Technology@Wooster

The College of Wooster recommends the Apple Macintosh and Dell lines of laptop and desktop computers for incoming students. Most retail chains like Best Buy or Circuit City offer back to school deals on computers. While these deals offer a lower sticker price, they don’t always include useful products like extended warranties, accidental damage protection, and productivity software. Extended warranties are a good idea. A logic board replacement can cost upwards of $900. A four year warranty will ensure that the computer will last throughout the student’s four years at Wooster. Both Apple and Dell offer extended warranty options. Apple provides Applecare protection on the Macbook, Macbook Pro, and iMac lines. Dell offers a four year warranty with onsite service. Should a hardware issue occur the student can call Dell and a technician will be dispatched to repair the system. Accidental damage protection through Dell also covers a laptop should liquid be spilled on the system, which happens often in dorm rooms. A normal warranty does not cover this damage.

Microsoft Office works on both Windows and Macintosh systems and is recommended by the Office of Information Technology. Dell bundles on the University page include a copy of Microsoft Office 2007 student edition. While the Apple bundle does not include a copy of Microsoft Office, it can be purchased at most retail stores, including the College’s Wilson Bookstore.

To simplify the computer purchase process, we have partnered with Dell and Apple to create recommended configurations for laptops and desktops. These recommendations can be reviewed on are partner websites which can be accessed via the computer sales page. This site also features information on Windows Vista and Office 2007. Questions about computer purchases can be directed to Mary Schantz, Manager of User Services, at mschantz@wooster.edu.

The position of Director of Web Services is currently vacant and a search to fill this position is currently underway. In the interim, the Office of Information Technology will provide assistance with essential web content updates. Update requests should be submitted to web-updates@wooster.edu. Requested changes will be processed as quickly as possible. Questions should be directed to Mary Schantz, Manager of User Services.

The College recently signed an agreement with NTI Group to utilitize their Connect-ED emergency notification service.  This service will allow each student, faculty member and staff member to register multiple email addresses and telephone numbers (including cell phone numbers) to receive emergency notifications. College administrators will then use the service to quickly direct emergency messages via email, text message and telephone to those who have registered. In signing the agreement, the College becomes the fifth member of the Ohio Five consortium to engage the Connect-ED service.

Implementation will get underway early in the spring semester. The first step will be to solicit the relevant telephone numbers and email addresses from members of the Wooster community. The implementation will be overseen by the Emergency Response Steering Committee headed by Dean of Students Kurt Holmes. One of the challenges we face in the implementation is organizing our use of the service in ways that accommodate the College’s telephone and email systems effectively.

Persistent problems with the classroom technology in Kauke 141 were tracked to the room’s scaler.  That unit has now been replaced.  Similar problems had been encountered in Kauke 037 and Kauke 243.  Those units were replaced earlier with positive results.  As reported earlier, the problems with the scalers are the result of a manufacturing defect.  The units with this defect are being repaired under warranty.

Over the past three months the Department of Physical Education and Athletics has worked with the Office of Information Technology to consolidate and upgrade the video technology available in the PEC. A new central video lab has been created. It consists of two editing stations, one media conversion station and secure storage for the many portable devices.

The lab received heavy use during its inaugural season. Every fall sport from Field Hockey to Cross Country made use of the new lab space and the freshly trained student videographers. The finished productions can be viewed by classes and teams in the PEC using a new classroom AV-cart, portable LCD projectors, and Da-Lite Insta-Theater screens. The labs contents are listed below.

PC Editing Station

• Dell OptiPlex 745 Minitower
• Canopus ADVC-110 Analog Video Converter
• Sony Mini-DV Watchman
• DVD-VHS Combo Deck
• MyDVD-9 Studio Software

Mac Editing Station

• Mac Powerbook
• Sony Mini-DV Watchman
• DVD-VHS Combo Deck
• Toast 8.0 Titanium

Video Conversion Station

• JVC-HDD/Mini-DV/DVD-RW Deck
• DVD-VHS Combo Deck
• MicroBoards 3 disc DVD Duplicator

Portable Equipment

• 2 FireStore FS-4’s
• 1 Classroom AV Cart
• 2 Portable LCD Projectors
• 3 Da-Lite Insta-Theatre Screens

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extends Daylight Savings Time in the US by 4 weeks beginning in 2007. Daylight Savings Time will begin on March 11, 2007 and end on November 4, 2007. The time between the new DST dates and the original DST dates (March 11-April 1 and October 28-November 4) is referred to as Extended DST.

Most computer operating systems and applications are already updated to reflect this change. Others may require patches to be downloaded to operate properly with the change. The Office of Information Technology recommends that individuals install the correct update based on the operating system version on their computer. This should be done prior to March 11, 2007.

If you have any questions about Extended DST, please Contact the help desk at 330-287-3000 x4357 (HELP) for assistance.

Yesterday, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that it had sent 400 “pre-litigation settlement letters” to 13 universities. Each letter informs the university of a copyright infringement lawsuit that RIAA is planning against a university student or employee, and asks the university to forward the letter to that student or employee. The full text of the announcement is available on the RIAA’s website. The announcement indicates that RIAA plans to pursue “hundreds of similar enforcement actions against university network users each month.”

Inside Higher Ed posted a story today on RIAA’s announcement. It indicates that, since 2003, the RIAA has filed about 1,000 lawsuits against students.

The Office of Information Technology has created this blog in an effort to keep the College of Wooster community abreast of the lastest IT developments on campus. Visit often to get the latest news.

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