Software Standards

The following are advantages of campus-wide software standards:

1. Improved Data Sharing
   • Consistency of file formats provides for optimal file sharing capabilities between individuals, departments, and groups across campus.
   • Identical resources on each desktop (private offices and public labs) provide ease of transferability and a consistent tool-set for all users. From any room, office or public lab, needed resources will be available.
   • Sharing of data between applications (word processors, spreadsheets, data bases) is seamless.
2. Simplified Budgeting and Purchasing
   • Software standards would permit centralized budgeting and purchasing. This would relieve an individual or department from the time consuming tasks of choosing a product, tracking down the best pricing and product availability, and generating the proper paperwork to place an order for the product.
   • Significant savings can be achieved through site licenses or quantity discounts.
3. Improved Support
   • ITS support personnel can focus on depth of application knowledge rather than breadth of numerous applications.
   • Product expertise means questions can be answered more quickly and efficiently.
   • Support efforts can be focused on proactively supporting the end-user and documenting known problems.
   • Support could come from any member of the Hamilton College community, since most will be using the same application.
   • Support subscriptions to Knowledge Data Bases provided by third party vendors could be made available online to all users via the campus network.
   • Support licenses from the vendor could be made available to users.
4. Improved Training
   • Training teams can focus on developing curricula for levels of user proficiency (introductory, intermediate, advanced).
   • Training specialists from outside campus can be used more effectively and economically.
5. Smoother Software Installation and Upgrades
   • Software installations for new machines could become invisible to the end-users by making it part of the hardware installation.
   • Installations can become routine, rather than a specialized process for each individual, resulting in time savings.
   • Installations and upgrades could be made available to all users via the campus network, and automated for consistency.
   • Upgrades can be tested and documented prior to campus-wide deployment to reduce potential incompatibles and problems.
6. Simplified Software Licensing
   • Separate record keeping for software licenses would not be required by the individual; rather it could become part of the central inventory of hardware.

Software Standards:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Chrome
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• Adobe Acrobat Creator/Reader

Software Updates:

When it is necessary for users to take action updating software on their computers, LITS announces, via email, the needed update and steps to follow for installation.