PITT, MICROSOFT TO PROVIDE FREE SOFTWARE TO STUDENTS

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 16 -- The University of Pittsburgh has signed an innovative new licensing agreement with Microsoft Corporation, the world's leading publisher of operating system and office productivity software. Under the agreement, which covers all Pitt campus locations, students will receive without charge an extensive selection of Microsoft operating system, productivity and programming software.

"Although the university meets a substantial fraction of student computing needs through its public computing labs, a rapidly growing number of students arrive on campus with their own computers. Providing standardized and current software meets the needs of these students and relieves them of a significant financial outlay," said Pitt Provost James V. Maher.

Pitt has taken a proactive stance in ensuring low-cost access to software for its students, faculty and staff in the past. The University was one of a small number of schools to participate in an earlier Microsoft student licensing pilot program which allowed students to purchase software at greatly reduced fees. Microsoft Corporation discontinued this pilot, favoring the campus agreement. Pitt is the first university in Pennsylvania and one of the first in the country to enroll in the program and begin distribution of software to students.

The software that is available to students includes Microsoft Office, FrontPage, Windows 98, Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Visual Studio and Office Step-by-Step Interactive. Students will receive all product upgrades released by Microsoft for these applications as long as they remain enrolled at Pitt. The combined cost of all of these packages, at academic pricing, is approximately $1,200.

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