My school says i can't have a Mac. Tell me there wrong.

[gbojim]

Although there is likely no technical reason a Mac cannot connect to the network, you may want to check that there is no policy that allow Windows systems only on the network. As ridiculous as is sounds, I've been in many places that have such a policy.

 

[Zaty]

I don't even think it is as intentional as you make it sound, also I think Apple has to take some of the blame for not playing up just how compatible Macs are.

I think for the most part it is simple ignorance on the part of PC users. What is sad is how many IT people think it is true.

For a long time, the Mac world was a closed system, so in a way you can't blame people who, due to a lack of interest, have not realised that things have changed.

 

[hal9000]

the school is an off-shoot of Arkansas State University. (ASU supports mac, even sells them in the bookstore) The school i'm going to is ASU Mountain Home, but i will be taking ASU classes most of the time even though i'll be at the other campus. (confusing, i know.)

I'm an Arkansas Mac user too. I've never attended ASU, but I've had some experience with computer departments on their campuses.

I'd like to speak to the incompetent fool who told you that Macs cannot connect to the campus network. Please post his telephone number here.

 

[Horrortaxi]

PC users grow up being taught "Mac is an incompatible platform full of proprietary formats". This is infact just not true; it is all just propoganda to maintain Windows' marketshare.

Not only is it not true, it is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

 

[dswoodley]

Not only is it not true, it is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Are you saying the premise isn't true or the anecdote isn't true?

 

[leftbanke7]

I am so glad I go to a Mac friendly university. The computer lab is about 60%/40% PC/Mac and the funny thing is that the Macs are always full and there is always room to get onto a PC. I am chomping at the bit to finally get to my film production classes just to see what Macs can really do. It's unfortunate that they aren't using FCP but it's not a perfect world.

 

[7on]

I am so glad I go to a Mac friendly university. The computer lab is about 60%/40% PC/Mac and the funny thing is that the Macs are always full and there is always room to get onto a PC. I am chomping at the bit to finally get to my film production classes just to see what Macs can really do. It's unfortunate that they aren't using FCP but it's not a perfect world.

lol, the opposite here. My college has Macs and PCs, but more people use the PCs. The Macs are ALWAYS open. Noone uses them. Many because Macs can't use the Print server, which is why the IT people should have stuck with OS9. At least then you could print.

http://its.truman.edu/documentation/resnet/mac_pas.stm

 

[Horrortaxi]

Are you saying the premise isn't true or the anecdote isn't true?

I'm saying the Microsoft world is full of propriatary formats and broken standards yet that is the argument that is used most often against Apple computers.

 

[dswoodley]

I'm saying the Microsoft world is full of propriatary formats and broken standards yet that is the argument that is used most often against Apple computers.

Just making sure! Personally, I had never heard the argument from anyone that Apple is no good because it uses proprietary format, so I wasn't sure.

 

[silentrage]

Seek more info

I would suggest you dig for more info. Like someone else posted, I would warrant a guess that many of the faculty and staff use Macs.

At my university I would say in the College of Education it is abour 50/50 Macs/PCs. We have computer labs dedicated to both and one lab with Macs & PCs in the same room (oh my! ) Also, the Journalism school uses Macs as well.

My suggestion is to not stop or take that one person's word for truth.

 

[topicolo]

The only problem I've come across so far is that the have some weird printing system set up. You have to print to various print servers, into which you then insert a prepaid printing card, and print out your document. The system is called Pharoah, and although I've found the company's site and downloaded the relevant Mac software, no-one in the university can seem to give me any of the settings (to be honest, I just need one network address... which no-one seems to have). A typical conversation at the IT "helpdesk" goes like this:

Person: The only address we have is this one *points to the location of the automated Windows printing script*
Me: I've tried that already, it doesn't work.

You should be able to open the script in windows notepad or wordpad and find the print server address in there. click on the script in windows, hold down shift and right click the icon. Choose "open with" and choose notepad or wordpad from the list.

good luck

 

[jaw04005]

the school is an off-shoot of Arkansas State University. (ASU supports mac, even sells them in the bookstore) The school i'm going to is ASU Mountain Home, but i will be taking ASU classes most of the time even though i'll be at the other campus. (confusing, i know.)

Dude. I go to ASU-J now, but I went to ASU-B and that guy is full of crap. What are you majoring in?

The College of Journalism uses practically nothing but Macs at ASU. I didn't realize the Mountain Home satellite campus was not under direction of ASU-Beebe like the other satellites.

LOL, http://www.asumh.edu/indexns.htm ---- "Best Viewed with Internet Explorer" button is on the first page, NOW we know the kind of idiots he is dealing with

 

[sethwerkheiser]

sheesh...

This reminds me of like, the THIRD day that I owned a Mac. I brought my new G3 iBook to work, cuz I knew they had a wireless network. I set up a new location, selected Airport Network, then it prompted me for a password.

I went to the IT guy and asked to get on the network. He said, "Oh, you'll probably need to install the VPN network client, and download the latest..." blah blah blah...

I told him, "No, I'm already on the network. I just need the password." He gave it to me (we're a small shop, and he's a nice guy) and I was on the web in no time (off the clock of course! haha)

He's trying to sell this load of bull to my friend at work who's considering buying a PowerBook. He also has a Sony Vaio at home, hooked up to Cable modem. The IT guy at work is like, "Oh man, networking and sharing an internet connection between a PC and Mac is difficult..."

That night I plugged an ethernet cord into my BaseStation and was sharing a DIAL-UP connection. Streaming iTunes from the Mac in the kithen. On the web...

Okay, so this is all off topic from what you're talking about... but it's right on point with IT/IS/MIS directors that think Macs are incompatiable with PCs, etc. Buy the Mac. The MacRumors community will certainly help you get it rolling

 

[goodknight411]

thanks everybody,
Very helpful. Now i just have to decide what to do.