Free University Software for all Students!
It’s raining outside but you’ve got to cycle to the NOC in order to use the computers with the right software and enough processing power to properly render your models properly. This problem will be a thing of the past from next academic year thanks to the not-so-snazzily-named Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).
The VDI means that you’re able to access a ‘University Workstation’ from your laptop, or even a tablet, either using the web login (vdippd.soton.ac.uk) or logging in through the client, which you can download from the same
A snapview from the website VDI
link. The desktop client runs a little bit quicker, so I’d advise downloading that.
Every single student will be licensed to use this technology next academic year, giving you access to dozens of licensed products such as MatLab, Photoshop and many more. The way that VDIs work means that any
computer, regardless of its age will be able to access this software, and it will work to the same ability as it would in a computer lab. The whole system is powered from the University servers, using processing power that is in the new University systems as opposed to the processor from your computer, which traditionally what held back engineers from being able to use their laptop/regular university workstations.
So fear not, you needn’t cycle to NOC to use MatLab. If it’s raining you can use it from your computer, and it will work with the same power as it would down at the docks.
Thanks for reading,
David
27/06/2014 at 12:38 pm Permalink
David
that is fantastic news. I need software next term and its great to know that we wont need to worry about the cost.
have a great dat
D
27/06/2014 at 2:43 pm Permalink
Cheers Derek, glad to hear this will help!
27/06/2014 at 8:19 pm Permalink
Sounds like a fantastic idea. Do you know what sort of date it’ll be available for use? It tells me I’m “not entitled to use the system” at the moment.
27/06/2014 at 11:23 pm Permalink
Hi Nick,
Good question, it should be available to all students from the beginning of the new academic year
29/08/2014 at 7:42 pm Permalink
Any update on this? The academic year can only be a few weeks away, and this would be really useful!