In the fall of 1985, over 230 freshmen majoring in computer science at Virginia Tech purchased microcomputers running the UNIX operating system, because of a vote in spring 1983 by the faculty of the Department of Computer Science to institute a requirement of personal computers. This paper reviews the planning and decision-making process, and explains why UNIX was chosen as the most suitable system to use in the training of computer science students. Implementation of the microcomputer program is discussed, including revisions to the freshman curriculum and the distribution of required hardware and software.