Question

Research Problem

Find a catalog or visit the Website of a major distributor of microcomputer equipment,such as Computer Discount Warehouse (www.cdw.com) or Dell (www.dell.com). Select or configure a system that provides optimal performance for the following types of users:

· A home user who uses word-processing software, such as Microsoft Office; a home accounting package, such as Quicken or TurboTax; children’s games; and multimedia software for editing pictures and creating video DVDs

· An accountant who uses office software, such as Microsoft Office, and statistical software, such as SPSS or SAS, and downloads large amounts of financial data from a corporate server for statistical and financial modeling .

· An architect who uses typical office software and CAD software, such as AutoCAD

Pay particular attention to whether CPU power, memory, disk space, and I/O capabilities are adequate. Compare the cost of each computer. Which is most expensive and why?

Instructions

Please read these instructions carefully.

Answer the Research Problem above for the three types of users listed. You should have 3 different configurations total because there is not a one-size-fits-all with the different user needs presented. Use a budget of a max of $1,500 per machine, not the total for all three combined, and you do not have to use the entire budget. Do not include productivity software or peripherals such as scanners or printers in the budget total. You may use an online configuration site from major manufacturers (Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc) or build by individual components. If you are building the PC by individual components, be sure to add the cost of an operating system and necessary peripherals (keyboard/mouse/display). The computers and components must be available on the market today. Do not use components that have been out of stock for years. Do not use a configuration from a prior class, even if you originally created it.

Answer 1

Hi,

Please find the answer below:
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Solution:

Given a constraint of Budget, we have to choose the most productive computer system of a user with
different requirements.

Steps to choose the computer configurations are:

List down the resources expected for the particular user. Navigate to vendor websites of the software they use on the system for their System
requirements. Identify the key usage of the computer.

Constraint given is Budget $ 1500.

For example, the search query can be Software ABC System requirements.Make a note of the system requirements.
Some software needs minimum requirements for the hardware. If anything less would make the computer system
not useful for the software to run on it.

Things to look for different users that vary in the below computer resources:

CPU Speed( Single-core /Multi-core )
Hard Disk Space
RAM ( Random Access Memory )
Operating System ( 32 bit or 64 bit)
etc.
Graphics Card
Screen Size
Virtualization Support etc.

Touchscreen

Search for the computer system on the portal.

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Home user

A home user: Office, Gaming, Video.A home user needs graphics card, large screen size for gaming and video watching.Moderate Hard disk space for storing videos.

Minimum speed of the processor for the software for the home user is: 1GHz

Accountant

An accountant needs high disk space to store server data, SAS software requires a minimum 16+ GB RAM.

Architect

An architect uses AutoCAD. AutoCAD requires minimum of 3GHz+, 16GB RAM and 1920 x 1080 resolution.

Search the web portal for the computer system that satisfies the requirements and under budget $1500.

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Additionally, when you have two or more software that user wants on the machine.

For example,

A software needs minimum of 4GB RAM.

B software needs minimum of 8 GB RAM.

Then your computer configuration should support the maximum of all the software minimum requirements.

The computer should support 8GB in the example.

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Let me know if you need more help on this.

Hope this helps