Install applications through Self Service and Homebrew, keep macOS current, and understand new features and app-compatibility changes.

Articles (8)

About Apple Intelligence

Explains what Apple Intelligence is, the kinds of tasks it can help with, when and how it becomes available on Apple devices, which device models support it, and how Apple handles personal information and privacy. Applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff using an Apple computer, iPad, or iPhone.

Fix Notability License Issues on a Mac or iPad

Troubleshooting steps for when Bowdoin's Notability license is not recognized on a Mac or iPad. Explains that the license applies only to Bowdoin-issued devices that download Notability from Self Service. Applies to current Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students.

Install and Use Homebrew on a Mac

Explains how to install and use Homebrew, a free, open-source package manager for macOS that simplifies installing software from the Terminal. Covers running the install command, completing the "Next steps" configuration, and installing a package as an example. Applies to anyone using a Mac.

Install macOS Software Updates

Explains how to install macOS software updates on a Bowdoin Mac, both before you are prompted and after an update prompt appears, including how to defer a prompt and what happens once the update deadline passes. Applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff using a Bowdoin-issued Mac.

Install Software with Self Service on macOS and iPadOS

Overview of the Jamf Self Service app on Bowdoin-owned Macs and iPads, including where to find it, how to install licensed and free software without administrator access, and how software availability varies by device role and signed-in user. Applies only to Bowdoin-owned and Bowdoin-managed Apple devices.

Sync Notes Across Devices with iCloud in Notability

Explains how iCloud Sync keeps Notability notes up to date across a person's Apple devices, how to enable or disable iCloud Syncing, and what happens to local copies when it is turned off. Notes that iCloud Sync is a two-way sync and that notes deleted from iCloud cannot be recovered. Applies to Notability users with an Apple ID and iCloud enabled on at least two devices.

Upgrade macOS on a Bowdoin Mac

Explains when Information Technology releases new macOS versions to campus, how to prepare a Mac for the upgrade, and how to install the upgrade manually through System Settings. Applies to Bowdoin staff, faculty, and students using a Bowdoin-issued Apple laptop or desktop.

Why Your Mac Runs Slowly or Restarts After Updates from Jamf, macOS, or Microsoft Office

This article explains why a Bowdoin-managed Mac may feel slow, hot, or unresponsive when it receives a backlog of updates from Jamf Pro, macOS, or Microsoft Office, especially after sitting powered off for a long time. It also explains how to tell the difference between a Mac that is working through updates and one that is actually frozen.