Microsoft Imagine
| Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| What is Imagine (Formerly DreamSpark)? | Imagine is a special subscription to Microsoft's resource for developers, MSDN. The subscription is for academic departments in technical areas (e.g. Computer Science, Electrical Engineering). |
| What is the difference between MSDN AA and Imagine? | "The MSDN Academic Alliance (MSDN AA) program is designed to bring professional-level software and tools to educational institutions teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and Design) and VIDA (Visualization, Illustration, Design, and Art) disciplines. [...] The Microsoft Imagine™ program enables students currently enrolled in a university or high school to download and use Microsoft tools to unlock their creative potential, thus setting them on the path to academic and career success by advancing their learning in the areas of technical design, technology, math, science, and engineering." More information on Microsoft's website. |
| What software is included in the subscription? | The Imagine program includes all software Microsoft determines is useful for software development and teaching courses on software development and other computer related topics. In broad terms, the program includes almost all Microsoft operating systems, all server products, and all development software (Visual Studio, SDKs, DDKs). |
| What software is not included in the subscription? | Microsoft games, most Microsoft Office applications (Visio Professional, Project Professional, and Access are the exceptions), "home" versions of Microsoft operating systems, plus a few others. |
| Who is in charge of the subscription? | The subscription belongs to the Department of Computer Science. The program administrator for the subscription is CLAS Linux Support. |
| How does CLAS IT provide access to the software? | The software is available via download at the e-academy License Management System (ELMS) website. There is an option to purchase media for a few products. |
| What is my ELMS username and password? | Your username on the ELMS site is your @uiowa.edu email address (usually firstname-lastname@uiowa.edu). Your ELMS password will be automatically sent to that email address once. If you've forgotten or don't know your ELMS password, click the "Forgot Password?" link and enter your @uiowa.edu email address to have it emailed to you. |
| Who is eligible to access the software? | Any student who is registered and taking at least one semester hour for credit in CS:XXXX courses, faculty members who are teaching CS:XXXX courses, and members of the Computer Science faculty who are doing non-profit research (Note that merely having a Computer Science major does not make you eligible). |
| When does eligibility start? | Eligibility starts for students on the first day of classes each semester. Eligibility for faculty and staff starts at time of hire or upon transferring into the department. Faculty and Staff, please send an email to request@divms.uiowa.edu to request access. Students will automatically be enabled on the first day of courses. |
| When does eligibility end? | Eligibility ends for students on the last day of finals each semester. Eligibility for faculty and staff ends upon termination or transferring out of the department. Note well: when eligibility ends you will no longer have access to the ELMS website (namely your software keys and order history). |
| Do I have to uninstall the software when I am no longer eligible to participate in the program? | No. You may continue to use the software for non-profit purposes under the same license agreement. You are just not eligible to receive new software or updates through the program. |
| Can I access my software keys when my eligibility ends? | No. Once your eligibility ends you won't be able to access your software keys from the ELMS website. Please print out your keys when you order the software from the ELMS website. Note well: if you save the keys in a file on your computer, they won't do you any good when re-installing the operating system because your hard drive died. Please make a hard copy. |
| May I make a copy of the CDs? | Per the License Agreement (EULA), you may "make one additional copy on [your] own computer or other device, but only (a) to develop, support, conduct, or take the STEM courses, labs, or programs you offer; (b) in non-commercial STEM research on your behalf; or (c) to design, develop, test, and demonstrate software programs for the above purposes." |
| What are ISO image files and how do I use them? | Please see an answer from Microsoft at "Using Subscriber Downloads" under Using ISO image files. |
| Where can I download and burn these ISO images and use the software? | This program is intended to be used on your personal laptop or home computer. There are not resources in the DIVMS Students labs to download or burn this software due to licensing and technical issues (like the fact that the installer only runs on a Windows OS, not in Linux). |
| Where can I learn more about Imagine? | Visit the Imagine website Program Information License Agreement (EULA) |
| Where can I see an example of downloading software from Imagine? | Please read a walkthrough of downloading Visual Studio here. |