Enjoying the Vista
from 20,000 MBs
Myra Williams
Manager, Mobile Computing Program
Mark Miller
Director, Academic & Research
Computing
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
1
High Points for Discussion
• Overview of Mobile Computing Program (MCP)
– Brief history of MCP
– Fall 2007 laptop model
• Image management
– Freshmen – full software image
– Upperclassmen – basic software image
• Student input
– Form Factor Survey
– Windows Vista Ultimate Pilot Program
• Open Discussion with Lenovo and Microsoft
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Rensselaer Overview
• Educates the leaders of tomorrow for technologically
based careers
• Private institution founded in 1824
• 6,200 resident students – 5,000 undergraduate, 1,200
graduate
• 450 faculty, 1400 staff
• Schools – Architecture, Engineering, Humanities and
Social Sciences, Management and Technology,
Science
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Mobile Computing Overview
• Laptop required for undergraduate students
• Single standard high end T-xx model including
software at an excellent price
• Students can purchase, lease to own, or bring own
• Laptop used inside and outside of class
• Over 6,000 laptops on campus
• http://www.rpi.edu/laptops/
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Mobile
Computing Program Evolution
• 1995-1997
Voluntary pilot program (three years)
• 1998
Laptop highly recommended for incoming freshmen
• 1999
Required for all incoming freshmen
• 2003 - present
Full deployment, required for all undergraduates
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Fall 2007 Model
ThinkPad T61 (What’s Different)
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Core 2 Duo T7300 2.0 GHz CPU, 800 MHz Front Side Bus
2 GB RAM, 4 MB L2 Cache
15.4 in Wide Display, 1680 x 1050 Display Resolution
128 MB NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M Video Card
160 GB 5,400 RPM Disk with Robson flash cache
Media Card Slot
Wireless 802.11a/b/g/n, Firewire (IEEE 1394)
9 Cell Battery, iClicker PRS
Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Fall 2007 Software List
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Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate
Microsoft Office Pro 2007
Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2005
Maplesoft Maple - symbolic algebra program
MathWorks MATLAB
NX5 (Unigraphics) - CAD package
National Instruments LabVIEW
Bentley Microstation
Cygwin
MapInfo Professional
Microsoft Internet Explorer 7
Adobe Premiere Elements
Adobe Photoshop Elements
Symantec anti-virus software suite and more!
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Laptop-Integrated Courses
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Calculus
Physics
Freshmen Studies
Next Generation Studio Biology
Advanced Manufacturing Lab (AML)
Introduction to Engineering Analysis
Engineering Graphics and Computer Aided Design
• Laboratory Introduction to Embedded Control (LITEC)
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Fall Laptop Image
New laptop each fall has full software image (~25 GB)
• New fall model configured primarily for freshmen
• Software properly installed, tested, and configured for the first day
of class
– Faculty can depend on working software the first day of class
– Class time is not expended on software installation and
configuration
• Standard image promotes easier troubleshooting and one fix for all
• Students can choose to uninstall software to free up disk space
• Students use software in unexpected and novel ways
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Images for Older Laptops
Updated software image for older laptops
• Very basic image - Windows, Office, IE, anti-virus
• Upper class students have a better understanding of their
software needs
• Software is available on the network for download and
installation
• Students select what software they need to install
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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High Hopes
• Students re-image their laptop -- 2,000 per year
• Will Vista features reduce need to re-image?
• Will new HAL technology enable a single image to
work for all Vista ready laptops?
• Will imageX technology replace Ghost?
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Student Input
• Form Factor Survey
Four T60 models
14in standard, 14in wide, 15in standard, 15in wide
Hard disk - size/speed trade off
6 cell battery, 9 cell battery
• Windows Vista Ultimate Pilot Program
Volunteer students re-image their laptop with
Windows Vista Ultimate
• Backpack Feature Discussions
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Ranking Features
• Laptop Size (screen size):
14in standard, 14in wide
15in standard, 15in wide
• Hard Disk: 100 GB 7,200 RPM,
120 GB 5,400 RPM, 160 GB 5,400 RPM
• Battery: 6 cell, 9 cell
• 164 Respondents (132 male, 28 female)
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Form Factor Survey Results
• Screen Size: All students clearly preferred 15in models,
males clearly preferred wide, females preferred standard
• Hard Disk: All students preferred 100 GB 7200 RPM,
males preferred fastest, females split between fastest and largest
• Battery: All students clearly preferred 9 cell battery,
males clearly preferred 9 cell, females clearly preferred 9 cell
• Fall 2007 Model (what the adults decided)
15in wide screen
160 GB 5400 RPM hard disk
9 cell battery
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Windows Vista
Ultimate Pilot
• Why?
Student feedback on using Vista
Student feedback on using Office 2007
Student installed application compatibility
• Voluntary participation and feedback
T42, T43p, or T60 recommended models (1 GB)
• Vista, Office 2007, Visual Studio 2005, IE7, Maple,
NX4, MATLAB
• No ThinkVantage tools
• “20 students”, 131 students participated
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Vista Pilot Results
• 82 students provided 116 feedback submissions
• 539 Vista comments: 60% positive, 40% negative
• 110 Office 2007 comments: 80% positive, 20%
negative
• Problems: wireless (VPN, 802.1x),
slowness – startup/shutdown/sleep/hibernate,
battery life, runs hotter
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And the Winner Is?
• 119 unique student installed applications
94 successes (Firefox, iTunes, GAIM, Trillian)
15 problems (Chime, Worms Armegeddon)
• Final feedback from 56 students
49 still using Vista
43 recommend for Fall 2007 laptop (wireless)
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Not Quite at the Summit
• ThinkVantage Tools for Windows Vista
Access Connections (802.1x GTC)
• Windows Vista Licensing
Unique Keys for Vista Ultimate
Repair and troubleshooting
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
Questions?
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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Open Discussion
• Lee Highsmith, Lenovo
• Steve Straub, Microsoft
ThinkTank 2007 Montreal
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