[wplug] Pitt & Slippery Rock

[Mackenzie Morgan]

Hello, WPLUGers!

My little brother and sister are about to graduate high school (twins).
They've both been using Linux (Ubuntu) for a year and half now.  They're
also both pretty...err...very...non-technical (they love Add/Remove because
it's easier than Windows InstallShield).  Anyway, my brother's heading to
Pitt, and my sister's going to Slippery Rock.  They want to take Linux
laptops to school with them, but my sister at least is a little worried that
she'll run into issues and not be able to find an in-person helper like she
could with Windows.  I reminded her that she won't be needing to find anyone
for viruses, and if she gets a Linux pre-installed laptop like I told her
to, hardware will be a non-issue as well leaving...not much to worry about.
My brother, being not on the computer for much more than Frets on Fire,
isn't worrying.

I know there are WPLUGers at Pitt, so there has to be a way to make
everything go with Linux for my brother.  Could anyone from Pitt enlighten
me as to any caveats with using Linux at Pitt?  I know there are no issues
with Cisco VPN like at my school, where they say the VPN can't be accessed
from Linux (they're wrong), so as long as he can do WPA, he's fine on
wireless.  I think I recall that Pitt uses Exchange...is it set up to work
with Evolution?  Or is there no web access available?  He's into science,
pre-med stuff, and given Linux's usage in the scientific fields I don't
really foresee any problems with that, but just in case, anyone know of
anything unusual he might need?

How about Slippery Rock?  How is their wireless set up?  Will it be a pain
on Linux?  Email?  Anything I should be prepared to talk my sister through
over the phone?  I told her to go make friends with a computer science
student when she gets to school in case she can't get me on the phone or on
IM.   She's a business major.  Is there any specialized software she might
have to worry about?  I was thinking I'd help her set some stuff up in WINE,
but I'd need to know what to setup first.

-- 
Mackenzie Morgan
Linux User #432169
ACM Member #3445683
http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspot.com <-my blog of Ubuntu stuff
apt-get moo
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