As more and more students come to college equipped with a Macintosh computer, ITS at Colorado College has adapted to deal with the inevitable technical issues students bring with them. According to Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdry, 70 percent of college students are now using Macs. Other analysts say this number is skewed, and put their estimates much lower, closer to 47 percent.
Regardless of whether 47 percent or 70 percent of students use Mac computers, these devices are here to stay, and the newly-hired Joe Hinson is here to fix them.
Hinson has been here since January setting up shop, and has already helped many students with their computer programs.
“With the time demands of the Block Plan, it’s not really convenient for a student to lose their computer to repairs for a week,” said Hinson. “So ITS decided to bring an in-house Apple Service Technician to lower the amount of time a student would have to be without their computer for repairs.”
Having access to a repair center for Apple computers is a game changer. Before Hinson’s arrival, any student that needed repairs on their computer would have to drive 15 to 20 minutes away and wait days for it to be fixed and ready to use.
Not only do many students lack cars, but the pace of the Block Plan also makes this process incredibly stressful. If your computer needs parts replaced and spends a week in the shop, a third of the block has already gone by. Hinson’s presence on campus should help reduce the amount of time it takes to fix faulty machinery.
“My setup and equipment is the same as what an Apple store would have,” said Hinson. “I can run all the diagnostic tests, do warranty repairs, order the parts… [and do] glass replacement.”
Since his work began at CC, Hinson has worked to fix a lot of student devices. From drinks spilling on computers to failing track pads, problems have solutions in his hands.
Hinson is also able to replace the hardware for damaged PC’s, though it is not his area of expertise. However, cracked screens and other minor issues can be solved easily by just ordering the parts and replacing them in his shop.
Hinson also deals with malicious software that makes it onto Macs.
While Macintosh computers are nowhere near as susceptible to malicious software as PCs, malware engineered specifically towards Macs is on the rise. The majority of this malware is socially engineered, which means it depends on a user to give the malware access to the computer.
“It pretends to be a flash update, a silver light update, or something useful,” said Hinson. “We call this a Trojan horse. It pretends to be one thing but its really malware.”
Right now Hinson’s workshop is located in the basement of Armstrong Hall, but any student hoping to fix their Mac can do it through the ITS Help Desk. Just give the computer to the Help Desk, and they’ll transport it to Hinson who will repair it and give it back as quickly as possible.
The cost of repairing a computer is just the amount of money needed for parts, plus the cost of shipping a new part if the repair needs it.
The repair shop is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.