DURHAM, N.C. - Hold off before you click the buy button!

Duke has signed an agreement with Microsoft for site licenses to many of the company's end-user and server products. This agreement makes it possible for faculty, staff and students throughout the university and health system to take advantage of Microsoft products at free or reduced cost. Available software will include:

-- the Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate operating systems;

-- MS Office Enterprise 2007 and MS Office 2008 for Mac;

-- downgrade rights to Windows XP and MS Office 2003;

-- the upcoming Windows 7.

The agreement also gives system administrators access to enterprise server software such as MS Windows Server, MS Exchange Standard and Enterprise Servers, MS SharePoint Standard and Enterprise Servers and MS System Center Configuration Manager Server.

Details about how individuals, schools and departments will obtain the software will be available within the next few weeks in the Computing & Printing section of the OIT site under Software. If you have immediate needs or concerns, please contact one of the following:

-- University users: Klara Jelinkova

-- Health system users: Rafael Rodriguez

-- School of Medicine users: Kevin Lee.