Equipment and software for your personal computer
Although we don't provide advice on the equipment or software you should buy (as it is better if you outline your requirements and get advice when you are buying a computer), we have brought together some useful links for you here.
Note: if you have a disability or dyslexia, you may be able to participate in the Disability Equipment Loan Scheme.
What you can buy at the ITS helpdesk
-
GB USB Drives and USB Lanyards
- Blank CD-Rs and CD-RWs
- DVD –R and DVD +RW
- Mouse mats
Free software
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Endnote Web
- Windows downloads
- Protecting your computer with antivirus software.
Buying software at a discount
- Adept Scientific: Endnote, Maple, MathCAD, MindGenius: login using your ITS username and password.
- Adobe products (including Macromedia)
- Microsoft Office for students - buy Office 2010 Professional online from Microsoft for £49.99 (note that Viglen, below, have a version for download which may be cheaper)
- For other Microsoft products, use the Viglen software portal or go to the Viglen web site and download the form.
The form needs to be completed and faxed back to Viglen, along with a copy of your student ID card and your contact number. Viglen will call you back for your credit card details.
- Minitab: email acadsales@minitab.co.uk or call 024 7643 7500.
- SPLUS and SPSS: when you buy this software from Birkbeck, you will be asked to sign a form stating that you agree to the EduServe-CHEST licence agreement.
- S-PLUS: this software is available for home use, although you will need to pay for an installation CD (£5) at the ITS help desk.
- S-Plus licence codes (if accessing this online, you will need your ITS username and password)
- How to install S-Plus
- SPSS: Mac and PC versions of this software are available for home use, free to download with an ITS username. Alternatively we can put a copy on DVD for you for £5, but do not keep stock so you should contact the help desk to arrange it
- SPSS licence codes: SPSS requires a licence code to operate. You will need your ITS username and password to access them.
Sites where you may get an educational discount
Specialist software supported by academic departments
- Exceed: This package is a PC X-Windows environment for connecting a PC to a Unix system. It has been installed on some School equipment and is supported by the IT support staff in the departments of Crystallography and Computer Science and Information Systems.
- Genstat: This software package is installed on the computers in our computer workstation rooms and is available for home use for Mathematics students. Please contact the Department of Economics, Mathematics and Statistics for more information.
Recycling your old computer
- Birkbeck doesn't provide a recycling service for students, but if you are upgrading your computer, you should be able to have the old one recycled.
