NZMac.com - Supporting the New Zealand Mac community

While browsing the competition - enrol.massey.ac.nz/re_enrol.htm :
WebEnrol Hardware and Software Requirements

WebEnrol is designed to run on a PC using Internet Explorer 5 or above.
You will not be able to use WebEnrol on a MacIntosh computer or other browsers.
Please contact 0800 MASSEY for information about the other enrolment options.
Phil - is this accurate? Is anyone aware of other Universities in New Zealand that have similar systems that aren't usable (or that the University claims isn't usable) from a Macintosh?

Hmm....should I comment...given that I work for Massey? I thought it did work on IE actually. I've used the system and can't remember having to sit at a PC.

That said, there are many occasions when I do have to sit at a PC...including when I apply for leave. Yep, seems the system they bought doesn't like Macs either.

I'd have to say there is a three-fold issue...
1. Systems bought that don't work on a Mac and aren't tested on one
2. IT support staff not experienced enough or simple say "that can't be done" when often it can
3. An approach that see the information provided just easier to maintain if they say PC only, rather than have to test it and provide Mac details

I'm often getting calls from people on all 3 campuses that IT have told to contact me, or tell me they've been told something can't be done. I have also, on occasion, provided computing services with instructions that they have then put up on their site for the benefit of other Mac users.

I would suggest Massey is "Mac tolerant" rather than "Mac friendly"...which is amazing, given the number of Macs around the place.

I've never completed a "Mac Friendly" submission for this site on Massey as I have always wanted an entry from someone else's perspective other than mine. I did post grad computer science here and only ever used a PC once during that year....so sometimes, you can get away without having to touch a PC.

Phil

I had to use VirtualPC when I applied for Massey at the end of last year which was a pain. :roll: Auckland University is slightly better. At least you can access their [edit]enrollment scripts[/edit] on a Mac even if Safari isn't supported...

Auckland University is slightly better. At least you can access their sites on a Mac even if Safari isn't supported...Implying you can't at Massey? Works OK for me. You also have to keep in mind that some systems are still not going to support Safari.....which I believe is becomming a better browser but has a long way to go. WebCT (the learning managment system we use a Massey) has issues with Safari, so to use WebCT I always work in IE.

Phil

Implying you can't at Massey?

I was talking about the enrollment scripts rather than the general websites, I should probably have phrased that better. :wink: Post edited accordingly.

I would suggest Massey is "Mac tolerant" rather than "Mac friendly"...which is amazing, given the number of Macs around the place.

That sounds like Waikato sadly... there are two faculties which are Mac friendly, but central IT and the majority of the University is at best tolerant (there's no open hostility at least).

One of the big discussions on Macintouch in the last year that I've kept an eye on is the one to do with marginalisation of the Macintosh - and seeing that statement irked me - implying that the system was designed to work with IE, rather than being designed to web standards (which should work with a reasonable range of browsers) - and while I've been looking around at other Universities I didn't think I'd seen another have such a statement.