ello, first time for me on this forum.
My wife will be starting Med school in the Fall and we just received this mass email from the IT department regarding the use of Mac computers. I feel like it's more a PC'ers perspective that is not to excited about macs. I'm no IT/Windows Guru, yet have a hard time excepting that I need to go and buy a PC. I've included the entire email but pulled these main two questions out. Hopefully someone can help.
"As of now, the Microsoft network environment (Server 2007) does not recognize Macs. This may change in the future as compatibility issues are being addressed by the respective manufacturers and software updates are made available", is this true?
"The campus will also be implementing collaborative software (Sharepoint 2007) which as of now does not support Mac or Mac networks", is this true?
Origional email.
(Several of you guys have asked about Mac's, so I'm starting a new thread... I'm a PC guy myself. I don't particularly care for them but I know a lot of people who just absolutely love them. If you are
one of them, more power to you.
Periodically I send a memo with updates from my meetings with IT.
Below is an excerpt regarding Mac's from my April memo:
[This is probably the most hotly contested and debated technology
issue on the table.
First, let's start with a history like all good physicians should.
Professor Ma has had to overhaul a grossly
inadequate network. Remodeling something usually doubles the time,
manpower, and capital
requirements because not only do you have to put in the new stuff but
also take out the old. That being
said, there is already a significant demand on current IT resources.
The new network decision was not
made based on anyone's personal preference, but on the basis of what
could be done with available
resources and prioritizing.
Only 7% of campus users use Mac's. The hardware cost to support both
Mac and PC on one network is
ridiculous. Simply put, it doesn't make financial sense to lay out
that much money for so few users.
Also, the current IT staff is not trained to handle Mac's. Further
capital expenditure would be required
for training and certification.
Some people have brought up programs that will allow you to run XP or
Vista on a Mac computer (i.e.
Boot Camp or something like it). That might work, but the overwhelming
likelihood is that it will not. As of now, the
Microsoft network environment (Server 2007) does not recognize Macs.
This may change in the future as
compatibility issues are being addressed by the respective
manufacturers and software updates are
made available.
The campus will also be implementing collaborative software
(Sharepoint 2007) which as of now does
not support Mac or Mac networks.
Future budgets may allow for compatibility. No guarantees.
All incoming freshman students, regardless of program, have been /
will be informed of the network
change.
If you are a Mac user and cannot access the network, the IT department
will loan you a PC based
machine for you to use as long as you are on campus.]
I discussed the Mac issue at length with IT. The discussion got kind
of heated... Some of you guys have brought up "bootcamp." IT told me
that while it does run XP on the surface, the underlying layers are
still Mac and that the driver signatures probably wouldn't be updated
correctly. THEY TOLD ME that the overwhelming probability is that
bootcamp or something like it won't work.
As far as the wifi issue goes... If you can get your Mac to connect
with all the certificates and all, that's great. But the wifi
connects to the server. Furthermore, since you are incoming first
years and have been notified about the PC only status of the network,
the IT department may elect not to loan you a PC laptop should you
need it.
If any of you guys can get your mac's to work on the network, please
let me know so I can inform the rest of the student body who uses
Mac's. It would be a neat trick and should be shared. It would also
put down a lot of complaining...
Chad)
