Section C 5 '073? S 'i62S S 'S655 s '?82l s BH ^ a tes are 67 GRW 67 GRty Read 67 GRW 67 GRW 67 GRW Read Aggielife The Battalion Computers at your service Kyle Bumett/THE Battauon Barry Gill, a senior accounting major from Garland, works on a the fall semester. The TCC is open 24 hours a day except on Saturday personal project in the Teague Computing Center prior to the start of when they close at midnight . rvations, i advance, 845-0737, be rented asters, and /staff and ip in order By Margaret Claughton The Battauon W ow more than ever, it seems college students must have a computer or have access to one in order to remain com petitive. However, the typical student's bud- jet is too tight to splurge on top of the line ma chinery. The Microcomputer Center on the A&M campus offers lower prices for A&M students. The center is located in 026 MSC directly be low the main check cashing counter. Brands such as Apple, Macintosh, Dell and Zenith are carried at much lower prices than regular Bryan-College Station area retailers. The retail price of a Macintosh Classic II runs anywhere from $999 to $1,079. The Micro- Computer Center charges $870. The Center is a non-profit organization started by Texas A&M in 1985. "We concentrate on getting the best prices for the students," said Romona Drew, sales manager at the Microcomputer Center. The Microcomputer Center also carries a variety of software and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Although the Microcomputer Center offers great discounts, some students still may not have the money to buy a computer. The Learning Resources Department (LRD) located on the sixth floor of Sterling Evans Library has a variety of computers available to Texas A&M students. Brands available include Macintosh and IBM com patibles. The LRD offers 24 different appli cations for its computer systems including: word processing, spreadsheets, picture edit ing, Harvard Graphics, and other advanced programs too expensive for the average stu dent. "We have special software graphics and things that cost too much for students to buy," said Aaron Brender,student worker in the Learning Resources Department. "You defi nitely get your money's worth." The LRD is open Monday through Thurs day from 8 a.m. to 10-.45 p.m. and on Friday 8 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.. Weekend hours are Satur day 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. Monday, August 30,1993 Books, Books Helpful hints for students braving the textbook market By Margaret Claughton The Battalion Texas A&M students from graduates to freshmen have yet to solve one key mystery in the life of every Aggie. Where is the cheapest most efficient place to buy books in Bryan- College Station? Purchasing the required books for the average 14 hour class load generally requires a huge amount of cash and can be a stressful, time-consuming process. However, here is some information that might ease the strain on a few students' minds and possibly their budgets — the first thing students should remember when buying books is always ask for used copies. Used books can cost up to 50 percent less than new books. Many retailers will not voluntar ily offer used copies so it is up to the student to ask if there are any available. The second thing to remem ber is the telephone. Many stu dents forget that they have one and waste hours running from bookstore to bookstore trying to track down a specific book. If a book is difficult to find, stu dents should call the stores and ask about it. Most bookstore employees know a lot about the books for each class. They may know if the book is still in pro duction or if anyone in town has it. The third and final factor in buying books is the location at which the buyer chooses to pur chase them. 1 The odds are that the typical student will have to go more than one place to buy all of his or her required books. After contacting local bookstores . and comparing the prices of the new required books for Biology 101, Chemistry 101, and Spanish 101, the price differences were found to be minimal. The amounts differed a maximum of $10 from store to store. Regrettably, there is no one bookstore that is guaranteed to have every student's needs at rock bottom prices. But by fol lowing these simple steps, stu dents can make one of the neces sary evils of college life as pain less as possible. semester, re details, Fee Free! Free! Free! $10 Free! Free! $20 Varies $2.50 Free! Free! $30 $10 $5 $30 ec Sports IVlondaT gck.Visa’ Wholesale Loose Diamonds Prices are based on the New York "Rapaport Sheet", a wholesale price guide. 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