Supported Software

Contents

Why list supported software
Categories of software support
The List
Constraints
Purchasing

Why list supported software?

Everyone at Illinois Wesleyan University increasingly perceives information technology as critical to their work. We work in an environment that requires the integration of complex technologies. These complex technologies include desk-top application software and hardware, shared network-enabled applications, network software and hardware, our campus cabling infrastructure, and the larger world of the Internet. Ultimately, everyone at Illinois Wesleyan requires a unique information environment tailored for their work. Of course, no institution can afford to support completely unique environments for each individual. However, the costs for technology service, support and training needs can be reduced when there is a reliable and consistent information infrastructure.

The office of Information Technology is working to provide an institutional information infrastructure that gives the university a strong foundation for meeting the diverse needs of departments and individuals. Software support is a critical part of our information infrastructure.

We are preparing this document to help with the process of identifying those applications that work well within our institutional information infrastructure. We also want to outline the levels of support members of our campus community can expect from our central information technology organization. Working with the university's Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable (TLTR), we expect to continue to develop and refine these guidelines.

Categories of Software Support

To help better define how well selected software fits in our institution's information technology architecture, we have identified levels of supported software. These levels range from extensive support for software which works well within an institutional context and is used by the broadest campus constituencies (standard), to minimal support for unique software used by a single individual.

Standard

Software in this category is nearly everywhere on campus. Information Technology will typically provide manuals, help sheets, online documentation, tutorials, and/or training classes to help acquaint users with these software packages. Consultation for problems with such software will be provided by Information Technology staff as necessary.

Supported

Software in this category are used by a significant proportion of the faculty, staff and students at Illinois Wesleyan, but probably less than half of our constituency. Information Technology will usually provide some help sheets or other written documentation as well as some on-line  tutorials for packages in this category. Some consultation for problems and some training with this software may be provided by specific IT staff as possible.

Limited Support

Programs in this category are relatively specialized and are typically purchased for a specific department. Information Technology will rarely provide written documentation or tutorials for software in this category or consultation for package-specific problems. Information Technology may, however, be able to refer you to someone on campus who is adept at using the software.

Minimal Support

Programs in this category are highly specialized and are typically purchased one copy at a time. Information Technology provides neither documentation nor tutorials for such software. IT may be able to assist with purchasing of such software or at least be able to help users determine whether or not the software will run effectively at Illinois Wesleyan.

The List

Guided by the office of Information Technology's Vision and Principles, the Associate Vice President for Information Technology makes final decisions on levels of software support, and is ultimately responsible for the support the office of Information Technology provides for a particular software application. The current supported software list by support level category, and software type, is as follows:

X indicates supported operating system

Standard

Supported

Limited Support

Constraints

Due to the variety of desktop computers in use on campus, it may not be possible for all computers to run the latest software versions. As a result, we may not be able to define a single version of a software package for all computers on campus.

Purchasing

The office of Information Technology also maintains web pages with guidelines for departmental software and hardware purchases.