This summary of the survey is focused on the architectural implications of the results. The IT architectural interest in this information emerged over the last year as several campus-wide systems articulated specific requirements for desktop software. For example, one system provided a minor function based on interoperation with Microsoft Word when some portion of the system's users were using Wordperfect. In the absence of specific data it is difficult to know which applications are key to a system's interoperation with the desktop and which are not. This survey of the campus desktop software installed base is a first step to understanding the interaction of a given system with desktop computers and also the interaction among systems when they share a presence on a common desktop computer.
Several results are of particular importance in considering interoperability with campus desktops.
This is good news for systems which use the three applications for interoperability as they can depend on the user having access to those applications in most cases. This same data also carries a cautionary note however. Seemingly minor requirements in the use of these applications will have a very broad impact on the campus desktop environment. In the area of word-processing Microsoft Word is the most common package employed at the desktop. For those who used Navigator, the majority report using version 3 or later.