Can I avoid buying a windows laptop?! I want a mac.

[MacAficionado]

EXACTLY!!!

If the school insists that you use a PC with windows, then make them get you one. You should not have to provide your own computer. If they they can't afford to buy faculty computers then they should provide an open network.

I am sure that there is a way you can transfer your files.

The only problem here is schools not being open enough. If they need you to have a Windows PC, then they should provide it. This is what irks me. Companies and schools that tell you you need a computer and it has to be a PC so get one! That is BS.

We should tell them, Well I don't like Windows so I'm getting a Mac. F you!!!

</rant>

Sorry.

 

[EminenceGrise]

You don't need the Novell Client just to access the internet. It's only needed if you want to connect to any shared servers that are set up on the network. Novell is just a file sharing protocol like SMB/Samba or AppleTalk. It has a network logon component, just like the Microsoft stuff (except that it actually works most of the time...), where you can go to any PC, login, and have access to all of your files no matter what PC you are at. It's not, however, something that's needed for the Internet at all, nor does it keep any of the standard networking protocols from working on the same network (e.g. just because there are some Novell servers running on the network, it's not going to actively keep your iBook from working).

If all you need to do is access the Internet, the only thing you should need is the appropriate IP information. If the network has DHCP set up, then you should just be able to plug in the iBook to an Ethernet jack and it will Just Work. Otherwise, you would need to manually enter an IP address, netmask, default gateway, and name server in the Network control panel, and then it should Just Work (it's not hard, and you'd have to do this whether you were using the Novell Client or not, FYI). The only exception I can see to this is if they have some kind of firewall that requires an active Novell logon before it lets the computer send traffic out over the Internet - however, I've never seen such a beast (well, I suppose it could possibly be set up that way with RADUIS, but that's an awful lot of work to go to for a school that is 'financially struggling'). In short you shouldn't need Novell at all unless they've specifically gone to a lot of trouble and done something to require it - otherwise it should be as simple as configuring the IP information, which they should be able to give you.

In short, you should be able to say "I'm getting an iBook, and I'd like to know if I can plug it in to an Ethernet port and get an IP address so I can use the Internet". The response should be a simple yes or no I would think. They may have policies about not letting people use their personal computers on the network, which I would expect them to just come out and say. If they say the Novell Client is required, ask them why (I'm certainly curious....).

As a side note, Novell is quite nice as network file sharing systems go. It's certainly much better than the Microsoft equivalent. My only gripe is that they farmed out the Mac client to ProSoft or whoever the outfit is, so now the Mac client costs money - whereas all the others are free.

 

[TEG]

I have not run in to anything as asinine as this, but Take a minute to read my suggestion.

1) Any computer with an ethernet port (RJ-45) can work on 98% of the networks in the world (The only exceptions are Coax and Token Ring Networks).
1a) To connect, you need an Ethernet Cable (Or Ethernet Patch Cable). Plug one end into the computer, and the other into the wall.
1b) Attempt to use the Internet, If it does not work after 10 minutes, you will need specific IP Addresses for your machine and the access points to the internet (This can ususally be obtained by a) conpying and using the information on another connected computer, then disconnecting that computer from the network, or b) an IT Administrator)
2) A single license of Novell Client for Mac is only $145. That is all that is required if you need to access anthing on a Novell System.
3) When changing File formats via Apple Works especially between Apple Works and M$ Software, you MUST provide the appropriate file extensions.
3a) If you already have the files converted, you can simply rename the files, and include the extension needed (Click, Return [Mac], Right-Click -> Rename... [Windows])

I know how frustrating it can be using a Mac in a system unaccustomed to supporting Macs.

Welcome and Please don't hesitate to ask other questions concerning this situation.

TEG
Computer Engineering Student
Former IT Administrator

 

[brobson]

Thanks to all:

I am sending my principal the link and if she approves it, the IT person will have no choice but to install it, right?
I have been looking at windows laptops with a heavy heart, I don't think I can bring myself to do it.
Brenda
I'll keep you posted.

 

[flyfish29]

I am kinda confused, so u download lessons off the internet using AOL, and you cannot move them between computers?
Also the Apple Sales rep sounds pretty stupid, if your school network has ethernet jacks then you should be fine, the iBooks have an ethernet jack so you can surf, you don't need wireless to surf. Check out the general forum which has a guide to Windows and Mac networking, we need some more info about your situation.

I had the exact same problem with my saved aol lesson plans- using aol's software. The PC will not read those aol files any better than the Mac!

I think I solved the problem one of two ways: All I had to do was open each document and either cut and paste it into a word or appleworks document and save that or do the save-as command using aol's software and save it as text only- then try to open it using appleworks text-edit, or word and see if it open ok. either way should work, but try the second one out after doing a couple to be sure it is working right. It should be as simple as that.

Yeah, there is no way you could get a virus off aol home page unless you download attachemnents. Another solution is to quit aol (WHich I am glad I did long ago for the very problem stated above...they are not too compatible when it comes to files, etc.) and get another service provider at home and another email...try .Mac...I love it and no more expensive than aol when combined with my internet service provider's fees. Aol is so over priced now since almost everything they do is available on the net now. I used to be that they had major amounts of content that wasn't available on the net to other users, but not the case anymore.

Good luck,

 

[brobson]

Budget cuts

Well the school won't pay for it.

I have to have Novell, I think, because once I checked my home e-mail from work by going to the AOL page and signing in and he got upset, apparantly that increases the chance of viruses.

Are you suggesting I could keep AOL by getting an ip address? Then I wouldn't be exposing their Novell to anything would I?

Also, back to trying to send the files with internet addresses to my WIndows at work:
In my files I'll have an internet page from favorites that I have saved.
For example: I saved this image:
(http://k-12.pisd.edu/schools/wells/ArtGallery/2001/2001page2.html) is the address but you probably don't need to know that.

Jungle frogs appears on my favorites scroll down on AOL.
then I move the highlighted name to a folder named Hatian Art on my harddrive for when we study that subject.
When I click on the file named Jungle frogs an "AOL logo with a heart on it symbol" the above site that I want opens.
How would I get Appleworks to convert it? I tried dropping it into the Appleworks folder but when I try to open it through finder, it isn't highlighted to even change it. I even tried photographing the image on the desktop (shift, control, 3) and then moving that image to appleworks, or attaching that image to send it to windows. Neither worked.
Sorry this is a novel. ANy suggestions would sure help.

Now I am not going to buy a windows because I am mad!
(that they won't purchase the software even though I am purchasing the computer!)

 

[AoWolf]

Not that its much help but my school like most is a windows school. I would just take my iBook in and when the teacher was not looking I would "barrow" one of the ether net ports and off I would go. I think you should be able to get on line but I wouldn't know...

 

[brobson]

Johnny

Thank you,
I am testing that but the only problem is these are images I want to transfer and I have hundreds!
I could send myself an email with all the ip addresses and open each one in word and then save them but that would take an eternaty. I so wanted to just load my stuff on there easily.

I will consider leaving AOL
Sbglogal has dsl that looks appealing, I need to look at the cost.
Thanks
Brenda

 

[brobson]

Sorry not very clear:
"I could send myself an email" from my home mac to work windows.....



Brenda

 

[flyfish29]

In my files I'll have an internet page from favorites that I have saved.
For example: I saved this image:
(http://k-12.pisd.edu/schools/wells/ArtGallery/2001/2001page2.html) is the address but you probably don't need to know that.

Jungle frogs appears on my favorites scroll down on AOL.
then I move the highlighted name to a folder named Hatian Art on my harddrive for when we study that subject.
When I click on the file named Jungle frogs an "AOL logo with a heart on it symbol" the above site that I want opens.
How would I get Appleworks to convert it? I tried dropping it into the Appleworks folder but when I try to open it through finder, it isn't highlighted to even change it. I even tried photographing the image on the desktop (shift, control, 3) and then moving that image to appleworks, or attaching that image to send it to windows. Neither worked.
Sorry this is a novel. ANy suggestions would sure help.

So let me see if I have this right. You have a bunch of images/pictures you saved through the aol software- right? If you have the web address of all those images see below for a solution (3 actually- good, better, best )

edit: This might not be your problem after reading your post a third time- still unclear I think so I will leave this in just in case it is the problem or helps you solve it.

You have a favorites list of tons of lesson plan web pages in aol's software menu bar?

If it is indeed only web page addresses you have, I don't know if there is a way to export your favorites from the aol software but that would be the easiest way to convert those aol favorites to bookmarks to use in any web browser. You would not use appleworks, etc to open these favorites (which are simply bookmarks of favorite web pages).

I was under the understanding you had downloaded lesson plans and saved them using aol software. It sounds like you have only made these bookmarks to the pages.

The easiest solution is to simply stay with aol on the new computer and you will be able to export or send those favorites to your new computer and the aol software will be able to read them as if nothing has changed.

Here is another solution if you want to get rid of aol and what I did for my bookmarks. I know you can print out your favorites page list of web addresses as I have done so in the past with aol software. You could print it out and keep a copy of it. then, when you need a certain lesson plan you simply type in the web address off that page into a regular (non-aol browser) this way takes the least amount of time up front, but with long winded web addresses it can be cumbersome.

A third option is you could cut and past the web address from the aol software browser into another web browser(explorer, safari, mozilla) and save that page in the web browser as a bookmark- and just go to every favorite page and do this.

 

[brobson]

OK! I am close!

I spoke with the tech guy (after my principal had a few words with him) and he thinks this will work. He said my mac would have to be set to receive DHCP? I'll need to be set up to receive proxy form their server. They use a CAT-5 cable port (standard?) and will use a network interface card.
This is all greek to me. Will apple know what I need when I order?
He said buy the computer and bring it to him and he'll set it up. I won't be able to get into the network but who cares? If I do, I'll just plug the windows in and log in.
Does anyone see a reason this won't work since I have no idea what all that means?
I sure don't want to pay a 10% restocking fee.

My husband's boss wants a painting I did and we were talking about trading a used windows laptop for it but even free, or very nearly, I DON'T LIKE WINDOWS!!!!! Maybe if they made them more user friendly.
Brenda

Ps: anyone know how I could get a 15gb ipod for the cram and jam?
My area stores are out. Is there a serch tool for other apple stores?

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PRICELESS....THANKS!

 

[jsw]

I spoke with the tech guy (after my principal had a few words with him) and he thinks this will work.

Excellent!

He said my mac would have to be set to receive DHCP? I'll need to be set up to receive proxy form their server. They use a CAT-5 cable port (standard?) and will use a network interface card.
This is all greek to me. Will apple know what I need when I order?

It does DHCP by default ("DHCP" just means that the computer asks for its network address instead of specifying it - sort of like a substitute teacher getting a room assigned when he/she arrives as opposed to having a permanent room). No problem there. Easy to fix if problems arise as well. CAT-5 cable port is actually the Ethernet port, standard on all Macs and almost all PCs (CAT-5 is a quality designation for the cable used to connect the ports). The "network interface card" will already be inside your iBook - as it is on all Macs. You don't need to do anything at all special for this while ordering - it's all standard.

He said buy the computer and bring it to him and he'll set it up. I won't be able to get into the network but who cares? If I do, I'll just plug the windows in and log in.
Does anyone see a reason this won't work since I have no idea what all that means?
I sure don't want to pay a 10% restocking fee.

It'll work.

My husband's boss wants a painting I did and we were talking about trading a used windows laptop for it but even free, or very nearly, I DON'T LIKE WINDOWS!!!!! Maybe if they made them more user friendly.
Brenda

Don't do it!!

Ps: anyone know how I could get a 15gb ipod for the cram and jam?
My area stores are out. Is there a serch tool for other apple stores?

YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN PRICELESS....THANKS!

Order via the Apple Store. They might have some. If not, the 20GB is only $70 or so given the edu discount and $200 off.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Plus your virus risk is greatly reduced by going with a Mac. Virus attachments in email can't run on the Mac. You can click on them and view them in Text Edit. Just don't forward them to anyone.

 

[Crikey]

At the high school I attended, Macs were not allowed on the school network. The TV station at the school owned three Macs used for Final Cut Pro editing and we needed to get online to download updates. We got around this by talking to the network guys to open the network once a month after school just so we could download updates, but we were not allowed to stay on the network. The reason was that the school's network was running Novell, and they didn't want to buy licenses for Novell for mac.

Omigod, you people are getting so much bad advice it's making my head hurt. If all you wanted to do with your Macs was use Software Update, and even surf, you wouldn't need to be clients on the Novell network at all -- you'd be trading packets with Apple.com and other Internet sites, not with the school's server.

Further, at least with the Macs and Novell server I run, you don't need any "Novell for Mac". Our server provides AppleTalk or AppleShare, can't recall what it was called, but I loaded Mac support on our server (it was included with the server OS, no extra charge) and voila the Macs can attach and use files. Granted, my Netware is embarrasingly old and so are the Macs.

Back to the original poster's problem, most likely an iBook would work fine on the school's network unless there are stupid policies in place. And let me get this straight: their net admin is afraid a Mac connecting to AOL will open their LAN to viruses? AARGGGHH!

That's it, I'm taking an aspirin and going to bed.


Crikey

 

[Crikey]

God, it amazes me that people use Novell. It's just a hassle. Even where I work, which has one of the most confoundedly bizarre and anti-user IT environments I've seen, I can still get to the network when I bring my Mac PB in on occasion.

As to the network "not accepting Macintosh stuff that's sent"... that's more likely ignorance talking than reality, although I guess it can be the case in Novell networks.

At the last place I worked, a new IT director came in and replaced one Novell Netware server on a 133Mhz Pentium PC with one Windows server on a 600MHz Pentium III -- which couldn't handle the load. So he added another Windows Pentium III -- and performance still sucked compared to before. So he added a third. Finally, performance was adequate when he added the fourth or fifth server, I can't remember which.

I was glad to get out of that place. Where I work now, 70 users run all their files and printers, and most of their applications, from one Novell server. And as I mentioned, we have Mac clients who are able to attach to Novell shares as easily as the PCs do. Plus, with Netware you can run Novell's GroupWise e-mail server, which is stone reliable and trouble-free compared to Microsoft Exchange Server running on Windows.

There are some really good reasons to choose Novell over Microsoft, although Microsoft probably gets a worse rap than it deserves because organizations don't want to pay real money to admins so they end up with self-taught desktop jockeys building servers (probably the case with my example above). Novell servers are at least as Mac-friendly as Windows servers, at least the old versions I've used -- Mac-hostile LAN environments are usually due to ignorance on the part of LAN admins who don't want to learn enough to support another platform.

I like having Macs on my LAN. When the inevitable zero-day exploit crashes every networked Windows box on the planet, at least a few of my people will still get work done. But I like Macs and they don't scare me; maybe I'm atypical in that respect.


Crikey