We don't need no Microsoft education


My college, for some reason really likes Microsoft. All the workstations run windows, documents are always in office format, software development is done in visual studio, the website used to look normal in IE only, etc…

I expected computers science department to provide us students with alternatives, expose us to different platforms, but it didn’t happen. I’m on my last semester and “open source” was never mentioned in any class. I was disappointed when they forced me to use Visual Studio for operating systems class assignments. They got me pissed when they registered account for me (without permission), using my name at Microsoft Live@edu, but I got really mad when they announced that official emails would be sent to my new Live@edu address only.

Now, it might sound to you that I’m one of those Microsoft haters, but I’m not. I’ve nothing against them. I just happen to have favorite email service/operating system/office environment/development tools that aren’t Microsoft’s. I’m not angry because the products they force us students to use are Microsoft’s. I’m angry because they don’t let us choose. They keep us blindfolded in Microsoft’s realm. I guess they have good intentions, they do give the products for free. I agree that C# and .NET class should be studied with Microsoft Visual Studio. I can accept that most of the students feel comfortable with Windows operating system and the whole computing environment is Microsoft based. I can bear with the ActiveX and lack of Firefox support (used to be) on their website, but I won’t tolerate changing my email address, nor working with two different addresses. That’s bullshit. They have no reason getting that much into my personal life.

Therefor, like I always do, I found workaround using gmail with Live@edu account. I sent the administrators exact instructions, asking them to publish it, but they didn’t. So here are the instructions. I hope they’ll be useful for other students too.

From within Gmail:
Settings -> Accounts and import -> Add POP3 email acount
email address: john.doe@mail.mta.ac.il (replace with your username/academic institute mail server)
username: john.doe@mail.mta.ac.il (exactly the same as above)
password: user-password
pop server: outlook.com
port: 995
Always use ssl

Done.
Enjoy using your Gmail 🙂


4 responses to “We don't need no Microsoft education”

  1. Did the same with my account – though I mostly get spam from anyways.

    Consider this: back in ’01-’04 when I studied in Bar-Ilan, they used redhat as OS – and redhat was not very pretty back than… I had to double-boot my PC and everything and I was just as upset as you are.
    So it’s not about Microsoft, it’s the principle really.

    • You are right. Maybe the post title misleads a bit, but my point is clear… and if you are interested in corrective Linux experience, I’m always there 🙂

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