Why Macbook Dual Boot Systems Won't take off

[dann]

Before my supervisor left she decided to purchase macbooks with parallels to replace the aging Acer's in the businesslabs. Her thinking was running XP either through Parallels or Bootcamp will provide them with the best of all worlds Windows and OS X. Great idea!

Now here is the rub. Of course you know you have to buy a copy of Windows XP for each machine. Well, there is no educational licensing for the full version of XP through the software assurance program. That means we are going to have to shell out about $280.00 per license for the OS.

What's more, unless you are on a volume licensing program where you purchase a lincense for each cpu to run the software; you have to buy two copies of Office for each Macbook. One for OS X and one for Windows XP. Now, of course, that's software we can get at a discounted price of $51.50 per license.

To cover 170 macbooks that's going to cost us about $65206.63 in software licensing. Hooray!

[Anonymous]

so use openoffice instead and you can get discount on larg amount of windows (more than 15~20)

[CptnObvious999]

To cover 170 macbooks that's going to cost us about $65206.63 in software licensing. Hooray!

YAY! I think it seems kind of stupid how thousands of people and companies are adopting Linux that have a lot of money and could purchase all the licenses but the school systems that have really tight budgets won't. I know this is probably because teachers are afraid of change (no offense to teachers, heck my mom is a teacher and it's a fact that most of them don't like having to learn new things....although that seems kind ironic since they are supposed to be making the students learn..but whatever). Most people say the biggest problem with Linux right now is installing software and last time I checked my high school hasn't installed anything new for at least a year and I don't think they are encouraging students to install things . Although I think my programming teacher is also holding back my high school from using Linux because he's a Windows fanboy but that's probably not the case for all schools.

I would love to see people like Novell and RedHat aggressively go after the education system. IMHO that would speed up Linux adoption by a lot and they would be getting some business too.

[dann]

A huge part of the problem is that the entire cirriculum is designed around specific software (MS Office, typing apps, accounting apps, carreer software, etc.) that runs on a specific platform - Windows. Furthermore, there are many counciles that develop standards and again, require Wndows based software. So not only are we asking them to learn something new but to redesign their entire cirriculum. So even adopting OS X becomes a chore, let alone something like OpenOffice, etc.

MS really has a lock in there.

[Jza]

This is interesting we have designed a certificate for schools called The INGOTs.org. The certificate is designed on running any office application including M$ Office, WordPerfect, KOffice, and OpenOffice.org. The certificate runs through the common issues and understanding of the computer is a tool to achieve a goal, and the tool can be replaced with different and more open tools.

The INGOTs have 3 levels, bronze, silver and gold, and goes through the topics of word processing, presentations, drawing, spread sheet calculations, web development, database, and information and research (internet). We also go on communication, networking and a special involvement program where students get to participate on open content and open source projects as part of their participation in order to graduate. Something similar to a community service.

The certification was builted in the UK and is currently gaining adoption across Europe, Asia and Australia. We have been looking for ways of introducing it in the USA and looking forward for some early adopters in the east coast.[/url]

[Tsuroerusu]

Before my supervisor left she decided to purchase macbooks with parallels to replace the aging Acer's in the businesslabs. Her thinking was running XP either through Parallels or Bootcamp will provide them with the best of all worlds Windows and OS X. Great idea!

Now here is the rub. Of course you know you have to buy a copy of Windows XP for each machine. Well, there is no educational licensing for the full version of XP through the software assurance program. That means we are going to have to shell out about $280.00 per license for the OS.

What's more, unless you are on a volume licensing program where you purchase a lincense for each cpu to run the software; you have to buy two copies of Office for each Macbook. One for OS X and one for Windows XP. Now, of course, that's software we can get at a discounted price of $51.50 per license.

To cover 170 macbooks that's going to cost us about $65206.63 in software licensing. Hooray!

Dann, I think it'd be great if you called in to Leo Laporte's KFI radio show and told him these facts, I'd pay money to hear that!

[schotty]

Have you tried using upgrades and upgrade from the install disc of win95/98/me/nt4/2k ? If you dont know the trick, let me know, I can detail the trick here. Basically doing a fresh install, you can use an upgrade with out upgrading.

[gorkon]

Before my supervisor left she decided to purchase macbooks with parallels to replace the aging Acer's in the businesslabs. Her thinking was running XP either through Parallels or Bootcamp will provide them with the best of all worlds Windows and OS X. Great idea!

Now here is the rub. Of course you know you have to buy a copy of Windows XP for each machine. Well, there is no educational licensing for the full version of XP through the software assurance program. That means we are going to have to shell out about $280.00 per license for the OS.

What's more, unless you are on a volume licensing program where you purchase a lincense for each cpu to run the software; you have to buy two copies of Office for each Macbook. One for OS X and one for Windows XP. Now, of course, that's software we can get at a discounted price of $51.50 per license.

To cover 170 macbooks that's going to cost us about $65206.63 in software licensing. Hooray!

Wow that sounds cheap compared to what we're going to pay Oracle this year....UGGH!

I can likely get the same kind of setup using VMWare on my laptop. While this seems expensive, it also seems to me that there has to be something better. Alas, I know the conondrum your in Dann. School's have to go with the flow and not against it.