Application Requirements

The hardware and software requirements of a computer depend on the applications for which it will be used, as well as the buyer’s philosophy and budget. Some argue that rural telecenters should purchase state-of-the-art computers that will support the latest software applications for as long as possible. Others prefer good value computers that support current and anticipated application requirements, but don’t charge extra for sophisticated features and capabilities that are unlikely to contribute to the goals of the project. While minimum application requirements vary for each specific software program and operating system, the figure below provides an indication of the computing resources needed for certain common applications.