college math classes forcing windows on students?

OiToTheWorld writes: "I recently started classes again after winter break. On arriving in my math class, we were told that we had to use the MYMATHLAB software to turn in homework online. The catch is that this software/membership that I paid for along with my textbook will ONLY work on Internet Explorer and apparently shows no indication of changing this. Having asked the teacher if I could turn in the assignments on paper because my linux computer could not run internet explorer, I was told no and that I essentially needed to buy a new operating system in order to pass the class.

My questions are these: Is there a workaround method i can use to do my assignments? why would the company that sells the software do this? Has anyone else encountered similar problems with other software?"