I would like to address the possible agreement between Iowa State and Microsoft. Under the proposed agreement the university would receive licenses for a core set of Microsoft products to cover all university-owned PCs.

If the student portion of the agreement is also approved all students would receive the latest version of the Microsoft software package to keep, provided they graduate. By entering the student agreement with Microsoft, Iowa State and the University of Iowa will see a cost of approximate $12 per student or $300,000 for each university.

So where did the $72 standard computer fee I paid go? Now, the university wants approximately $12 more so I can receive the latest copy of Microsoft products, which like most of the rest of you, I already own. Not only is this of little benefit to those who already own Microsoft products, there is absolutely no benefit in this agreement for Macintosh users, who will still have to pay for the university’s agreement.

In addition, students running Linux would receive no benefit from the agreement either. And if a student leaves the university before they graduate, they will have to remove their copy of Microsoft products, even though they have paid their portion of the Microsoft agreement.

Most students already have the products – Bill Gates knows this – but he also knows that thousands of those copies are illegal or pirated copies. So what’s the best way to prevent illegal copies of the software from being circulated? Make the students buy Microsoft products whether they want it or not.

Isn’t the university trying to keep costs down? How many students on top of their tuition can afford close to a hundred dollar computer fee? Students should not be forced to buy Microsoft products; make the decision for yourself.

Sarah Smith

Senior

Chemistry