[Wylug-discuss] OU's Microsoft policy

[Jim Jackson]

On Mon, 18 Jul 2005, geoff fielding wrote:

> I am intending to make a complaint to the OU regarding its computer
> policy which is 'All University course software is tested on computers
> running Microsoft Windows as the cost of supporting other operating
> systems i.e. Mac computers, is prohibitive.
> Helpdesk advisers will be unable to offer assistance to you, or offer
> guidance as to whether you will be able to take a course using this
> non-standard configuration of hardware and software.'

I wish you well, and would encourage you to do this.

....snip......

> I am a relevant innocent in the computing field but am very unhappy at
> the OU stance. I am sure other Universities etc must provide computing
> resources without enforcing the Microsoft monopoly.

Unfortunately this is a common policy. Here in the University of Leeds the 
University's central computing service only officially support a Microsoft 
Desktop, and their helpdesk will not offer assistance to Mac and Linux 
users. There are issues with non-MS software too, as you can probably 
guess. However a lot of their services are perfectly accessible from other 
platforms, because a lot of the services are open standards based provided 
on Unix/Linux servers. But often the helpdesk staff do not know this and 
so can't offer help - it's not on their script or in their training.

Before we get all indignant, let me play devil's advocate. A lot of 
university computing services have been working under pressure to provide 
support for a rapidly increasing student/lecturer population with very 
little extra resource. There are many responses to such pressure - but a 
common one is to reduce support costs by standardising support on a fixed 
platform and restricted set of applications. Given the current 
predominance of MS on the desktop, it is not difficult to see where this 
leads. Whether a "one-size-fits-all" approach is appropriate to fostering 
an environment that nutures advanced learning and research, is another 
question.

In the Computing Dept. here in the Uni. of Leeds, we support both 
Microsoft and Linux desktops, so that researchers/staff have a choice, and 
so that undergrads get to use 2 different OSes and 2 different approaches 
to computing use. Future professionals should have experience and 
understanding of more than one software technology. However, believe me, 
providing a fair level of support for both (and providing MS and Linux 
server environments as well) is not not cheap, and you need committed and 
dedicated support staff. From my limited knowledge, many other Computing 
depts. appear to follow a similar approach.



>
> I would welcome any information, comments, suggestions etc to enable me
> to make a forceful complaint that cannot be simply dismissed, which I
> fear would be the outcome with my own limited knowledge.
>
> Thanks
> Geoff
>
>
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