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MIT's Microsoft Campus Agreement

The MIT Libraries have decided to participate in a new campus agreement with Microsoft.   This document explains what's available to you under this agreement, where these products are supported, and what the Computer Support Group recommends.

THE BASIC AGREEMENT

Under the new agreement we may install the most recent version of the Windows operating system and the most recent version of the Microsoft Office Professional Edition on all the Libraries' computers.   The agreement is valid for three years.   All upgrades issued during that period are included.  

Please note that our commitment is for three years only.   If the agreement is not renewed, the Libraries may not be able to cover the cost of all our licenses. This would mean that some users might be required to cease using the software at that time.

STAFF COMPUTERS

Excel, Word, and PowerPoint are widely used and well supported at MIT.   Your LTE will install these applications on your computer if you want them, or will upgrade them if you already have older versions.     As always, if you have questions or problems using these tools, please ask your LTE first.  

Office Professional will include some Microsoft programs not available to staff in our current Office Standard Edition.   These new tools are not supported by either the Libraries' STS group or by IS&T.   In some cases, we recommend that you not use these tools, since we are already supporting competing products.   However, if you have a need for them and are willing to support yourself, you are entitled to use them.   Products in this category include:

  • Access.   We do not recommend that you use Access.   FileMaker Pro is well supported by IS&T and offers all the functionality available in Access.
  • Entourage (for Macs only.)
  • Outlook with Business Contact Manager (for Windows only.)   Although Outlook is supported by IS&T, the Computer Support Group does not recommend it to our staff at this time.   Eudora continues to be the supported email application of the MIT Libraries.
  • Virtual PC
  • Publisher
  • InfoPath

You will find descriptions of these products on Microsoft's web site, www.microsoft.com.   Should you decide to try one of these applications, your LTE may be able to offer you a limited amount of assistance - it will be up to individual departments to determine how much time its LTE should devote.   The Computing Help Desk may also be able to offer some help, even though these products are not officially supported at MIT.  

STS is pleased to make Microsoft tools available to you.   Remember, though, that your supervisor and department head must make the final determination of how these products fit in with your responsibilities and how much time is appropriate for you to devote to learning to use them.

PUBLIC COMPUTERS

Installing Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word on public computers is a local option.   Units that wish to consider doing so should keep in mind that supporting end users will be the responsibility of reference and information staff.

HOME COMPUTERS

Although the MS Campus Agreement permits you to upgrade your home computer's operating system, we strongly urge you not to do so unless you are extremely proficient - this can cause big problems and once you've done it, there's no going back.  

MORE DETAILS

Details on MIT's Microsoft Campus Agreement are available at http://web.mit.edu/ist/products/vsls/mitwin/msca.html

 

Page last modified by ninadm February 9, 2005