Tag Archives: Microsoft

Microsoft Office Work-at-Home Discounts for Faculty and Staff

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Did you know that you can get Microsoft Office for your personal computer for only $15? The Microsoft Work-At-Home license program allows Simmons College employees to purchase Microsoft software for use on their personal computers at a discounted price. The software can be downloaded instantly or mailed directly to you.

Available software includes Office 2010, Office for Mac, Windows 7, and more. To get started, follow this link and sign in with your Simmons user name and password. Then click on the “Faculty/Staff” tab and choose the product you’d like to purchase.

Through this site, you can also access discounts on software from Adobe (Photoshop, InDesign, and more) and statistical analysis software like SPSS.

Microsoft Unveils Windows 8

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In October, Microsoft released the newest version of the Windows operating system. Windows 8 represents a big change for Microsoft because it is designed to work across computers, tablets, and phones. It also takes advantage of new technologies like cross-device synchronization and cloud computing by incorporating them directly into the operating system.

Any major change to an operating system (like Windows or Mac OS) presents a unique challenge for the Technology team. We need to simultaneously support customers who are using the new system and carefully plan for an upgrade of all compatible Simmons-owned computers and devices.

At this time, we are working to provide Service Desk employees with the skills needed to support Windows 8 as members of the Simmons community begin purchasing devices running the new operating system. We’re also making a careful assessment of the effort involved in upgrading compatible computers at Simmons. The first step will be to install Windows 8 on several computers in Technology and on a small number of public-use computers in the library. Deploying Windows 8 to these computers will allow us to assess its viability for a large scale upgrade in the next 12-18 months.

If you are considering upgrading your personal computer or purchasing a new device running Windows 8, we recommend visiting the officialMicrosoft Windows 8 website, where you can get more information about the operating system and find out how it is different from previous versions.