The Department of Information Technology exists to serve a diverse user population. Realizing that different users have different needs and preferences, we have chosen not to standardize on one computer platform throughout the College. Both Macs and Windows are heavily used by faculty, students, and staff, and each platform has its partisans. If you are a student considering the purchase of a new computer, you should take the following factors into consideration when deciding between Macintosh and Windows:
Other departments, such as Business Administration, Computer Science, and Nursing, lean more toward Windows. If you are a Computational Math major, you can expect that many of your classes will meet in Windows-equipped classrooms, and that some of your homework will require the use of a Windows computer. If you are a Business Administration or Nursing major, your professional life will probably require you to work with Windows.
The remaining departments are more or less neutral on platform choice. If you are an English or a Biology major, you will probably do fine with either a Macintosh or a Windows computer.
The Mac OS is a more secure operating system, being less susceptible to hacks or virus attacks. Microsoft Windows is easily hacked and is susceptible to the majority of computer viruses, worms, and trojan horses. (Saint Mary's College requires all computers connected to ResNet to have anti-virus software installed and kept up to date, and provides McAfee Virex for Macintosh and VirusScan for Windows at no charge for each student to install on her personal computer.)
It is worth noting that every new release of Windows adds layers of complexity to the operating system, and is initially more difficult to navigate than its predecessors. As Microsoft continues to distinguish between "home" and "business/professional" users and develops different versions of their operating systems for the different markets, it is possible that one version of the operating system may work on our network and the other will not, or that neither version of the operating system will be compatible with our network. (For example, Windows XP Home edition will not access major components of our network, including personal network drives and course-related software. Windows XP Professional edition does not have this problem. Windows XP Professional Edition will be supported at Saint Mary's College in 2002/2003.)
The most recent version of the Mac OS, Mac OS X, is UNIX-based but still retains parts of its familiar user interface. While there is a learning curve between the the "Classic" Mac OS and Mac OS X, the new version is still fairly intuitive to navigate. (Mac OS X will be supported at Saint Mary's College in 2002/2003.)
The decision to purchase a computer running the Mac OS or Windows is a personal one. If you, the student, are more comfortable with one platform over another, that should be a major factor in deciding what type of computer to purchase. You will be using this computer every day to write papers, check and send e-mail, and do research on the Internet, among many other things. If you do not have a preference, Saint Mary's College strongly recommends visiting local computer stores that sell both Macintosh and Windows computers. By looking at the different computers on display, you can compare them side by side to help you with your decision. The platforms, for the most part, are compatible, and files created with Microsoft Office (and many other software titles) can be read and edited on either platform. There will be occasions where your assignments can only be completed on a specific platform, but if that happens, you can complete your assignments in the public computer clusters on campus.
These guidelines are intended to get you thinking about what would be the right platform for you. None of them, however, is offered as the sole determining factor for your choice. Ultimately the decision is yours alone - nobody but you can decide what platform would best serve your individual needs.