How do we adapt to a mobile computing environment (#1)
Abstract: Okay, we are freeing students
from the desktop, equipping them with laptops and sending them home to do their
schoolwork. First question, how do software distribution and licensing models
adapt to an academic computing environment centered around mobile users? One
idea, follow the textbook model!
Much maligned in academia is the textbook model
where students purchase textbooks for monstrous prices then get about 50% of
that back at the end of the semester. The net effect of this is students are
renting their textbooks. This has worked in academia for longer than I have
been around.
I firmly believe we are seeing a
mobile computing environment emerge and evolve in academic computing. Computers
are book sized and are as mobile as books. If books can, in effect, be rented
to students I wonder why this cannot happen with software? Why can't students
rent software?
Already most vendors feel
comfortable distributing evaluation versions of their software. These versions
time out in 15 to 30 days. If this can be done now for evaluation software why
not extend that technology to academia? Why not software that times out in five
months? Students cannot afford to buy full versions of a software package for a
class they may take only once. Time limited software could be sold for a
fraction of the purchase price with the caveat that the license must be renewed
if the student wishes to continue using the
software.
Some software, like SPSS, times out
after a period of time and new install codes have to be installed for this
software on a regular basis. With the ubiquity of the Internet this all could
be accomplished following the Microsoft model of providing token based software
authentication of the software.
An invisible
piece of software code could be provided to the student's computer when they
purchase the software on-line. This code is the token. Software install disks
could thus be circulated freely for students who only have dial-up Internet
access. Installs off these disks would only be useable for a student when they
install the software and purchase their license and receive the install token
on-line from the software vendor. Because this token can be time based, the
software would time-out after the period of time agreed upon between the student
and vendor.
Token support would be the
responsibility of the vendor and student. The vendor takes back their license
much as the bookstore takes back a book at the end of the term, except it is
done virtually!
Posted: Thu - November 6, 2003 at 06:35 AM