Welcome!


This site is a resource for students using Apple Macintosh computers studying, or intending to study, at the Open University in the U.K. - a world leader in distance learning.The site was constructed by members of the Open University FirstClass conference OUSA Mac General. The site's central feature is the Mac General Compatibility List - an updated list of current OU courses rated by their compatibility for study using Apple computers, submitted by students with first-hand experience of the course.

Why a compatibility list?

Current Open University computer policy dictates that study can only be supported for students running the Windows operating system. Students using any other computer platform do so at their own risk, and cannot receive technical support. That said, the Open University contains many students who do use other systems on many courses - and whilst they are not officially supported, there is a vibrant 'peer support' community which contributes to the many online conferences that comprise the Open University's online 'campus'. OUSA Mac General is one such conference -  formed to offer help and peer support for users of Macs at the OU.

But there is a catch. Mac users who may be thinking of studying a particular course at the Open University have no way of knowing exactly how compatible a course may be using their Apple computer until they enrol. The Open University provides no information in this regard - and even if a student is already enrolled at the university, finding compatibility details can be frustrating. Course compatibility questions form one of the chief enquiries to Mac General. The compatibility list is a simple attempt to provide some answers. We hope it will be a help to prospective Mac-using students as well as current OU studiers.

Other Features

The site includes a Questionnaire page, to allow Mac-using students to submit their first-hand knowledge of courses studied to the list. Other pages offer advice on submitting work electronically to the university, installing the OU conferencing software, using the Windows operating system on a Mac and installing Windows using the free VirtualBox, and sourcing OU provided online applications for use on Macs.

The News page features announcements and responses to matters of interest concerning Mac-using OU students.

OU Tutors and Staff using Macs

Though these pages are primarily for the use of students, we very much welcome mac-using Open University staff members, and value their input and comments. There are many such people at the university, and much of this site's contents will be of interest to those working on the 'other side of the desk'. The help of individual tutors has been instrumental to the survival of the Mac in the OU in these recent years, and any advice they can give is invaluable.

Of particular interest to tutors is the ability to use the Mac for marking the electronic assessments (or eTMAs) that are sent in by students. We are delighted to tell you that - thanks to excellent work by Associate Lecturer Mike Hay - there is a version of the eTMA handler software available for Macintosh!

For further information, and to download his software, please visit Mike's site here.

Disclaimer

This site is constructed entirely by students for students to provide informal advice and information. We make absolutely no guarantee as to the accuracy or currency of information posted here, and accept no responsibility for the consequences of decisions made or actions taken by individuals as a result of comments included on this site. The information listed is by its nature subjective, and should be read as such. All questions regarding fitness to study at the Open University must ultimately be addressed to the university itself.

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