A project is currently being defined which aims to improve the UoR software delivery process and prepare for the end of life of Windows 7 by making Windows 10 (with Office 2016) our standard desktop platform.

A key objective will be to upgrade labs, library and teaching spaces to Windows 10 during the summer of 2017.

Mainstream Microsoft support for Windows 7 ended 2 years ago and ends for Windows 8.1 within a year. Extended support for Windows 7 ends at the beginning of 2020 but it will be increasingly difficult to install Windows 7 on new computers as manufacturers will not develop software drivers for new hardware.

Our software delivery process needs to be improved in response to previous issues deploying teaching software to the range of labs where it is needed and also from student requests to make curriculum applications more available generally both on and off-campus, especially on student-owned PCs.

Another objective is for Apps Anywhere to become the default delivery system for curriculum applications with effect from academic year 2017-18. With this system, applications will no longer need to be installed but can be streamed and run on any PC with the ‘Cloudpaging Player’ installed. Already, students can select from 30+ apps and use them in any lab, PC in the library or on their own PCs (when on campus).

We will be contacting school representatives to discuss requirements for this. If you have any specific requirements, please contact your IT Business Partner.

IT