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Q: How can I purchase apps from the App Store to install on Macs running OS X 10.7 or 10.8 in my department?

Answer

The best procedure for you to take in the purchase and distribution of Mac App Store apps on Macs running OS X 10.7 or 10.8 would be to first create a new Apple ID, if your DLC does not already have one, and to use a list email address (rather than your own MIT or personal email address) to associate these apps with the Department, Lab, Center (or whatever entity you find most appropriate in this case). You can then use this Apple ID to sign in to the App Store on any Mac running OS X 10.7 or 10.8 to purchase and download the apps of your choosing.

One issue you'll find is that there is no easy way to purchase apps tax-free (like you can with the Volume Purchasing Program IS&T offers for iOS apps), which will be an issue if you want to use a ProCard to make purchases. One workaround for this, however, is to use the Apple Education Store portal, available from eCAT, to purchase iTunes/App Store Gift Cards tax-free using a ProCard, and then enter those gift cards in on the App Store (using the Redeem option) to give your DLC's Apple ID credit. This solution may seem a bit circuitous, but it will allow for tax-free app purchasing on the Mac.

You can use this new Apple ID to log in to the App Store on each of the Macs you're managing, use the Purchases tab to re-download already purchased/downloaded apps to each machine, and then sign out once you're done to make sure that no clients using these Macs make any purchases or changes using your departmental Apple ID and App Store account. However, you will need to log back into the App Store each time you want to install updates for these purchased apps, however.

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Documentation and information provided by the MIT Community


Last Modified:

February 13, 2013

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