Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

October 11, 2002

Low-cost Microsoft products for those who work at home

by Linda Charles
Faculty and staff who burn the midnight oil at home to keep up with their campus duties can get a break on the cost of a number of Microsoft software products.

Iowa State has an agreement with Microsoft that allows employees who use their home computers for university work to purchase certain Microsoft products. Cost per product is $20 (covers cost of the CD and administration of the agreement), plus tax, said Dorothy Lewis, director of academic information technologies.

The agreement covers the following products:

Microsoft Windows XP Professional Upgrade
Microsoft Office XP Professional
Microsoft Office: Mac 2001
Microsoft Office: Mac v.X
FrontPage 2002
Publisher 2002
VisualStudio.NET Academic1 2002

There are a few restrictions under the agreement. Employees who do not use computers for a majority of their work are not covered by the agreement and cannot participate, Lewis said. These include employees with job titles such as animal caretaker, auto mechanic, custodian, baker and tree trimmer. (A complete list is online; see Web site below.)

Those participating in the agreement must sign a statement that they will use the product only for work-related purposes. Computers can be used for non-work purposes too, as long as Microsoft products purchased under the agreement are used only for university-related work, Lewis said.

The agreement only applies to full-time employees and graduate students, and the products may be installed only on one computer and one laptop.

So far, about 40 Iowa State employees have taken advantage of the agreement.

Those interested can purchase the software through the Microcomputer Product Center, 191 Durham. You must present your ISU I.D. card at the time of purchase.

More information about the agreement is available online at http://www.mca.iastate.edu.