BTS order, but payment is due in full when you pick up your system during Orientation in August. If you are on campus in early August, you can purchase your system then provided we have it in stock.

Note that the Technology Store carries a variety of models, not just those that are part of the BTS sale. They can be purchased when you arrive on campus. See our Price List for details.

If you have questions, contact us at techstore@oberlin.edu or 440-775-8628 during our hours of 1-4:30pm weekdays. E-mail is preferred.

Why purchase our Professional Model HP and MacBook Pro models?

  • The HP Professional Line features top quality components, include alloy magnesium casing, spill resistant technology, shock resistant hard drive and more.
  • They have a 3-year manufacturer's warranty. Most consumer models are only warrantied for 1 year.
  • We can service them here on campus. (CIT is unable to service HP Pavilion models or models from other manufacturers.)
  • A dedicated video card provides faster performance for Java, Flash, and other video and graphics applications.
  • While other retailers may offer similar consumer line models for less, their greater repair frequency and decreased performance offset any savings.
  • The MacBook Pros feature an eco-friendly construction, faster system bus, and brighter screen.
  • A dedicated video card provides faster performance for Java, Flash and other video and graphics applications.
  • We offer an optional exclusive 4-year warranty that includes coverage against accidental damage such as drops and spills.
  • A leading consumer magazine consistently ranks Apple as the best in customer service and support.

Macintosh or Windows?

The Oberlin College Center for Information Technology supports both Macintosh and Windows. Please note that Macs are generally much less prone to viruses, worms, bots, spyware and other software malfunctions than Windows machines. You will be responsible for installing and maintaining system patches, anti-virus software and anti-spyware software on your machine. If you fail to do this on a Windows OS system, you can expect software problems such as slowdowns, failure to run applications, or failure to boot properly. Note that many problems with Windows OS which appear to be hardware-related are actually due to spyware and/or viruses.

With Apple’s Boot Camp utility, you can run Windows OS on your Mac. Purchase a Mac and a copy of Windows to get the best of both worlds. Note that the Windows OS must be patched and updated regularly, even on a Mac.

What about other devices?

The Technolog Store sells iPads, iPods and a variety of accessories for those devices. While the iPad is increasing in popularity and utility, we do not recommend it as a primary machine at this time.

Software

All computers now come with the necessary software to connect to the internet, do e-mail, etc. The CIT provides a campus site license for virus and spyware protection software. This software may be downloaded from the CIT download web page; you will need your ObieID and password to access this page.

The standard productivity software on campus is Microsoft Office. Students are not required to purchase this software, but they should be aware that most faculty members use Microsoft Word as their word-processing program. Therefore, the ability to save a document in Word or Rich Text format is important. Students may also choose the less expensive Apple's iWork '09 suite of applications for their Macintosh computers. It can open Office documents and save in Office format.

Microsoft Office for Macintosh and Windows is available at the Technology Store at a low educational price, and iWork (Pages, Numbers and Keynote) may be purchased from the Mac App Store online. All are installed on all college-maintained computers.

Other Computer Resources on Campus

Oberlin’s Center for Information Technology (CIT) provides help with technology resources including assistance with accounts, malfunctioning systems, getting connected to the campus network, and hardware repair. Help can be obtained by visiting the main CIT Help Desk on A-Level in Mudd (Mudd 005) or the Extended Help Desk in the Academic Commons on the main level of Mudd, or by e-mailing cit@oberlin.edu. CIT also provides both Macintosh and Windows computers in several computer labs around campus. These computer facilities are sometimes reserved for classes, but they also serve as an alternative for students who do not have their own computers, or just need easy access between classes. Students also use these computers when specialized hardware or software is required for coursework. Students receive a set amount of free printing each semester.

Connecting to Resnet in the Residence Halls

Oberlin’s Residential Computer Network (Resnet) provides wired high-speed Internet connections in every residence hall room on campus. In addition, wireless Internet access (Wi-Fi) is available from most areas of campus.

Connection via either wired or wireless requires period network authentication, accomplished by opening a web browser and logging in with your ObieID (username and password). You must also have anti-virus software installed and running (see above). If you have problems connecting a device to the network, please contact the Help Desk for assistance.

We recommend that while in their dorm rooms, student use the wired ports for more secure, faster connections. First year students can receive a free ethernet cable through the end of September by visiting the Oberlin Technology Store.

It is inadvisable to bring a computer more than two or three years old to campus. Older systems may work on the campus network, but they likely will not run the most recent web browsers, and other software may run too slowly. Specifically, operating systems OLDER than Mac OS 10.4 and Windows XP will NOT work on our network. Mac OS 10.5 or higher and Windows 7 are strongly recommended. If you do not have the original system disks for your computer, the CIT strongly recommends against bringing the computer to campus.

IMPORTANT: Use of campus computing and network resources assumes acceptance of and compliance with our Acceptable Use Policy and understanding of and compliance with copyright regulations. See http://www.oberlin.edu/cit.

For more information on technology resources at Oberlin, including How-To’s and FAQs, visit our wiki at http://citwiki.oberlin.edu.