Tech students are benefitting from a new contract agreement signed with Microsoft.
The Information Technology Services department is offering students one free download of the Microsoft Office 2010 package, which includes Excel, OneNote, PowerPoint and Word.
For Mac users a free download of Microsoft Office 2011 will be offered.
The download is available at tntech.e-academy.com.
“To download the free version of Microsoft, students will need to login using their PC lab login,” Elaine Wells, information technology services analyst, said. “Freshmen might need to reset the passwords for their PC lab login because some might not have used a PC lab outside of the Learning Commons, which uses the Tech domain.”
To reset the password to the PC lab login, students can go to the glass window at Clement Hall room 226 or visit the ITS page on the Tech website.
“I like the idea of free Microsoft Word to all the students,” senior Mohammed Ben Razek said. “Some students don’t have enough money to pay for books plus buy extra software for their computers to do their homework with.”
The funding for the free download was made possible through the Technology Access Fee, which is included in tuition.
“I think this is great because a lot of students don’t have Microsoft Office when they come to Tech,” senior Andrew Morgan said. “Also it’s good to know where the money that students pay Tech is going.”
Wells said, “If faculty and staff members wish to download Microsoft Office, they will have to pay for it at an academic price.”
The website also offers students a free version of Microsoft Office 2007 and a free version of Windows 7.
Other Microsoft products and Adobe products are being offered on the website, but faculty and students both will have to buy them at an academic price.