This article references the Student Virtual Desktop currently available in the CAL computer resource rooms across campus and online via https://student.desktop.otago.ac.nz
The virtual desktop is being discontinued and will be replaced with a new setup by the end of December 2024. The information in this article remains current until December 2024. For further information about the new environment:
Student Desktop (VDI) Replacement — Frequently Asked Questions
The Student Virtual Desktop, also called the Student VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure), is a computing environment provided by the University of Otago that gives students access to the same software and files from their own computer, mobile, or laptop anywhere via the internet, and from any computer in an ITS-managed student computer area.
All students can access the Student Virtual Desktop (as long as they have an active account with access to resources).
Staff can request access to the Student Desktop for teaching purposes.
Default software
A range of general software is provided on all desktops by default. Below is the list of software available via the Start menu on the Windows Student Desktop:
- 7Zip v 22.01
- Anki 4.8.8
- Avogadro
- Audacity v3.2.4
- Capital IQ v9.47 (x86) (Enable excel Plugin manually)
- Chimera v1.15
- EndNote v20.5 (Site Licence)
- EyeSpeak v3.1.2.6
- Firefox v108.0.1
- Git Bash v2.29.2
- Google Chrome 108.0.5359.125
- Inkscape v1.2
- Java 8 JRE & JDK 301
- Jamovi
- jGRASP v2.0.6_10
- Kinovea v0.9.5
- Lyx v2.3.6.1
- Mendeley v1.19.4
- Microsoft Access 2019
- Microsoft Excel 2019
- Microsoft OneNote 2019
- Microsoft Outlook 2019
- Microsoft Powerpoint 2019
- Microsoft Publisher 2019
- Microsoft Word 2019
- MIT v2
- Nitro PDF
- Notepad++
- OpenGrADS v2.2
- Orange
- paint.NET v4.2.16
- PopG 4.03
- Psycopy (GPU)
- Publish or Perish 7.27
- Python v3.9.1
- R Studio (R 4.1.3, 4.2.2)
- RAOB 6.5
- Read & Write v12.0.72
- Scratch (Drawing)
- Snap v2.7.26
- SPSS v29
- Visual Studio Code 1.57
- VLC v3.0.17.4
- Zotero 5.0.96 (on request)
Course-specific software
If your course requires specific software, it will be made available to you on the Student Desktop. To access it:
- Go to the Start Menu > All Programs > Course Specific Software, or
- Press the Windows key (or open the Start Menu) then type the name of the software in the Search box.
Restricted software
The following software is not released for general use as it is licenced for teaching.
Access to the software requires proof of licence/s before it will be allocated to users or course groups. Requests for licences should be made through ITS Software Procurement by the end user or course coordinator. Access is removed annually, and licences and access need to be reapplied for every year.
- Anatrak Ranges 9
- Microsoft PowerBI Desktop
- Citycad + StreetScape (GPU)
- Eviews v13
- FoodWorks v10
- MATLAB 2021b
- Minitab 17.2.1
- Nvivo
- PyMOL 2.4.1
- SAS 9.4
- SPSS Amos
- StataSE 17
Locally-installed applications
This software is installed on computers in specific labs for coursework only:
- Google Earth Pro (Central CAL)
- ArcGIS Desktop 10.6.1 (Central CAL)
- Garmin BaseCamp (Central CAL)
- Kuda Cloud (Pharmacology Labs)
- Power BI (OBS118)
- GraphPad Prism local (Pharmacology Adams building)
Software available on request
Other software can be made available on request. Note that one-off requests with low volume usage may not be approved as this is a shared system.
- Adobe Digital Editions
- Anki — Spaced repetition flashcard program
- AppInventor
- Blender
- Distance
- EpiInfo
- GeoGebra
- Gimp
- Google Sketchup
- Grapher
- ImageJ
- ISIS Draw
- iTunes
- Jmulti
- NVivo v1.5.1
- OpenSesame
- Pratt
- QuickTime
- RevMan
- Scratch
- SeqMonk
- SeqTrace
- SPSS AMOS v28
- Surfer
- VideoEditor
- WhiteStar UML
If you think you should have access to a particular application for your course but you can't find it on the Student Desktop, you can place a request.