Dual-booting Macs in computer labs

   A message posted today to the SIGUCCS list, a mailing
list for 
higher education computing support providers, offers a very
early 
glimpse of a practice that may or may not catch on more
widely: 
providing Macintoshes in a dual boot (Windows XP and Mac OS
X) 
configuration in public computer labs.

FYI,
Aron Roberts
Information Services and Technology

--

Date:         Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:21:09 -0400
Sender: SIGUCCS Discussion List <SIGUCCSLISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
From: "Potocki, Jeff" <JPotockiFAIRFIELD.EDU>
Subject: Re: SIGUCCS Digest - 14 Mar 2007 to 15 Mar 2007
(#2007-43)
To: SIGUCCSLISTSERV.UMD.EDU

Hello.  This is a response to Allan's question about
dual-booting macs.
At Fairfield University, we have begun to deploy
dual-booting macs on
campus.  This option allows us to do many things to
accommodate our
users, students, faculty and staff.

1.  We have first deployed dual-booting macs in our training
room.  This
allows us to offer training on both platforms with using
only one
machine.
2.  We have begun to deploy dual-booting macs in our public
computer
labs.  Again, we can use one machine to do both platforms. 
Since we are
using iMacs to do this, this eliminates the use of a cpu box
and a
separate monitor, thus providing more table and workspace in
the labs.
This also cuts down on machine abuse since you're only
dealing with one
piece of equipment.  Also, networking is easier since you
use cat
5/copper connections for the mac.  No fiber!  We initially
had fiber to
the desktop and yes, had to convert over, but makes more
sense in the
long run.  Cheaper and doesn't break as easily.
3.  Support.  Yes, our support technicians have to be
trained to support
macs.  That's the nature of the beast.  You have to lay down
the law
here.  Get your support people trained!  Cloning and
deploying dual-boot
macs has yet to be nailed down to a science.  We have our
own process
and it is working so far.
4.  We're seriously considering the option of going with
Apple as our
provider of computers on campus, mostly stemming from the
large service
and quality issues we have been having with Dell, our
current provider.
Again, Apple has a great reputation of having reliable
hardware.
5.  As for recording what OS is being used by students, we
have not yet
decided what to do about this.  Our goal as providing
technology support
to the university is to offer options.  By doing this, our
users become
more technologically aware of, well, technology.  If this
helps them to
become more tech savvy or more comfortable with using
computers, then
great.  They have the option to explore.  This promotes
learning.
6.  There are no licensing issues here.  Our agreement with
Microsoft
allows us to put XP on any machine.
7.  It seems that I feel strongly about this, but we are not
pro apple.
We are a PC dominated campus, but our mac population is
growing.  This
opportunity for dual-booting goes beyond the pc or apple
debate.  It's a
user support issue.

Hope this helps.  If you want to talk further about this,
feel free to
contact me.  Thanks.

jpotockimail.fairfield.edu

Jeff Potocki

Software Support Specialist-Training Coordinator

Computing and Network Services
Fairfield University

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Hi:
I am considering this as a future potential in my lab. the
question I have
is how well would a product like deep frees work in this
type of  network ? 
If it works this will be the way I go in this lab. however I
would not
choose I- Macs. I would go with towers. I like the idea of
if the  monitor
goes the hole computer is not a los . What is the thought on
this from every
one else planning lab futures on campus.  


Lucia Greco
Assistive Technology Specialist
University Of California Berkeley
(510) 643-7591 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-micronet-listlists.berkeley.edu
[mailto:owner-micronet-listlists.berkeley.edu] On
Behalf Of Aron Roberts
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 11:39 AM
To: Micronet-UCB microcomputer support user group;
MAGNet-UCB Macintosh
support user group
Subject: [Micronet] Dual-booting Macs in computer labs

   A message posted today to the SIGUCCS list, a mailing
list for higher
education computing support providers, offers a very early
glimpse of a
practice that may or may not catch on more widely: 
providing Macintoshes in a dual boot (Windows XP and Mac OS
X) configuration
in public computer labs.

FYI,
Aron Roberts
Information Services and Technology

--

Date:         Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:21:09 -0400
Sender: SIGUCCS Discussion List <SIGUCCSLISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
From: "Potocki, Jeff" <JPotockiFAIRFIELD.EDU>
Subject: Re: SIGUCCS Digest - 14 Mar 2007 to 15 Mar 2007
(#2007-43)
To: SIGUCCSLISTSERV.UMD.EDU

Hello.  This is a response to Allan's question about
dual-booting macs.
At Fairfield University, we have begun to deploy
dual-booting macs on
campus.  This option allows us to do many things to
accommodate our users,
students, faculty and staff.

1.  We have first deployed dual-booting macs in our training
room.  This
allows us to offer training on both platforms with using
only one machine.
2.  We have begun to deploy dual-booting macs in our public
computer labs.
Again, we can use one machine to do both platforms.  Since
we are using
iMacs to do this, this eliminates the use of a cpu box and a
separate
monitor, thus providing more table and workspace in the
labs.
This also cuts down on machine abuse since you're only
dealing with one
piece of equipment.  Also, networking is easier since you
use cat 5/copper
connections for the mac.  No fiber!  We initially had fiber
to the desktop
and yes, had to convert over, but makes more sense in the
long run.  Cheaper
and doesn't break as easily.
3.  Support.  Yes, our support technicians have to be
trained to support
macs.  That's the nature of the beast.  You have to lay down
the law here.
Get your support people trained!  Cloning and deploying
dual-boot macs has
yet to be nailed down to a science.  We have our own process
and it is
working so far.
4.  We're seriously considering the option of going with
Apple as our
provider of computers on campus, mostly stemming from the
large service and
quality issues we have been having with Dell, our current
provider.
Again, Apple has a great reputation of having reliable
hardware.
5.  As for recording what OS is being used by students, we
have not yet
decided what to do about this.  Our goal as providing
technology support to
the university is to offer options.  By doing this, our
users become more
technologically aware of, well, technology.  If this helps
them to become
more tech savvy or more comfortable with using computers,
then great.  They
have the option to explore.  This promotes learning.
6.  There are no licensing issues here.  Our agreement with
Microsoft allows
us to put XP on any machine.
7.  It seems that I feel strongly about this, but we are not
pro apple.
We are a PC dominated campus, but our mac population is
growing.  This
opportunity for dual-booting goes beyond the pc or apple
debate.  It's a
user support issue.

Hope this helps.  If you want to talk further about this,
feel free to
contact me.  Thanks.

jpotockimail.fairfield.edu

Jeff Potocki

Software Support Specialist-Training Coordinator

Computing and Network Services
Fairfield University

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<http://micronet.be
rkeley.edu/>.


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If the iMac offers enough performance for your needs I would
look at  
this differently.  The iMac costs roughly half as much as a
Mac Pro  
tower, give or take, but the iMac includes a monitor. 
Bonus!

The Mac mini is another option, of course, and is fairly
cheap.  The  
iMacs do offer great bang for the buck, however, and it is
nice to do  
away with some of the cabling that clutters up the
conventional  
arrangement.

Plus, the cost of LCDs is so lower these days that you
aren't losing  
so much in relative terms when you retire the iMac and its
display.   
Still kind of odd to pitch a capable monitor along with an
old CPU,  
but the cost dimension is less and less of a factor as time
goes on.

-Greg


On Mar 16, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Lucia Greco wrote:

> however I would not
> choose I- Macs. I would go with towers. I like the idea
of if the   
> monitor
> goes the hole computer is not a loss.

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For information about Micronet, including subscribing to
or unsubscribing from its mailing list and finding out
about upcoming meetings, please visit the Micronet Web
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rkeley.edu/>.

Given that the iMac is using an LCD, rather than an CRT, I
wouldn't 
worry so much about the screen.  They've been pretty
reliable, and don't 
die nearly as often as the older CRT's used to. 

It would still cost way less if you got 3 years of applecare
along with 
the iMacs, rather than going for the tower and separate
monitor. 

If the screen blew, apple would then fix/replace it.  I've
only seen one 
case that there was an issue with video on an older G5 iMac,
and apple 
replaced it free, as it was a known problem.  And that was a
video 
driver chip, not the screen itself. 

Lucia Greco wrote:
> Hi:
> I am considering this as a future potential in my lab.
the question I have
> is how well would a product like deep frees work in
this type of  network ? 
> If it works this will be the way I go in this lab.
however I would not
> choose I- Macs. I would go with towers. I like the idea
of if the  monitor
> goes the hole computer is not a los . What is the
thought on this from every
> one else planning lab futures on campus.  
>
>
> Lucia Greco
> Assistive Technology Specialist
> University Of California Berkeley
> (510) 643-7591 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-micronet-listlists.berkeley.edu
> [mailto:owner-micronet-listlists.berkeley.edu] On
Behalf Of Aron Roberts
> Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 11:39 AM
> To: Micronet-UCB microcomputer support user group;
MAGNet-UCB Macintosh
> support user group
> Subject: [Micronet] Dual-booting Macs in computer labs
>
>    A message posted today to the SIGUCCS list, a
mailing list for higher
> education computing support providers, offers a very
early glimpse of a
> practice that may or may not catch on more widely: 
> providing Macintoshes in a dual boot (Windows XP and
Mac OS X) configuration
> in public computer labs.
>
> FYI,
> Aron Roberts
> Information Services and Technology
>
> --
>
> Date:         Fri, 16 Mar 2007 13:21:09 -0400
> Sender: SIGUCCS Discussion List <SIGUCCSLISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
> From: "Potocki, Jeff" <JPotockiFAIRFIELD.EDU>
> Subject: Re: SIGUCCS Digest - 14 Mar 2007 to 15 Mar
2007 (#2007-43)
> To: SIGUCCSLISTSERV.UMD.EDU
>
> Hello.  This is a response to Allan's question about
dual-booting macs.
> At Fairfield University, we have begun to deploy
dual-booting macs on
> campus.  This option allows us to do many things to
accommodate our users,
> students, faculty and staff.
>
> 1.  We have first deployed dual-booting macs in our
training room.  This
> allows us to offer training on both platforms with
using only one machine.
> 2.  We have begun to deploy dual-booting macs in our
public computer labs.
> Again, we can use one machine to do both platforms. 
Since we are using
> iMacs to do this, this eliminates the use of a cpu box
and a separate
> monitor, thus providing more table and workspace in the
labs.
> This also cuts down on machine abuse since you're only
dealing with one
> piece of equipment.  Also, networking is easier since
you use cat 5/copper
> connections for the mac.  No fiber!  We initially had
fiber to the desktop
> and yes, had to convert over, but makes more sense in
the long run.  Cheaper
> and doesn't break as easily.
> 3.  Support.  Yes, our support technicians have to be
trained to support
> macs.  That's the nature of the beast.  You have to lay
down the law here.
> Get your support people trained!  Cloning and deploying
dual-boot macs has
> yet to be nailed down to a science.  We have our own
process and it is
> working so far.
> 4.  We're seriously considering the option of going
with Apple as our
> provider of computers on campus, mostly stemming from
the large service and
> quality issues we have been having with Dell, our
current provider.
> Again, Apple has a great reputation of having reliable
hardware.
> 5.  As for recording what OS is being used by students,
we have not yet
> decided what to do about this.  Our goal as providing
technology support to
> the university is to offer options.  By doing this, our
users become more
> technologically aware of, well, technology.  If this
helps them to become
> more tech savvy or more comfortable with using
computers, then great.  They
> have the option to explore.  This promotes learning.
> 6.  There are no licensing issues here.  Our agreement
with Microsoft allows
> us to put XP on any machine.
> 7.  It seems that I feel strongly about this, but we
are not pro apple.
> We are a PC dominated campus, but our mac population is
growing.  This
> opportunity for dual-booting goes beyond the pc or
apple debate.  It's a
> user support issue.
>
> Hope this helps.  If you want to talk further about
this, feel free to
> contact me.  Thanks.
>
> jpotockimail.fairfield.edu
>
> Jeff Potocki
>
> Software Support Specialist-Training Coordinator
>
> Computing and Network Services
> Fairfield University
>
>
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by the list server:
>
> For information about Micronet, including subscribing
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> from its mailing list and finding out about upcoming
meetings, please visit
> the Micronet Web site:
> <http://micronet.be
rkeley.edu/>.
>
>
>
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> The following was automatically added to this message
by the list server:
>
> For information about Micronet, including subscribing
to
> or unsubscribing from its mailing list and finding out
> about upcoming meetings, please visit the Micronet Web
site:
> <http://micronet.be
rkeley.edu/>.
>
>   

-- 
Jay Bryon
Senior Network Engineer, IST-IS-NSO 
(Network artists formerly known as CNS)
U.C. Berkeley

jayberkeley.edu
2-5636

[Unless stated explicitly otherwise, all opinions are my own
and do not represent official policy of any part of IST,
U.C. Berkeley or the U.C. Regents.]  



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The line of thought   I am following on this is that I would
max out each
computer and hope it lasts as long as it can. I don't think
I would by
cheap. I know I work in a department that needs to run on
below empty when
it bys and each purchase is considered at a maximum. most
people think that
they might replace a cpu every three years. I need to hope
that cpu can make
a five or six year range. This would mean that the monitor
would have to
last that long as well. Or even longer. I know when I
started here the
monitors I had were from the nineties and had gone through
many different
cpu lives . I had a 15 inch monitor that was barely color
and it made such
noise that it could not be used. I think that flat panels
last longer then
most people know.
As a side note some of my students would not even use the
monitors. As they
just use speech. So my monitors would not even be on most of
the time and
last long then most. 


Lucia Greco
Assistive Technology Specialist
University Of California Berkeley
(510) 643-7591 
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-micronet-listlists.berkeley.edu
[mailto:owner-micronet-listlists.berkeley.edu] On
Behalf Of Greg Merritt
Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 1:01 PM
To: Micronet-UCB microcomputer support user group;
MAGNet-UCB Macintosh
support user group
Subject: Re: [Micronet] Dual-booting Macs in computer labs


If the iMac offers enough performance for your needs I would
look at this
differently.  The iMac costs roughly half as much as a Mac
Pro tower, give
or take, but the iMac includes a monitor.  Bonus!

The Mac mini is another option, of course, and is fairly
cheap.  The iMacs
do offer great bang for the buck, however, and it is nice to
do away with
some of the cabling that clutters up the conventional
arrangement.

Plus, the cost of LCDs is so lower these days that you
aren't losing  
so much in relative terms when you retire the iMac and its
display.   
Still kind of odd to pitch a capable monitor along with an
old CPU, but the
cost dimension is less and less of a factor as time goes
on.

-Greg


On Mar 16, 2007, at 12:07 PM, Lucia Greco wrote:

> however I would not
> choose I- Macs. I would go with towers. I like the idea
of if the   
> monitor
> goes the hole computer is not a loss.

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For information about Micronet, including subscribing to or
unsubscribing
from its mailing list and finding out about upcoming
meetings, please visit
the Micronet Web site:
<http://micronet.be
rkeley.edu/>.


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