Introduction

You are a senior in high school and your parents gave you the go ahead to purchase a home computer.  The computer is to be used primarily for your school work and for college next year.  The computer you eventually select, a PC or Macintosh, will best fit your needs and be acceptable to your parents. 

The Task

Your task is to investigate a PC and Mac, and examine the features of each microcomputer.  As you conduct your investigation, pay particular attention to; memory, speed, expandability, storage, peripherals, software and price.  You will compare and contrast comparable computers on each platform by gathering information from a variety of sources.  Determine which computer is best for you and where you will purchase you new computer.  You will need to do your homework and convince your parents that this is the best computer that will fit your educational needs.  When you complete your investigation you will report your findings and preference to the class using a PowerPoint presentation which will be uploaded to the web server.

Resources

• Stores that sell PC and Macintosh computers, such as; Best Buy, Staples and Circuit City. 

• Computer advertisements in newspapers and computer magazines. 

• On-line computer magazine. 

• On-line computer vendors. 

• Internet Resource List: 

• What Is.  An on-line computer dictionary to help explain all those computer terms.
• MacAddict.  A monthly magazine for the Macintosh computer enthusiast.
• MacWeek.  A magazine devoted to news, trends and opinions in the world of Macintosh.
• PC Today.  On-line directory to products and dealers.  Includes articles and reviews on personal computers.
• PC Magazine.  Hardware and software review, commentary and links to on-line purchasing.

Computer Shopper.  Purchase computer hardware and softare over the Internet.
• If you do not have a favorite search engine, the following are good ones to use to help you gather additional information. 
 
• HotBot 
• AskJeeves 
• AltaVista 
• Yahoo 
• Google

• Visit a store that sells computers and examine both platforms.  Obtain a specifications sheet for a PC and Mac.  This will list all the features of the computer and the price. 

• Examine computer advertisements in the newspaper or in computer magazines.  Look at the features and price for each computer. 

• Conduct an Internet search for an on-line computer magazine and read a review for a PC and for a Macintosh. 

• Conduct an on-line search to find computer vendors.  Make note of the company, website, platform, features and price. 

• Visit the list of web sites from the Internet Resource List to research each computer, make notes concerning the reviews, features and price. 

• Visit additional web sites by conducting searches using search engines and directories.  Make note of the similarities and differences between the PC and Macintosh.

• Create a collection of multimedia objects.  Find several images, animated gifs, audio clip or narration and clip art.

• Once you gather all the information you need, prepare slides for a PowerPoint presentation. 

• The first slide will be a title slide.  Include the title, your name and a picture.
• Several slides on a PC.  List the features, software included, strengths, weaknesses and price.
• Several slides on a Mac.  List the features, software included, strengths, weaknesses and price.
• A slide concerning the purchase, whether on the Internet or in a store.  List the advantages and disadvantages.
• A slide with your conclusions.  Which platform, where you would purchase the computer and what features should be stated.  Conclusion should be convincing and supported by your research.  Are you pleased with your selection and will it fit your needs.
• The last slide should be a credits page listing all the sources cited.

• Save your presentation as a web document and upload it to the web server.  Test all links and verify that all objects appear on the slides.

• Prepare to give your presentation to the class.  Be able to comment on each slide.  Your presentation should last approximately four minutes.

Your work will be evaluated in each of the areas listed in the grading rubric below.  Each of the 10 components will be worth 4 points for a total of 40 points.  Description of point value is shown in the table:
 

Conclusion

You examined a PC and Mac and you are now prepared to go out and make an educated decision in buying a microcomputer for your personal use and for college.  You will know if the purchase will be on the Internet or in a retail store and if you want a PC or Mac.  You will be familiar with all the features of a computer and will be able to discuss computers with a salesperson and your parents.  At this point, you should feel more confident about choosing the right computer for you.  Your initial preference may not have been your final selection or perhaps your research confirmed what you always wanted.  In the future, you will need to think about upgrades in hardware and software and the life-time of your computer.  Good luck in your purchase.