Due to the graphic-intensive nature of the department's coursework
and the competitive cost of computers, it is advisable for students
to purchase a notebook with the fastest processor, the most RAM,
and the largest hard drive you can afford. In general, the best
balance between performance and affordability is found in a computer
with a processor that is one step below the fastest available processor.
Listed
below is the specification for a bare minimum computer system and
the basic software required. To assist you with your research in
selecting a specific computer, refer to the wide variety of computer
hardware reviews published in magazines such as PC Magazine, Windows
Magazine, Byte, and others. Also, refer to WWW sources such as ZDnet
or Cnet for the most current hardware reviews and
buying tips. Prices on some of the components and software are
included for budgeting purposes only.
PC Notebook Computer REQUIRED
Minimum Intel Pentium 4 3.0 Ghz or AMD 3000+ processor or 2.0 GHz or higher Intel Core 2 Duo processor (Dell offer student discounts)
Dell's
E-University Program
Macintosh computers are NOT accepted
2 GB RAM
160 GB Hard Drive @7200 rpm
DVD/CD Writer
High resolution
graphics adapter w/ 256 MB video RAM , support for Open GL 1.5 or higher recommended
Display that supports 32-bit color at 1280x1024 pixels
PCMCIA slots
Mouse (for PS2 or USB port)
Built-in Wireless Card
Software REQUIRED
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
- Microsoft Office
XP Pro: including Word, Excel, and Powerpoint
- Autocad 2006/2007 Student
- Antivirus software (free options include AVG and McAfee).
Miscellaneous Hardware and Software OPTIONAL
- Color printer with
cables ($150 - $500). A printer that accepts 11 x 17 paper is
very helpful.
- A USB port flatbed
scanner is strongly recommended for capturing graphics. ($80
-$200)
- Adobe Photoshop
and Illustrator are strongly recommended for students interested
in computer image editing. ($380 - $500)
- A pressure sensitive
Graphics Tablet (such as those manufactured by Wacom or Calcomp)
is highly recommended for use with Photoshop and Illustrator.
A tablet with a 4" x 6" working area ($100) is adequate for
most purposes, but larger tablets such as the 6” x 8” or 12”
x 12” are generally preferred by graphic design professionals
($250 - $400). The pen should be cordless with at least 512
levels of sensitivity. Please note that a pen tablet is not
a substitute for a mouse, because CAD programs such as AutoCAD
tend to be more efficient with a mouse.
- ArcGIS 9.x products are currently not supported on the Microsoft Windows Vista release.
ESRI is committed to supporting ArcGIS on the Windows Vista operating system and will be
adding support for Windows Vista and future releases. Certification of Windows Vista for
ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Engine is on-going and our goal is to certify them in the near future
- ArcGIS 9.2 ArcGIS 9.2 Desktop and ArcGIS 9.2 Engine are currently undergoing certification on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. We are
hoping to support these product releases under Vista later this year. Note that this certification will not include any of the ArcGIS 9.2
Server products.
- ArcGIS 9.1 and earlier ArcGIS 9.1 and earlier is not supported on the Microsoft Windows Vista
operating system and there are no plans to support ArcGIS 9.1 and earlier on this operating system in the future.
- ArcView GIS 3.x ArcView 3.x is not supported on the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system and there are no plans to support ArcView GIS 3.x on this
operating system in the future.
Computer Literacy
The landscape architecture
curriculum requires students to be proficient using Windows-based
computer applications early in the first year of upper-level instruction
(third year for undergraduate students, first year for graduate
students). Although there will be some computer instruction available
in the construction or design courses, the focus will be on specialized
features of the software, not the basics of using Windows. If a
student has little or no experience using a computer for tasks such
as saving files, managing files, adding a printer, changing computer
display or environment settings, or connecting to the Internet,
it is essential for students to make an early effort to improve
their skills. One way to develop good computer skills is through
studying any of the basic Window’s tutorials books available at
most computer bookstores. Also, basic courses are taught at community
colleges or through non-credit computer instruction courses at the
University of Florida. The importance of students mastering these
fundamental skills cannot be emphasized enough, because of the reliance
on computers throughout the curriculum.
