Difference between EDU and normal Macs?

[Downdivx]

Is there a difference between the software on Macs bought through normal Apple channels and Educaitonal Sales?
My company uses special software on the Mac and we're seeing users at a specific college campus (Yale) have issues that we're not tracking anywhere else. We can't reproduce the problem anywhere else and we're at our wit's end trying to trouble shoot it.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreceated.
Thanks!

 

[wordmunger]

As far as I know, there is no difference. If you'd like, I could test your software on my non-yale .edu Mac. It seems more likely that it's an issue with Yale's network than the particular macs they have there.

 

[timnosenzo]

I know the Macs at my school seem pretty normal. However, they do have the user account under a pretty tight lock down. A user can't modify much of anything, or change any of the settings.

 

[Downdivx]

I've already tested it on Macs at other schools, my personal Dual G5 and my company's test eMac. Yale swears there is no special software or configuration on their Macs and the same thing seems to be happening on personal Macs owned by individuals and the school's public cluster Macs.

Unfortunately, for privacy reasons I don't think I'm allowed to let open users into the system. However, I'm pretty desperate, so I'll check on that.

As far as I know, there is no difference. If you'd like, I could test your software on my non-yale .edu Mac. It seems more likely that it's an issue with Yale's network than the particular macs they have there.

 

[Downdivx]

Nosen,
I notice you're from CT, any chance you're affiliated with Yale?
I'm on IM now, drop me a line!

I know the Macs at my school seem pretty normal. However, they do have the user account under a pretty tight lock down. A user can't modify much of anything, or change any of the settings.

 

[Sun Baked]

As far as I know, there is no difference. If you'd like, I could test your software on my non-yale .edu Mac. It seems more likely that it's an issue with Yale's network than the particular macs they have there.

Almost seems like a thing for a Apple/MicroSoft/Cisco certified tech to handle.

They could have the firewalls, servers, routers, etc. configured a bit differently than everyone else.

If your software depends on a certain port, protocol, file type, etc. to run on the network -- you may want to have somebody to see if Yale is blocking it on their network.

 

[Downdivx]

Afraid that bringing in outside help like that doesn't look likely. Resources are strapped and time is even tighter.
The service I'm working on uses all sorts of stats on the machine to create a unique identifer. Enough of those changing would cause the problem we're seeing, but Yale swears that nothing is changing on the machines and their network shouldn't cause problems like that.
Does anyone know of unique hardware identifiers that network settings would be changing?

Almost seems like a thing for a Apple/MicroSoft/Cisco certified tech to handle.

They could have the firewalls, servers, routers, etc. configured a bit differently than everyone else.

If your software depends on a certain port, protocol, file type, etc. to run on the network -- you may want to have somebody to see if Yale is blocking it on their network.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

I doubt there is any difference. I know that if you buy from the brick and mortar Apple Store the price is the only thing that is different.

 

[Les Kern]

I doubt there is any difference. I know that if you buy from the brick and mortar Apple Store the price is the only thing that is different.

There is no difference. Apple DOES pre-register all machines I buy, so the serials are on file when I call for tech support. They keep close tabs on edu purchases. They recently changed (so I heard) the "edu buys from Apple only" rule if you are at a certain level. CDWG CAN sell a school a Mac, but not if that school is on the "list". I believe it's based on prior purchase and total amount of any purchase. Last year I bought 650K worth of Mac stuff, and in 1 1/2 years it's a $1,000,000 more. I can't buy from CDWG, not even an iPod Shuffle. Earlier my CDWG account rep was almost orgasmic when she heard of my plans, but alas, had to "settle" for support equipment.

 

[Bear]

There are some special configurations that only education institutions can buy and only for some models.

Other than that, the only difference is pricing.