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III. The IS&T Website - Student page (http://ist.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/students
)
- Nobody knew it existed
- The "First steps" are not helpful - people already know how to do that, because they have to
- Listing student-specific software would be great.
- Remove the link to Stellar - nobody goes there to explore, they go there when their TA tells them to.
- Hardware Discounts
- At first glance, they seem really expensive. Macs are more expensive, but the Dells come with better warranties, yet that information is not publicized
- Most people come in with their hardware/model preferences, and merely want to see what the MIT discount is, as opposed to coming in saying "What specific model does MIT recommend?"
- This is particularly true for grad students, as they're less likely to have their laptops purchased for them by their parents
- Having some sub-$1000 laptops would help
- Having a large link saying "Don't see what you're looking for? Go here" to the Dell or ECAT catalog would be great.
- Mobile Devices
- Most students don't know they exist. Students tend to assume they can get a discount on a laptop or software as a student, they don't assume the same of cell phone plans
- Most undergrads with phones are on a family plan – detailed info about how the discounts interact with family plans would help
- Nearby locations of retail stores would help
- Basically, a "Show me all the free/cheap stuff I can get now that I'm a student" page would help
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