“The iMac has the all-in-one design, which takes up a lot less room. But the most important thing is that it can run both Mac and Windows programs natively.”
Clayton Oyler, Director of Student Affairs Technology, Weber State University
Weber State University: Dual-Boot iMac Shaves Computing Costs
Ogden, UT – When students at Weber State University (WSU) first saw the Apple logo on the wall of their computer labs, they were surprised: For much of its history, the university had run predominantly Windows-based systems. But these days, dual-boot iMac computers have all but replaced PCs on campus. Thanks to the Intel-powered iMac’s ability to run both the Windows and Mac operating systems, WSU is now enjoying a significant savings in its hardware expenditures. And students visiting the computer labs and kiosks in the Student Union building have the convenience of using two computers in one.
While on campus, Weber State’s students – primarily commuters who slot classes in between career and family commitments – need fast, easy access to software programs running on both the Mac and Windows platforms. Thus, WSU makes several computer labs and kiosks available for drop-in use, and offers a laptop loaner program. With the availability of iMac computers with Intel processors, the university found a way to shrink its hardware costs, while enabling students to spread out while working.
“The number-one thing our students were complaining about was the lack of desk space that came with the big PC towers,” says Clayton Oyler, director of student affairs technology at WSU. “The iMac has the all-in-one design, which takes up a lot less room. But the most important thing is that it can run both Mac and Windows programs natively. When the Intel and Apple Boot Camp technologies matured, we jumped on this solution. We essentially eliminated the cost of buying and maintaining all of the PCs, which was a considerable savings.”
Skeptics Quickly Convinced
WSU has outfitted two labs and six kiosks with the dual-boot iMac systems. Oyler admits that students were initially skeptical of the single-system solution. But once they got a glimpse of the ease of running two operating systems on one computer, their hesitancy quickly vanished.
“When the students walked in and saw the iMacs, they weren’t sure how this was going to work,” Oyler notes. “It only took a short time for the word to get out that this was a really cool thing. Now no one thinks twice about it; they just log on and do their work.” Oyler adds that the Mac operating system is rapidly becoming the standard. “We track which OS the students use, and have found that they aren’t going into Windows anymore; they’re going directly to the Mac OS. There are a few proprietary programs that are used that are Windows-only. But other than that, students are opting to stay on the Mac side.”
Fast, Easy Imaging and Support
Keeping the labs’ and kiosks’ computers running smoothly is no small challenge. But Oyler says that using Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) with Mac OS X Server has made his life infinitely easier.
“It’s so much better with the Mac,” he confirms. “We just push an image out via ARD and the server; it’s such a dream to do it this way. Managing and changing little things is so much simpler. The stability of the Mac, and knowing we can update it any moment, is really huge for us.”
A New Mac Culture
As WSU students are discovering the convenience of running any desired program on a single computer, Oyler says more and more are becoming converts. In the future, the dual-boot Mac mini may well find its way onto the campus, further enhancing students’ computing experience.
“Our bookstore manager says students who’ve used the dual-boot solution in the lab are coming in and buying Macs of their own,” says Oyler. “Even the president of our university – who’s always been a stalwart PC user – just bought a MacBook Air to take on the road. As we continue to refresh our old systems, we plan to replace our old PC towers with the Mac mini. Having the two systems in one will save us a lot of money, plus students will have tons of space to spread out papers and books. The Mac culture is really catching on here.”
