Attention all Mac users: UNC has at long last agreed to respond to your computing needs.

In a decision that was long-sought, the Carolina Computing Initiative has finally adjusted its policy to meet student demands by including MacBook Pros in its lineup of offerings.

It’s no mystery that there’s been strong student demand for Apple products of late. The policy recommendation has been mentioned for years. Some recall hearing about is as far back as 2004.

Thomas Edwards, student body president candidate in 2009, included in his platform a promise to make UNC’s campus more “Mac friendly.” But the issue was largely ignored until now.

While having a Mac option is a step in the right direction, it was somewhat disappointing to only see high-end products available. A standard MacBook option would have been a relatively cheaper alternative.

Max Beckman-Harned, student government technology and web committee co-chairman, said he thinks CCI merely wanted to provide top-of-the-line options.

Yet included with a purchase of a MacBook laptop is a four-year AppleCare support plan, which includes warranty and software support for all computing needs. With such support, many students might have felt fine going with a cheaper model if it was available.

Mac computers will remain more expensive than the Lenovo computers. And CCI will have to work to maintain expertise in both Lenovo and Mac systems.

Still, the addition of Mac computers is a welcome change that is definitely better late than never. And with Apple products becoming more popular than ever before, the University has to be responsive to tailor its computing initiative to students’ demands.

A major reason it took so long to approve the addition of Mac computers into CCI was because of the four-year AppleCare warranty plan. Providing this type of warranty requires that the University provide parts for models up to four years old.

Still, we’re glad for the change and look forward to seeing UNC become a more “Mac friendly” campus.