Below are the specifications for any Linux/Unix based computer to be used on the network. It is not recommended to use a computer on campus under these specifications. If you choose to install a Linux/Unix based operating system, you should be aware of the risks and benefits. Unfortunately, ResNet only offers limited support for these systems.

*Note: All students are individually responsible for not violating the ResNet Usage Policy when operating an open-source operating system such as Linux*

Minimum Computer Specifications

There are no minimum requirements for running Linux on the Residential Network.

Recommended Computer Specifications

Recommendations for students who intend to keep a computer for four years without a major upgrade:

	Desktops	Laptops
Monitors	17 inch LCD	Personal Preference
Operating System	Any	Any
Processor/CPU	Intel Core i5 (2.66 GHz, Quad Core) or AMD FX (3.0 GHz, Octa Core)	Intel Core i5 (2.4 Ghz, Dual Core) or AMD APU (A6-3400M or higher)
Ram	4 GB RAM	4 GB RAM
Hard Drive	1 TB Traditional hard drive or 256 GB Solid State Drive* (SSD) with external hard drive	750 GB Traditional hard drive or 180 GB Solid State Drive* (SSD) with external hard drive
Networking Hardware	10/100/1000 Ethernet adapter	10/100/1000 Ethernet adapter, 802.11 G/N
Software	LibreOffice	LibreOffice

*A solid state drive is a hard drive that does not use "traditional" hard drive technology of recording data on magnetic disks, meaning it has no moving parts. This makes them more reliable, faster, and less prone to data loss from dropping / carrying a laptop around. The downside is solid state technology is still more expensive than "traditional" hard drive technology, and space is still a limiting factor. If a solid state drive is purchased, we recommend also purchasing an external hard drive for data storage.

You must ensure that the operating system and all software is kept up to date. Security updates come out for most Linux distributions daily. It is your responsibility to stay on top of these updates to ensure conformance with the Usage Policy and, more importantly, to keep your machine from getting broken into.

Linux Recommendations

Linux is available in many different forms from several different distributors. Many popular distributions are listed below:

Ubuntu Linux
Ubuntu has been hailed by Desktop Linux and eWeek as the most popular Linux distros today. It is the easiest to install and use for first-time Linux users, but versatile enough for pro-users as well. Recommended for beginner to advanced Linux users.

Linux Mint
A build of Ubuntu making use of a clean user interface, Linux Mint is the 4th most-widely used operating system behind Windows, OS X, and Ubuntu. Mint makes use of a more traditional user interface that PC switchers may find useful.

Gentoo Linux
Gentoo throws you head first into Linux knowledge by having you build your system from the ground up. Recommended for intermediate to advanced Linux users that want to learn a lot and run a very customized operating system.

Debian Linux
One of the longest running distributions, Debian is still under active development, but releases more slowly than other Linux distros. It tends to be used for servers, rather than desktops.

SUSE Enterprise Linux
The commercial version of Linux from Novell. You have to pay for it, but unlike many others it comes with support.

openSUSE
The open source (and free) version of SUSE from Novell.

Mandriva Linux
Another commercial Linux distribution that comes with support. Recommended for Linux beginners.

Red Hat Enterprise Linux
The commercial version of Linux from Red Hat. You have to pay for it, but it comes with support.

Fedora Project
A Red Hat-Sponsored Community Project.

Unix Recommendations

The most common Unix variant (aside from Linux) is BSD, developed at UC Berkeley. The most popular open source distributions of BSD are:

• FreeBSD
• OpenBSD