Software Compatibility
AIMS was originally written on a Windows 95 machine. Since then, it has continued to stay compatible with each new Windows -- 98, NT, 2000, ME, XP.

Hardware Compatibility
As for hardware, any computer you buy new will have more than enough "horsepower" to run AIMS. For the record, here's the bare minimum: Windows 95, Pentium II 133 Mhz, 32 Meg of RAM, 50 Meg of disk space and a CD-ROM.

Additional Information: The trend in new computer hardware is to leave out the 3.5" floppy drive. While it's true that this type of storage is getting rather old, there are some things to consider before you leave out the drive. First and foremost is backups. A backup of an average herd will EASILY fit on one 3.5" disk -- usually with room to spare. If you don't have the 3.5" drive, you will need to make backups on some other type of media. It's fine to make it to the harddisk (c:), but you still MUST ocassionally make a backup outside of the harddrive. A CD-ROM will work, but be sure you are comfortable burning CDs before you give up the ease-of-use of a 3.5" drive; this includes knowing the difference in CD formats and burning techniques that may or may not allow you to add more files later.

So, a final recomendation, spend the extra few bucks (probably $50 to $100) and get the 3.5" drive.