Although Microsoft released its new Windows Vista operating system yesterday, Ohio University students won't enjoy the view for another few months.
OU will have three versions of the software to sell to students in March or April at an undisclosed discounted price, said Bret Swart, application support specialist for Enterprise Applications. The final release date will be posted on www.ohio.edu/software.
That's the window that MS gave us
Swart said. We're kind of at their mercy on that.
The business edition of the software retails for about $195 to $210, but OU students will receive a discount because of the Ohio University Microsoft Student Select License Agreement, but a price has not been set.
The agreement changed this summer, upping the price of the currently available software from $20 to about $70, according to a universitywide July e-mail, because students are now buying the software and the license instead of just the right to use the software.
There is just no doubt that there will be a cost savings or it wouldn't be worth our time and effort Swart said.
The university will offer students, faculty and staff the business version of the software, which has the most features of any package except the ultimate edition, Swart said.
University-owned machines will have the Enterprise, which is designed for large-scale IT infrastructures, and ultimate editions of the operating system.
Students can purchase Windows XP, Microsoft's last operating system, for $70 in the Computer Services Center, but should be able to purchase Vista at Baker University Center, Swart said.
Although the software is pricey, students already have shown some interest in buying the software through the university, Swart said.
We've definitely seen a rise in interest for the student media
and it's the same thing we went through when Apple released their MAC OS 10.4
Tiger
he said. As it gets closer
we can definitely tell that the calls pick up and that there's a lot of interest in it.
Some students, though, won't be able to run the software, which boasts system requirements that only come standard on newer model computers, including 1 gigabyte of system memory, 40 gigabytes hard drive capacity with 15 free gigabytes and a DVD-ROM drive for the software's installation DVD, according to OU's Information Technology Web site, www.technology.ohio.edu.
It isn't like Windows XP. You can take Windows XP and install it on just about anything
Swart said. One thing we've noticed in the Vista is that it will halt the installation process.
The GoMobile laptop purchasing program that the university launched last year comes pre-loaded with Windows XP, but could run Vista, said Sean O'Malley, communications manager for the IT department.
We are definitely looking into Vista for GoMobile
he said. The better and best systems will run Vista just fine. The good system
all it needs is RAM.
' Jen Hug contributed to this story.
