A student’s choice of computer is not limited to a particular brand or platform, but all computers must be able to install and run all the standard software programs that have been identified by UB’s faculty and staff. These standards have been established to ensure that UB maintains a safe computing environment for all students and one that can be well supported by our academic support staff. This set of standard software is especially important as the threat of new computer viruses continues to grow.

The Comprehensive Fee that you pay as a UB student entitles you to a wide array of popular academic software products. This includes but is not limited to: Microsoft Office Suite for PCs and Apple computers, UBLinux, OpenOfice (comparable to Microsoft Office), and Symantec Antivirus. You can download this software at any time. Upgrades for Windows (Vista and XP operating systems for PCs and Visual Studio Pro 2005 are also available on CD for a small charge from UBMicro.

Students with questions about the safety or compatibility of other programs not offered directly through UB should check with UBMicro staff or the CIT Help Desk before installing programs on their computers.