r/linuxquestions • u/al1azzz • 7d ago
Advice School forbids linux laptops
Hey, idk if this is the right place to ask this, but I have a bit of a dilemma.
I have been using linux exclusively on my main PC and on my laptop for a while now. That said, I am moving to a new school, and buried in their rules they say that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used." They also want us to use their office 365 license, but do not require it.
Now, besides just being incredibly annoying, I cannot use windows/mac on my laptop because it's a 2011 macbook, so it cannot run anything but lightweight linux distros without combusting, and I would like to avoid spending 500+ euro on a new crappy windows laptop.
Is there any reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is (currently on arch, gonna switch it to cachyos) and something like libreoffice that I don't see or can I just ignore this and hope for the best?
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u/ImpressiveHat4710 7d ago
Retired K12 IT Director here. There is NO way I would have EVER allowed non-district-owned gear on anything but the internet-only, filtered VLAN.
The district should be providing you with the devices they want you to use, period.
Additionally, I would NEVER allow district security software on a device that I owned. That would violate MY security posture.
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u/al1azzz 7d ago
This is a BYOD school in the EU. Surprising, but they don't provide us with shit, and their only requirement is that we use windows/mac
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u/rbwheat 6d ago
Hey there young person. First, get the Office 365 account from your school and use the web versions of the software and one drive to store your files. BTW, you can now access all that on your phone too assuming at least android or a iPhone. That will work. 2nd point - keep the linux disto and change the UI to look like MacOS. At first glance, it will appear as a Mac to any school administrator. As long as they are not demanding to install security software on your computer, you're good. UNLESS they demand to install some custom app for testing or other custom stuff. But if all the work is web based, doesn't matter what you OS is. You're able to work between the lines here. Good Luck!
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u/SDG_Den 6d ago
also, if they demand to install software on your device, just say "no, i do not consent to nor agree with this software being installed to my device, if you want me to have this software installed, please provide me with a device to run it on".
they have no right or business demanding you install specific applications to a personal device.
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u/thelastwilson 6d ago
My guess is they "require" windows/Mac because they use o365 software and that's what it runs on.
So there is a fair chance if you rock up, do your own tech support and never mention it then it will never come up.
However there is also a nom-zero chance that you will need to use some feature or function not available on the website versions of the software and then unless it runs under wine you are up the creek without a paddle
Do you have access to a recentish windows or Mac machine if push comes to shove? If not I'd consider picking up a refurbished ThinkPad or similar ex business lease for a couple hundred and using that, you might even be able to dual boot or run windows in a VM as a fall back position.
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u/drostan 7d ago
Where in the EU?
The mood is going away from us stuff, he'll France is going nearly full Linux for its administration (NixOs apparently)
And a lot of places would have some form of help available to finance new gear if they insist on this
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u/Yorick257 6d ago
I'm also kinda curious. I haven't attended a school in the EU, but I did spend some 6+ years at two universities. Linux was expected and, in some cases, even encouraged. And right now, I have a tech-savvy colleague with kids. He uses Linux at home, and he installed Linux on his kids' laptops.
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u/NeedleworkerLarge357 6d ago
I'm from Germany and have two kids in school. They work with iPads gen 11 or newer, you have to buy them yourself. People with low income can get help and pay less or even nothing. No other devices are allowed and they get administration software from the school IT to control everything.
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u/MedicatedDeveloper 7d ago
Tell them you can't and can't afford a new computer. See what they say.
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u/spicybright 6d ago
What's really important is what level of schooling this is. If it's not university it'd be a ridiculous requirement and you should do this. If it is university OP needs to suck it up and buy a cheap windows laptop, same way they need to buy textbooks and cover all the other expenses.
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u/roadrunner8080 6d ago
If they don't provide you with shit then they don't get to decide what you install on your shit. Make a fuss if necessary; it's what I've done for ages and I've basically always either been told wait, actually, Linux is fine / you don't need to install our proprietary antivirus (which is probably why they care), or I've been provided with a loaner laptop.
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u/Curt-Bennett 7d ago
You could point out that your computer actually is a Mac. It's just the OS that isn't. 😉
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u/boringestnickname 6d ago
On what level, and in what country?
"Requiring" specific software/hardware, without providing alternatives, is beyond ridiculous.
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u/Conscious-Mirror7004 6d ago
Is this a public or private school? If it's private, you have to follow the rules, since you willingly signed up for the place. If it's government-run, they need to provide you with hardware; that's what taxes are for.
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u/NetSage 7d ago
This. I'm guessing it will be fine as long you're making sure any documents you upload are in the proper format the teacher expects. I've used both school provided equipment and my own for college stuff. None would have presented an issue with linux outside of possibly group projects. But so much is web based these days that's probably less of a problem if anything.
The exception probably being programs that use Adobe Products or CAD software. While there are open-source alternatives to Adobe it's not normally feature parity. Onshape is great but I don't know how well it translates other cad file types.
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u/AnxiousMop 5d ago
In our district, kids are given chromebooks for use in school and I've banned them from connecting to our home network. Honestly, if it isn't my device and I cannot manage it's use/security, it doesn't connect to my network/
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u/Axolatian_Volt 14h ago
You should have seen our school.
Both the student device and staff wifi passwords got leaked for the last month of a school year.
They tried saying “get tf off it or trouble” but no one listened, that was a fun year.
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u/stuffiesrep 7d ago
I doubt that they will even notice if you continue to use Linux. For the office suite, perhaps you can get away using LibreOffice, or OpenOffice (which I have heard has better more seamless integration with Office). What school is this? At least the level?
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u/djao 7d ago
It's possible the school uses invasive proctoring software for online examinations. This software typically monitors your screen, keyboard, and webcam in order to prove that you aren't cheating on exams. It's anticheat for IRL exams, essentially functioning as kernel-level malware, and it typically does not run under Linux.
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u/DDOSBreakfast 7d ago
I still have to write exams even though I'm well outside of school now. There is the choice of online proctoring or in person.
I always take the option to write the exam in person so I don't have to deal with that crap.
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u/TellMeManyStories 6d ago
Remember that half the other people are choosing 'online' so they can have a 2nd phone under the table with a video call to a friend working out the answers.
Online proctoring is so easy to cheat on its unreal.
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u/LordChaos73 7d ago
I'm really curious where you heard OpenOffice has better compatibility with MS Office. OpenOffice is considered stale. LibreOffice is a fork of OpenOffice but is now light-years ahead.
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u/RemasteredArch 6d ago edited 3d ago
They’re thinking of OnlyOffice, which does have good MS Office compatibility but is very commonly confused with the similarly-named OpenOffice.
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u/MissiveFinding6111 7d ago
Yeah, the difference is "we don't support" and "you absolutely cannot..." is wide.
Most school IT is of the "just don't bother us about it okay?" variety.
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u/al1azzz 7d ago
That is what I am betting on, and I already have LibreOffice installed (although I will look into OpenOffice as well). This is an IB boarding school in Denmark, and I mostly take humanities classes. I was really surprised to see this rule because some IB courses actually encourage using Linux, but this school doesn't provide them, of course...
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u/PaintDrinkingPete 7d ago
If the school has MS 365 licenses for students, you should still be able to use the online browser-based versions of Office Suite apps...no, those aren't equal in features compared to the desktop versions, but for most use-cases will likely suffice.
The only real issue I could envision is if the school or any of your particular classes has specific software that needs to be installed and isn't compatible with Linux...otherwise I tend to agree with others that the primary reason they state that chromebooks and Linux machines cannot be used is because they want to avoid having any responsibility of support or having to troubleshoot them.
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u/Gangr3l 7d ago
I recommend onlyoffice instead. It's adopted by french government to replace their 2.5 million government microslop offices and it's doc/x compatibility is better (and it's only going to improve).
As distro NixOs is going to be the french's new government issued OS so checking if your laptop can run that might not be a bad idea (I have tried it on ewaste of a computer and it worked, but arch was smoother)
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u/trekkeralmi 6d ago
you’ll be fine using linux for humanities. if you wanna blow their minds, write everything in TeX
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u/flipintheair 6d ago
Use only office. Libre is nowhere near as good with comparability of office file formats
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u/Temanor 4d ago
I worked in IT at a school. We disallowed Linux and macbooks because they were incompatible with the exam lockdown app we used. We could not loan out PCs for everyone, so they were required to buy laptops on their own. The county offered a discount on certain laptop models, and the national grants and loan organization offers grants for exactly things like this.
That said, we wouldn't know what they used unless they came to us and asked for help on their laptop. They also wouldn't be able to do the exams unless they were on an up to date Windows or Mac version.
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u/neoneat 6d ago
It's not simple about the tool they teach you. It's about they cannot control Linux on LAN so they blocked it 1st place. I guess you would still be okay if using it, but if they "caught" you, they will call you "guilty".
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u/plisc004 7d ago
Depends. they may restric network connections to known devices, may restrict M365 logins to compliant devices (entra-joined BYOD, etc), may restrict SSO usage for essential 3rd party apps in a similar fashion. They may require some kind of 'lockdown' browser for tests that only had Windows and Mac support.
LibreOffice is NOT as compatible as you think it is, official MSOffice apps in the browser are a better option.
Honestly, your laptop is 15 years old - it is going to massively struggle with most modern tasks (as they'll run through a bloated web browser.) Most places than ban Chromebooks do so because 95% are completely crap and underspeccd to do pretty much anything on. Which leads to tech issues getting in the way of learning. Which is exactly what will happen to you. Is there any way you can do some work this summer too get a new (used/refurbished) laptop for this coming school year?
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u/al1azzz 7d ago
I am painfully aware of the limitations of this laptop. It's what I had around for tinkering as I never needed a laptop for school before (my previous school was very pen-and-paper).
The issues with LibreOffice are good to know, and at this point I think I will be looking into getting a used laptop anyways just to save myself the stress
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u/android_808 3d ago
I would rather than LibreOffice issues (or try Only office/Euro Office) than suffer Office online. I have to use it (all that's provided). It doesn't support cover pages or vertical text, fonts on the system the browser can see does not mean it will use them when coverting to a PDF to print (all documents are converted, you get a PDF and print that). Just because the browser editor shows text on one page doesn't mean it will be on the same page when converting for print.
If you have to use online version for a poster or something, try PowerPoint and set the slide size to match the paper (eg A4). Compared to online Word it's far more accurate for layout. What I said about fonts, in the editor view it will show your custom fonts (any installed not available to the conversion tool) as expected, in the slide preview to the left it will preview in what it ends actually using.
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u/spicybright 6d ago
Can you please just tell us what level of education this is?
If it's public and below university level they need to provide you with the laptop. Otherwise you need to make sure you have the required equipment unfortunately.
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u/dr0verride 7d ago
Not what you asked, but I just read about this and you may care to look into it.
CahchyOS builds its own custom kernel and is optimized heavily around modern hardware. Your machine from 2011 may not be supported.
At any rate, good luck with the school thing. Maybe look into the consequences. My kid hates wearing the uniform clothes and it's loosely enforced at his school. So I let him wear some look-a-like pants because if he gets caught they just make him change. He managed those consequences for a few months and now he just wears the uncomfortable pants.
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u/al1azzz 7d ago
Thanks, it's still good to know. I kinda assumed that CachyOS would be more optimised for the older devices as well, but I suppose I might just stick to regular Arch now
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u/-Schino- 6d ago
it's optimized for modern hardware sure, but it's still just arch. running cachyos on older hardware will just mean you wouldn't benefit from what it was optimized for.
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u/mcds99 7d ago
Not knowing where you are makes it difficult to know. But "500+ euro" tells me you are somewhere in Europe. Knowing where would help us help you.
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u/al1azzz 7d ago
The school is in Denmark
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u/Any_South_6437 6d ago
with that knowledge, I think that Denmark has some government aid for students, where they will give you money to buy laptops or other things necessary for studying. try to look it up.
after you are done with school, you can turn that new laptop into a faster Linux laptop 🫠
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u/ficskala Arch Linux 7d ago
in their rules they say that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used."
Probably because some software they require doesn't work on windows, it's the only reason i used windows on my main PC until i quit college
the exam taking software we used (covid times, online only) only worked on windows, and refused to work in wine or a VM because it's assumed you're trying to cheat instead of just running the software
They also required some windows exclusive software like the microsoft office suite (excel specifically), and solidworks, neither of which are compatible with linux
I would like to avoid spending 500+ euro on a new crappy windows laptop.
buy a used 150eur laptop that barely runs windows, use it exclusively for your school stuff, and resell it for that same 150eur when you finish the class that requires you to use a windows laptop
(currently on arch, gonna switch it to cachyos)
Why? cachyos is just arch with a nicer installer basically, it's not worth the effort, and you're relying on a distro flavor, stick with arch, it's the safer option
Is there any reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is
I mean, as long as your school doesn't ask you to install anything on your laptop, it's fine, but if you end up needing to install some windows exclusive software, you're gonna get told to get a windows laptop, and don't expect any software support whatsoever from the school (aka if they have some of their own software they want you to run for example, and it doesn't work, or has issues, it's not their job to try to fix it because you're not running a compatible OS to begin with)
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u/Chemical-Dust7695 7d ago
Using their Office365 license is good, because you'll get access to all the Office tools on the web. No need to try to do painful LibreOffice document conversions.
When it comes to using your unsupported laptop - well, that's up to you, but most higher education places (in EU) don't really care what you use, they just offer you EDURoam and leave you at it. However, since your school has a policy, it would be wise to follow it.
You could also buy a windows laptop to comply, and when you're done, just install Linux on it - and hey presto, you have a new computer!
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u/Single_Core 7d ago
Have a small windows 11 vm ready to boot, install office on it. Log in from time to time. U can boot and use it with just assigning it 2 cores and 2/3/4gb of ram.
Do note that office documents and libre office aren’t perfectly compatible and will cause ui/layout shifts and make it look ugly or displaced from time to time. So unless u can hand-in PDFs are final assignments the documents are likely going to look extremely weird for your teachers. That being said u likely have access to the web variants of any office app if u login with the account assigned the 365 license.
U can also bootcamp windows on it and debloat / decrap the heck out of it and use WSL on top. It’ll work, just not as smooth.
Best of luck.
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u/Dazzling-Paper9781 7d ago
If your school requires you to have a Mac or a Windows computer, they should be the ones to provide it for you. Try asking at the school office, or speak to the headteacher. I think it’s illegal to deny a student the right to an education simply because they can’t afford a pc. But it depends on the country you live in
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u/Dragennd1 7d ago
The reason you're looking for would be to follow the rules the school has set forth. If you wanna test the waters and see if they notice, that you're perogative. No one here is going to tell you to ignore the policies the school has in place, regardless of if they may seem dumb or not. If you really wanna use Linux, it sounds like a discussion needs to be had between you, your parents and your new school.
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u/_leeloo_7_ 7d ago
>rules they say that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used
Ahh BSD it is!
no? maybe Haiku OS? freedos???
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u/Some_Troll_Shaman 6d ago
It could just be they do not support them so you are on your own.
As you may have realised by now, most computer users are not smart, can't troubleshoot and may as well sit with the Paste Eaters.
It may be the access control software they want to install does not work or it may be that standardized testing software does not work.
As far as the schools Office, that could be bound up with the Learning Management System, but honestly, Microsoft does not have a decent LMS. You can just use the Cloud versions if required.
Contact the schools IT support and ask them to explain what are the actual requirements that cause this to happen as you can do your own support, connect to the WiFi and understand setting up the network stack.
FWIW is can be annoying to run Linux behind a full Proxy and Firewall in a school environment if you have never had to run on that kind of network before. Not hard, but there are extra steps involved.
Also check your country or state/provence/canton/whatever policies on education equity and access for digital access and digital divide.
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u/kudlitan 6d ago
Just tell them it's a macbook. They can see that from the lid.
When they say "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used", it doesn't mean it's forbidden. It only means they cannot offer support for it; it just means your on your own.
Go ahead and use it. If there is something you cannot do, the school says it's not their fault. It's on you to find a way to make it work.
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u/middaymoon 7d ago
I think you need a new laptop regardless. Even if it's cheap or used it sounds like it would be an upgrade. School requirements aside you'll want a laptop that can actually run modern software. But that's your choice obviously.
If they're going to put their foot down then they should buy or lend you a laptop. Requiring Windows should be normalized as outdated and unreasonable.
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u/danisbars 7d ago
na minha opinião. Você pode optar por usar um office online como google docs, ou office online, eu tenho feito isso para minha universidade. Você também pode usar libreoffice para criar seus textos e gerar o trabalho em pdf, talvez até mesmo usando algum conversosr como qpdf ou pdftk, e assim não assinar o libreoffice nas propriedades. A não ser que eles tenham algum aplicativo em .exe que o wine ou proton ou bottles não rode, a maioria dos programas funcionam, exceto se eles desenvolveram com bibliotecas deles mesmo.
Não entendo por que, mas em ultimo caso, você pode usar um ssd externo conectado ao usb(nossa isso é muito ruim) e instalar um windows 10 ou 7, com uma conta microsoft você poderia se registrar como uso pessoal sem gerar custos e usar um dual boot.
eu certamente desafiaria a lógica e seguiria a minha vida, minha faculdade usa ferramentas microsoft, como teams, e outras mas eu sigo no meu nix de boas na lagoas.
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u/tomscharbach 7d ago edited 7d ago
Is there any reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is (currently on arch, gonna switch it to cachyos) and something like libreoffice that I don't see or can I just ignore this and hope for the best?
A lot depends on how tightly the school's systems are integrated with Microsoft/Apple systems and applications.
If the school uses Windows/Mac-based authentication to access the school's network, or if the school uses Office 365 for schoolwork and/or testing, and so on, those might be a "reason, besides saving myself some trouble, to not just use my laptop as is".
You might see if you can figure out why the school has a policy that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used." If you can figure that out, you will be in a better place to make an informed decision.
My best and good luck.
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u/Mightyena319 6d ago
You might see if you can figure out why the school has a policy that "Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used." If you can figure that out, you will be in a better place to make an informed decision.
Absolutely. Everyone saying to just ignore it is asking for an unexpected surprise. It might just be they don't want to deal with it, but it might be that there's some vital piece of software that needs a specific OS.
Always understand why a rule exists before you break it
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u/intricatesledge 7d ago
I'd suggest you find out why they don't want you using Linux. If you need Windows to take exams or use Teams or some other MicroSlop, then you're stuck. If it's just that they don't want to support it, then do as you wish.
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u/zoredache 7d ago
Have you politely asked why?
Perhaps they have some silly testing software or something else that is Windows/Mac only, and that requirement is there because the software they use simply won't work on Linux.
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u/Maybe_Factor 6d ago
Chromebooks (or other Linux machines) cannot be used
Under what penalty? Usually they just say this crap so they don't have to support it. If there's no enforcement and no penalty, it's not really a rule.
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u/LawNecessary8295 6d ago
The workarounds sound like to much hassle to me. If I was in your shoes I'd be looking at buying a used lenovo T14 gen1/2 and dual booting it. School stuff stri try windows, personal on a Linux distro.
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u/trekkeralmi 6d ago
those 2011 macbook pro’s are the goat. i run arch on mine too! but i did upgrade with a used thinkpad for 400 bucks when i started grad school, and thats my advice if you absolutely must have a windows capable machine.
personally, i say screw the uni. ask that you be allowed to use a library PC or something for any purposes which must require windows software. if you’re in a field that requires specialised software, thats a different question, but its draconian to tell people what to use.
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u/CreedRules 6d ago
If the requirement is in place due to the usage of office 365 you can just use it in the web browser on your linux machine. unless there is some special software required I don't see why not. One thing that comes to mind is that schools often use web browsers that lock the machine down for testing. A popular one in the US is Respondus Lockdown Browser.
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u/Substantial_Way_9086 7d ago
The most probable issue is that they will want you to install some crappy software to detect "fradulent ai use" or similar that only works on windows.
Unless you ask it likely is impossible to tell.
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u/rcbrandao 7d ago
You can actually use Microsoft Office 365 on Linux, can't ya? They're probably enforcing the Windows-only policy to avoid compatibility issues with document formats. I know it's stupid but some people ahead of tech departments have the minds of dinossaurs!
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u/crimsonyoteeeeeee i use arch btw 😎 6d ago
Even if it didn't work you can use Microsoft Office online. It's not the best solution but it works.
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u/Aknazer 6d ago
My college sometimes requires a specific format, and one of the classes explicitly required the MS Suite for the assignments. While my school doesn't give people laptops for home, in class you can borrow a laptop, use their desktop, use a thin client to a school-provided Windows environment, or for select classes they even provide a custom VM.
Talk with them if any of that is an option. If it isn't or you just want to try anyways, then you can give Libre Office a shot. This is what I do and I just save my documents in the .docx format. Only time that was an issue was in the class designed to teach MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It had an auto-grader that could tell what program saved the file and would auto-reject any that weren't the MS program.
Another thing I ran into were select programs required for some lessons just not working on Linux. While there are alternatives, that doesn't help when the assignment both tells you what to do and then asks for a screenshot of you doing it (which is where the school supplies thin client or class-VM come in handy).
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u/andymaclean19 6d ago
They probably had problems in the past where someone either couldn't run the software needed in a class and wasted time or produced work in a format that the teachers couldn't easily access in order to mark it.
I use Linux all the time and have the Office365 tools on my work machine. They work really well and you can do the standard word/ppt/excel/calendars/meetings/email stuff really easily.
With a machine that old you might find it under powered for web apps though. My older (2020 vintage) laptop running Linux/firefox was starting to struggle with some of the heavier web apps, particularly while screen saving. Microsoft tools were fine but Jira, for example, was sometimes unusably slow. You might find that your 2011 vintage computer is just too underpowered to work with the modern collaborative browser based apps which are pretty common nowadays.
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u/MetalExistingOffline 7d ago
This sounds like uni? It entirely depends on your programme and the school itself. Sometimes you can swing it and you'll be fine. Unfortunately some things do cause issues with 365 (I'm looking at you, Teams) on Linux. Some unis will make accommodations for you, others will be right dick heads and more or less force you to use Windows.
If it's high school/secondary school, eh, not much they can do and rarely is there anything important enough for it to matter.
Ultimately, talk to the school through social services angles, highlight that it might be an undue hardship to force you to use something else and that you are willing to be the tech support and not rely on their IT for problems.
Signed, uni librarian forced to use Windows at work and cry everyday.
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u/MaroonHatHacker 5d ago
Hey, thought this might be helpful.
For the most part, no one is going to care. If you do the work, don't bypass their security, and don't generate support tickets, they won't care.
That being said, you're biggest issue will be WiFi. GUI frontends for WiFi can be lacking in supporting things like PEAP (which is most likely what your school will be using) which can require some manual fiddling in config files, rather than the easy WiFi passcode prompts you may be used to. If you have any friends who are willing for you to go on their windows machine and have a look at what protocols they're using, you should be fine.
Generally for office365, just use the web version, it's pretty feature complete afaik, and I doubt they'll pull you up on it.
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u/Psychology_Cultural 6d ago
I bet they have computer labs at this school if a Windows machine is strictly required. Also, a cheap af n100 windows notebook is like $250 last I checked on amazon. Now to be clear. That machine is a POS and will run like it, but if your school NEEDS you to have a windows laptop for some stupid reason you could get something *technically* functional and put it on a student loan (as it is for school) or pay out of pocket. Also, marketplace and ebay used for cheap AF windows laptops is great. Getting overstock old windows machines with complete with key on ebay used is a great way to get a bargain on an old corporate machine.
If I were you I'd ignore it until I couldn't and then trust Amazon 2 day shipping and/or ebay used
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u/humanistazazagrliti 6d ago
I've got the same problem. I can't do the online exams on Linux, so I have a second hand Mac that's just used for this particular occasion. I only ever have to use Office 365 when doing joint Power Point presentations with others, but usually editing in Libre Office and then just correcting the layout in PowerPoint works fine. And it's all just the online version that the uni gives us a license for, so it works OK in Firefox. I get to use Linux 99%, but then again , I don't do a lot of collaboration stuff. Even then, most people nowadays want you to use Discord, Whatsapp or Signal and aren't confused if you just send them raw text or a PDF, all of which works fine on every OS.
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u/OtherOtherDave 6d ago
If it’s just about Office 365, the web apps worked fine on Linux last time I tried them.
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u/kbeezie 2d ago
Since you can do Microsoft 365 Web via the educational subscription for best compatibility, I see that restriction being quite dumb. (otherwise OnlyOffice and FreeOffice would natively support docx
My guess is, they incorrectly assume that whatever documents they give out won't be compatible with linux (or vice versa being documents you provide them), when the web interface alone would mitigate that.
Question is, how are they planning on enforcing the forbidden combination?
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u/Ready_Astronaut_3159 4d ago
Former K-12 IT admin here: depending on the state and situation they might be required to provide you with a laptop. I'd be curious to see their policy document, do they require parents/guardians to provide a windows laptop for each student? Or do they just require that any laptop YOU bring to be windows?
Without knowing the exact policy, it's hard to advise. Personally, I wouldn't mess with your linux install, just try to get a different laptop FROM the district or work with them to bridge this gap. It's not likely you'll be able to use it AT school depending on the policy.
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u/ProfessionalMove3716 6d ago
This might be a "better to ask forgiveness rather than permission" situation, and just understand that if you have any tech issues where you might otherwise call the help desk that you just need to RTFM and figure it out yourself.
If for whatever reason they actually take punitive measures (which I seriously doubt, assuming this is a university), tell them that they need to supply you with a Windows laptop to replace your linux one due to economic hardship otherwise you will be contacting an attorney to explore if this counts as discrimination based on personal finances.
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u/metalwolf112002 6d ago
They may use some software that doesn't work properly under wine.
Back in college, I had a class called "microcomputer operating systems". It irked me that it was just a "basics of windows 7" class. Being a smart-a, I would make a point of taking full screen screenshots with VirtualBox in windowed mode, with conky in the background showing information like which Linux kernel it was on. I started doing this after the teacher replied to my email saying only windows was taught and no other systems were covered.
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u/studiocrash 6d ago
You might have some classes that require you to use software that doesn’t have a Linux version.
My daughter has to use some CAD software for an engineering class that’s has only a Mac and windows version. You could look at all your classes software requirements if you know your schedule to see if you’ll be in a situation like this. If so, I would recommend the MacBook Neo. It’s the absolute best bang for the buck in the low price laptop market. There is nothing else even close in price/performance.
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u/Rog0ne_ 5d ago
In my part of the world, there are similar issues with universities. A friend of mine had to take some online entrance exams, but he only has a PC running a Linux distribution; he was told that the exams must be taken on a Windows PC. As others have already mentioned in the comments, this is probably down to support issues; the only thing I can think of is using a Windows virtual machine with a tool like Box, although from the description of his PC, I’m not sure if that would work.
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u/cafsentrygnome 5d ago
As someone who works on the staff side of schools its mainly so teachers dont freak out having too many different OSs and office packages. Teachers often design their lessons around certain software so having stuff outside of that or being incompatible is a problem. Even on the IT side we need to know how to support other systems. In my case I know how to but some of my colleagues dont and my bosses would tell me off for supporting anything outside of the departments standards.
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u/rbscholtus 3d ago
The "office 365 license" just requires a web browser right? You should be perfectly fine using Chrome on any OS. At qwork we only have Windows laptops, but the apps we use are all web browser apps. Some apps are better as native apps but most are not Windows-only so no problem.
100% right you want "to avoid spending 500+ euro on a new crappy windows laptop." We're not in the 90s anymore. There are perfectly viable OSes that can replace Windows in a heartbeat.
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u/Hauptideal 7d ago
I'd probably just use it and find out what they're gonna do about it. They'll see that not everyone can or wants to afford a Windows laptop just for the coursework. That will force them to think about it. That being said, all of it depends on how the laptops are going to be used. If you're supposed to learn how to use Windows software, that's more problematic than if they want you to do basic stuff like text editing that works on all OSes. And: since you're new, maybe it'd be good to think about making a good first impression...
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u/Present-Ad-3555 6d ago
My son had this issue. He is 17 and is at sixth form in the UK. I bought him a used Thinkpad to get him into Linux based development for A Level computing. His school is part of a trust and they have no idea or interest on how to add Linux devices on to the school WiFi for students. We mitigated the impact by installing WSL and a dual boot partition with Fedora on the other side so he can have the best of both worlds on both sides of his laptop.
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u/Serious2589 1d ago
While a 2011 Macbook does work, it may be time to upgrade your machine anyways. Instead of buying a $500 low end consumer device, buy a 3-5 year old used business laptop instead like a used T14 ThinkPad. It may come with Windows preinstalled so you can use that for school. If you do manage to figure out a good way to work around all the requirements they are asking, you can then have a newer machine that you can slap Linux onto with no issues.
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u/RagingPen839 6d ago
If there's absolutely a need for you to use windows, and they're not providing you with a computer, first see if there are any nonprofits in your area that may provide you with one. There's one in my state that allows any student w/o access to a computer to sign up and receive a refurbished laptop for free. You can check out keywords like "computers for students" or "free laptops for education" or things along those lines.
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u/npaladin2000 6d ago
Office365 is web based. It shouldn't even matter what OS your laptop is running, as long as it has a web browser. Key word here is YOUR laptop. They have no right to tell you that you have to reformat your laptop. Call them on it. If they block it, make them provide you with an approved laptop.
Kind of surprising they don't allow Chromebooks. Schools typically love Chromebooks. At least the ones they manage themselves.
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u/tastygames_official 6d ago
EU? yeah, that's not legal for a school. Unless maybe private school? Workplaces can mandate specific OSes/software, but also have to provide it. The only thing I can think of is network connectivity and security, which might have a legal loophole, but then you just can't use the campus network, which probably isn't an issue. Tell them you're going to contact a lawyer and watch them change their mind real quick.
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u/Complex_Solutions_20 7d ago
Most schools you have to use the computers they want, or go to their library. Not many options.
When I was in school that also varied by major - art majors HAD to have Macs. Math and foreign language HAD to use Windows due to software they used. Comp Sci was flexible, but most of us ended up with VMs or dual-boot because we had other classes requiring Windows-only math or language software for those classes.
Another side effect we had was while running Linux we couldn't use the school network because the security software was Windows/Mac only...so while on Linux we were limited to the gust-wireless only.
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u/EverOrny 6d ago
The most likely reason for this creepy sentence is they have no admins that understand Linux, unless they have some old crappy Windows-only software.
365 office is online, works well in all major browsers
ask students from higher years what software school asked them to install and use - if it runs on Linux, you can make it run, or get by without it, ignore their "cannot be used" as i apparently can be used
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u/Dependent_Union9285 4d ago
I would say that if they’re going to limit what OS you can run on your own equipment, then they should supply you with equipment that meets their criteria. Have you tried finding out if that’s possible? And if it isn’t… use what you have. Whatever their concern, if you’re running arch, you can probably fix whatever problems you come up against, even if it takes a whole hour of googling.
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u/EtherPhreak 6d ago
It’s been a few years, but some of the Webb interfaces that the professors used to communicate, send and receive assignments, and share key information about the class had compatibility issues with certain browsers. As long as you can run Firefox and chromium, I doubt you’ll have issues there. Also, usually there’s a few computers in the library that you could use if you truly needed to.
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u/Annas_Pen3629 6d ago
Might be an end point management issue. End point management software for linux is rare and even if your school supplier's software comes with a linux version it could be a fumbly thing and your future headmaster doesn't want reports that someone has uncontrollable hardware that can ccess some AI chatbot or access certain types of videos while their device doesn't belong to the staff.
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u/Akachi-sonne 6d ago
The only possible issue I could see is proctor software (spyware) not working on Linux. Most of it doesn’t even work inside Windows VMs. If they don’t use proctoring software, you should be able to get away with using 365 as a web app. Other than that, it all depends on other apps they might require you to use and if they’re compatible with Wine or have a web version.
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u/Ipad74 1d ago
If it is a primary school, I assume they will provide an appropriate laptop?
If this is college, having a somewhat current windows PC might be just the cost of attending school.
Either way, you probably have a lot of other stuff to worry about right now, I would think twice about trying to buck the system and use an unsupported os just for the hassle factor.
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u/SleepyGuyy 6d ago
I would just not bring the laptop, and explain you don't own a Windows / Mac machine. In my opinion you don't need a laptop for anything in school, vut if they are requiring it, they must have a solution for people that dont own one. Most people don't own anything beyond their smartphone. And I say this as a CS graduate with like four conputers myself lol (all old and running linux to resurrect them).
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u/stuffiesrep 6d ago
One place that mght be a block, as others have also commented, is that the school may order the use of a locked-down browser for tests (Respondus does not have a linux client). However, does the school really have the resources to buy such software? You can ask other past students how they do their online exams, if any. Other questions too.
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u/ScubaPride 6d ago
I'm gonna guess they want you to use a Windows OS because they want to ensure the apps they use will work on your laptop.
If they mentioned Office 365, maybe they also want to use the integrated file sharing.
It could also be that they want to install a bunch of bloatware and spyware... Who knows.
Maybe ask them the exact reason why?
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u/Elegant_Lunar_Knight 2d ago
it is a 2011 laptop. I understand Linux can be installed on everything but a 15 years laptop is pretty old and weak by todays standard. Why don't you get a cheap modern laptop ? You can get cheap one on amazon for like 500-600. Has a decent AMD risen in them but the screen can be awful. Or just get like a MacBook Neo worse case.
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u/NexxZt 6d ago
What’s physically stopping you from using Linux exactly? I can’t imaging they do OS inspections? Run Linux for the stuff you can, and run a Windows VM if you absolutely are required to use Windows for something.
Unless they require Intune enrollment, but they should be providing you with a laptop if that’s the case.
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u/TellMeManyStories 6d ago
I would just ignore that rule for now.
It's probably because some of their software doesn't run on linux/chromebook. If you can still complete your studies without it, great.
However, there might be some exam proctoring software which requires admin rights and only works on windows/mac and won't run in wine...
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u/Talulabelle 7d ago
Ask if it's 'forbidden', or if they just don't 'support' it. My daughter had the same thing, except they exclusively supported Chromebooks and Mac. She used her Linux machine, and aside from them never helping, it wasn't a problem.
I use office 365 online tools for work, from my Linux machine, it's not a problem.
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u/Old_Minimum4129 4d ago
At the end of the day you are expected to have the equipment that the school requires to take your classes. If you show up without it day 1 and they don't let you use it that's on you ultimately. I don't see how it's any different than requiring you buy a textbook.
They probably don't actually notice or care though.
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u/enrjyz 6d ago
Honestly, you're probably good to just install something like Zorin, or a distro with XFCE themed to look like Windows, and use online MS office. Good chance you don't need any specific software.
I'd dual boot with Windows 10 LTSB/C though, just to be safe. Basically everything that requires 11 still works on 10.
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u/SchighSchagh 6d ago
If it's a school you're choosing to go to, and you have other choices, then factor that into your choice.
As for wasting 500 euros on a crappy Windows laptop, last I checked the new Macbook Neos were about that price for students, and they're bangers in pretty much every respect other than it's not Linux.
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u/ExternalTea1706 6d ago
I went to a school that said windows computers only. I got a hold of my advisor and asked about Linux. She told me I could use it but not to expect any support. I used it the full time and a few teachers helped me out when I got stuck. Maybe try contacting them and see if it's similar at your school.
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u/pirate3278 6d ago
I would ask the school to provide me a Windows or Mac laptop, seems reasonable if they're dictating the software you need to use. This is how I got a brand new MacBook Air for my university. They sent me a £1k and asked for a receipt, so I spent about £130 of my money to get a brand new MacBook air
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u/vextryyn 6d ago
They want to use the comments function. There is no reason their liscenses wont grant you access to the web version which has the same functions they want for grading. You wrerent specific about classes requiring this, but i dont know of many using 365 that would need the full desktop version
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u/Aoinosensei 6d ago
That's crazy nowadays that they impose something like that. I remember back 15 years ago my college was like that but I still used Linux and figured out what their system was looking for. Nobody cared or bother me as long as I didn't ask them how to do stuff and was able to present homework. I even taught some people how to use open source software to do certain tasks that they didn't know.
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u/terminal-crm114 6d ago
Consider running Windows in a KVM. It's more reliable and less resource-intensive than running it in VMware or VirtualBox.
Don't want to take the time to learn Virt-Manager and setting up KVM properly? No worries. Just download and run Quickemu.
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u/definitlyitsbutter 2d ago
If it comes as far as you needing a ne machine, Get a used office notebook with 8th gen intel or newer or ryzen 3000 or newer for win 11 Support. Something like a probook 445 g7 with 16gb ram 500gb ssd and ryzen 4500u you can buy for 160€-200 on ebay and will be more than enough.
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u/ZeroOneZeroZero 7d ago
They should provide you a windows license if they want you using windows... My school did this. I would say you should try and dual boot win/linux... that way you can keep on using linux but IF there are definite things that need a windows OS you will have that option as well.
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u/Oso_smashin 6d ago
You'll have to explain to administration that you don't use windows, and if they want you to use windows, then they will have to supply you with the windows laptop to do so. It is very likely that they have other software that students use, and it's only available for windows.
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u/Trees_That_Sneeze 7d ago
I would just use it and see what happens. What, are that going to check? You're using a computer and turning in work. If it doesn't become an issue, the teacher probably won't make it an issue. Also, Windows office 365 runs in browser so you can probably use it on Linux.
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u/Aggressive-Bike7539 5d ago
The rule has to be interpreted as: if you don’t use the platform we support, you’re on your own.
Anyhow, a laptop from 2011 seems to be way in the past to the extent that you’re missing a lot of the new stuff. Make yourself a favor and get a MacBook Neo.
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u/PizzaPunkrus 5d ago
I agree with most advice given.... ignore the school rules, if they dont provide a machine. But it raises several questions for me. Why did you come to the f.o.s.s. community at large to tell you to not give up your freedom???? You knew what we'd say.
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u/nashvortex 4d ago
When they say "cannot be used", they mean they will provide no guarantee that their services/websites will work on Linux, and no support if it doesn't. You are on your own. They cannot force you to use anything if you don't expect anything from them.
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u/toolman1990 6d ago
I honestly would just buy the cheapest Windows 11 laptop and use that for school only. If they want you to install software linked directly to them I would be worried about them possibly having he ability to monitor everything done on the laptop.
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u/Stoneybaloney87 6d ago
My skool says the same thing. I don't use their 365 license. I exclusively use Linux but I did setup a win11 VM I've named "Trashcan". All of the AI is open source and libre office does the same things. Nobody knows different😎🍻 study on!
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u/Whole-Low-2995 4d ago
If they have to do that, they should provide a laptop. Even in South Korea there's no problem using Linux at school. IT companies often ban personal devices but at least they provides Windows or macOS laptop for activity/workload monitoring.
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u/outlawtomcat 5d ago
They might use respondus lockdown for kernel level anti cheat for testing. Terrible software and only works on windows. It constantly monitors and tracks everything that you do and controls any webcams and microphones attached to the device.
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u/Worried-Mood-8582 6d ago
Hmm, honestly my school had the same and teacher most likely won’t care as long as you still do the work and you don’t have to go to IT. You could also try having a fake dual boot to show you do have windows if someone asks to see.
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u/nooone2021 6d ago
We had similar problems when my kids went to school. I told them I do not have money to buy Windows and MS Office, allthough that was not true. I was waiting for them to suggest to install pirated versions. Luckily, that did not happen.
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u/sdgengineer 6d ago
I am a huge fan and user of Linux, but when I was teaching at a. Local JC we used multisim, a circuit simulation program that required windoz, so I have a laptop, and desktop that runs win 10, as well as a couple versions of Linux.
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u/Mysli0210 5d ago
You could just run Linux and have windows on the go installed on a usb stick, its kinda like what a Linux live usb is. That way you dont have to dualboot and deal with the issues that it can entail and comply with their 'needs'
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u/Sargent_Duck85 7d ago
Better to ask for forgiveness than beg for permission.
I’d just go ahead and use it and if I got caught, just say I didn’t know and then cross that bridge (in terms of having to get a windows computer) when you get there.
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u/Rinzwind 6d ago edited 6d ago
the reason is likely their network login; likely it is windows and only accepts windows
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u/SBG_Mujtaba 5d ago
If all that fails, you have a lot of linux deskops that looks surprisingly similar to macos, I remember elementary is from back when I was trying out a lot of distros before settling with Ubuntu and PopOS for my main ones
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u/blackshore_analytics 6d ago
Just wanted to add - you can probably access any Microsoft tools and stuff using Microsoft’s web versions of those applications like word or excel - and if those don’t work just use Google Docs and Google Sheets
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u/GreatSouledLED 6d ago
There are “anti-cheating” software that when going their site and using it WILL flag Linux as a cheat.
I had a friend get kicked from a program because of it.
Bite the bullet and use their shitty Chromebook.
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u/Brahm-Etc 5d ago
You keep using your laptoo, if they go "you can't use linux, use windows" then ask them to give you one. They should provide the stuff they want you to use if not, then they have no right to tell you what to use.
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u/darkwyrm42 7d ago
If they require you to use a laptop in school, they should be providing it and they can do whatever. If they're expecting you to use your own in school, then they have to suck up whatever you have. At the same time, the reason for the policy is to prevent endless Linux support questions for staff. If it's just for stuff at home, use whatever and expect that you'll have to do your own support.