Buying Apple Products For A College, Dilemma for end user Options

[midiwife]

I wonder if anyone else is experiencing the poblems I face...

I ordered 7 Dual processor 2.7GHz machines at the beginning of July aiming to have them all set up with new software installed and ready to run a whole range of music tech courses beginning on September 19th. I don't think this is an unreasonable plan.

I'm still waiting for the macs and have had to postpone the start of all of our courses (Logic, Cubase, Reason, Live, Sibelius and ProTools).

I also ordered a 10 user educational package of Logic Pro on June 24th and only yesterday, September 20th, I received one media set. I received the dongles several weeks ago.

I also ordered a wide variety of other software updates all of which beat these orders even if they were placed much later.

I am a long time mac user and fan but in terms of running a department, I now feel that Apple have let me down badly. The Macs are on order from an Apple reseller but they have told us that there is a severe problem in fulfilling orders for the top spec 2.7 machines. The problem seems to be coming from Apple US who are failing to supply these orders.

Apparently, the Logic delivery problem was due to the fact that Apple have changed the way they package and sell multi user licences for education.

It seems to me that Apple are advertising products that they seem unable or unwilling to supply in a reasonable period of time.

I would be keen to hear from anyone else who has had problems with orders for this machine or any other Apple products when ordering for education as I don't think I can be the only one facing tough choices for the future.

[dixiechicken]

You can always say that you want to or are considering cancelling the orders -
wether said statement is true or not.

Many of the apps you mentionend - except Logic - exists for both platforms.
Mac & PC.

Tell them you will save quite a bit of money for your department if you switch
platforms.
Also if for your dept - things work like in sweden - postponed courses or
student choosing other courses or moving to other depts - means that your dept is loosing hard cash.

( In swedish universities -
1/3 of the money moves with the students - Taxpayers money
1/3 of the money comes with the research - Taxpayers money
1/3 of the money is externally founded - - Mixed bag some private money)

There's no reason for you to put up with this sloppy behaviour.
Also be shure to follow "lepetitmartien":s advice - to contact Apple Europe
and Cuppertino.

If you have some kind of "consumers rights" organisation in your country -
talk to them and get their advice as well.

Good luck to you & give them hell.
Cheers: Dixiechicken