[flypenfly]

So I recommended to one of my dear friends a Macbook while the nano deal promo deal was going on because she was attending a thee year business school for her MBA. With dual boot I thought she had all the bases covered.

Well, they sent her this email today:

The School strongly recommends owning a laptop and has given faculty the option of allowing laptop use for quizzes and exams. (MAC laptops and computers can not be used). When considering the purchase of a laptop, Dell is preferred as the Simon School IT staff members have in-depth experience with the models, features, and what usually can go wrong with them. Most laptops manufactured today cover the basic requirements (Network cable connection, high speed processor, wireless B/G adapter, Microsoft operating system) but the purchaser should consider investing in at least 512MB of RAM, 1GB recommended. Further investments in additional features are at the purchaser’s budgetary discretion. Questions may be directed to the IT department at 585-275-4407.

She can't get a hold of them at all and the person who sent the email out is out of town for five days afterwards.

Can anyone think of a possible reason why they won't allow mac laptops even if it's dual boot? The only reason I could have thought of is perhaps browser compability with something or other? But even then, they don't even use any properietary software. The laptop is only used to access the internet for reference.

[mindwaves]

Go for whatever laptop she wants. They cannot disallow her in for the laptop of her choosing. I start my MBA program this year also at UC Irvine and their preferred distributor is Dell and they said if you want to use your own laptop, then you must have blah blah specs and run Windows XP, but I just plan on using my MacBook with Mac OS X (no dual boot planned). They can't say anything. The only reason why they have these specs is because UC Irvine has a fairly robust technical support program and they only want certain laptops in to be cohesive and for the least amount of tech support possible. There is no technical reason (esp for dual boot Macs) why this is not feasible.

[davesimondotcom]

God, I hate it when people say "MAC" - it's not an abbreviation. It just shows ignorance of the platform.

[Dork.]

There should not be any problems whatsoever using dual-boot. Unless they're doing something nasty and proprietaty with their custom software, a dual-boot Macbook will have the same experience as an HP laptop, except for the missing right-click button.

What these people are likely saying, though, is that if you're not computer savvy and you expect the school to help you with problems you may have, get a Dell, because that's the brand that the IT department at the school is paid to shill... er... I mean trained to support. There are plenty of people who are only going to get a computer because the school requires it, and would expect the school to solve all their technical problems; this is the target audience for that note.

And for the future, if you see any Apple computers referred to as "MACs" (All Caps) in any Official Documentation, it should be your clue that these people have no clue when it comes to how compatible Macs are, and will insist that they are incompatible because that's the way it was the last time they used a Macintosh, in the System 7 days on their Mac IIsi. Don't even bother going to them with support questions, they are not going to be helpful.

[mindwaves]

I concur with Dork.'s second paragraph.

[flypenfly]

The thing is, she already bought the macbook haha.

[Dork.]

Maybe she ought to get a Dell logo sticker and put it over the Apple logo. That'll really confuse people.

[davesimondotcom]

Originally Posted by flypenfly

The thing is, she already bought the macbook haha.

If they require Windows, have her dual boot.

But then, I've been told that some classes REQUIRE Windows, certain versions of Word, even FrontPage. Never has that actually been true. I just do my work on my Mac and hand it in, they never know the difference.

[davesimondotcom]

Originally Posted by Dork.

Maybe she ought to get a Dell logo sticker and put it over the Apple logo. That'll really confuse people.

Defacing a MacBook like that makes you eligible for the death penalty.

[Y3a]

It's most likey that the "IT" folks have no computer skills..........Just windows skills.

[el chupacabra]

What they mean is they wont provide tech support for the mac OS side of it. The mac book will work fine.

"The School strongly recommends owning a laptop".... it's not required... They don't require getting a dell either, so as long as it's windows they will support it.

[Rumor]

When that person gets back, I would ask them why a Mac cannot be used.

[Scotttheking]

How many forums did you post this on...?

See the pile of answers on Ars.

Short version: It is the testing software. There is no Mac version, thus Macs are not supported for taking tests on.
Notice that the email only says tests and quizzes require a PC (and dual boot won't work).

[turtle777]

MACbooks are not ok, but MacBooks are. Just tell her that

-t

[mitchell_pgh]

IMHO, the only problem is the wording.

The School strongly recommends owning a laptop and has given faculty the option of allowing laptop use for quizzes and exams. (MAC laptops and computers can not be used). When considering the purchase of a laptop, Dell is preferred as the Simon School IT staff members have in-depth experience with the models, features, and what usually can go wrong with them. Most laptops manufactured today cover the basic requirements (Network cable connection, high speed processor, wireless B/G adapter, Microsoft operating system) but the purchaser should consider investing in at least 512MB of RAM, 1GB recommended. Further investments in additional features are at the purchaser’s budgetary discretion. Questions may be directed to the IT department at 585-275-4407.

could have been reworded as:

The School strongly recommends owning a laptop and has given faculty the option of allowing laptop use for quizzes and exams. (Due to [insert legitimate reason], all laptops must run Windows 2000 or Windows XP). When considering the purchase of a laptop, Dell is preferred as the Simon School IT staff members have in-depth experience with the models, features, and what usually can go wrong with them. Most laptops manufactured today cover the basic requirements (Network cable connection, high speed processor, wireless B/G adapter, Microsoft operating system) but the purchaser should consider investing in at least 512MB of RAM, 1GB recommended. Further investments in additional features are at the purchaser’s budgetary discretion. Questions may be directed to the IT department at 585-275-4407.

The real issue isn't that they require Windows, it's that they call out the Mac... when a we can also run Windows.

[olePigeon]

It's their testing software. It runs only on Windows. This issue came up with Law students as well, which is ironic since Mac laptops are pretty popular in Law.

I don't understand why Dual Booting on a MacBook won't work. That doesn't make any sense.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Dork.

Maybe she ought to get a Dell logo sticker and put it over the Apple logo. That'll really confuse people.

"Excuse me, Miss, but you have to have Dell to take the quiz."

"Oh, sorry."

*grabs a piece of paper, tape, and a Crayon. Scribbles "Dell" like a 4-year-old, tapes it on.*

"There you go."

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by olePigeon

It's their testing software. It runs only on Windows. This issue came up with Law students as well, which is ironic since Mac laptops are pretty popular in Law.

I don't understand why Dual Booting on a MacBook won't work. That doesn't make any sense.

I just started law school and have been seeing Macs left and right. My school requires all tests to be handwritten though unless physically unable.

[mitchell_pgh]

I'm guessing the "No MACs" rule predates dual booting on a Mac.

My question: So if you show up using a Dell running Linux, what happens?

"I'm running the BeOS!" Better yet, show up with an old programable Atari and a 1GB memory stick and start asking for help.

[olePigeon]

Make sure they know you're running Windows XP natively. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the company, but the sofware won't run under VPC. They're probably assuming that if you're running a "MAC" that you'd be running Windows under VirtualPC.

Considering they're calling it a "MAC" I'm assuming (as others have) that they think they're still runing System 7.

[Dr Reducto]

Originally Posted by Scotttheking

Short version: It is the testing software. There is no Mac version, thus Macs are not supported for taking tests on.
Notice that the email only says tests and quizzes require a PC (and dual boot won't work).

I wonder if they consider running the testing program in a Vitrualized Windows XP to be academic dishonesty (because you can look stuff up whilst taking tests)

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Dr Reducto

I wonder if they consider running the testing program in a Vitrualized Windows XP to be academic dishonesty (because you can look stuff up whilst taking tests)

Yes. Virtual PC emulates packets. But Dual Booting runs XP natively. There shouldn't be any reason why Dual Booting wouldn't work.

[flypenfly]

I'm fearing there might be some software that messes with the MBR in which case it won't be mac compatibile. I'll have to wait and hear back.

[Eriamjh]

I betcha the letter is referring to PowerPC Macs and that they are not even aware of Intel Macs.

Give your friend a Post-It with the letters "PC" written on it. She'll be fine.