IT News Bytes
Windows Computer Conversion Announcement
September 24, 2009
SOU's Information Technology (IT) department is in the process of making a system conversion that will vastly decrease log in times across campus and make our system much more flexible for technology advances on the horizon. This will be a phased process, beginning now with lab and classroom computers and continuing throughout the year.
What does this mean to you?
- The differences are in the background -There's no new system to learn
- Usernames and passwords will remain the same!
- Remarkable decrease in login time for all users
- New look for the login screen
- Simple and clean "All Programs" menu
- Same network drives, Groupwise e-mail, and applications
- No change to the HEC configuration
When is this happening?
Phase One, "Labs and Classrooms," - Nearly complete and on schedule to be completed by fall term.
Computers are available in labs and classrooms for testing and exploring. You are encouraged to come by and try them out before your classes begin and report any problems to the Help Desk at 552-6900 or HelpDesk@sou.edu.
Phase Two "Faculty and Staff Desktop Computers," - Conversion will begin shortly after the start of fall term. IT will work with campus departments to determine a mutually acceptable schedule. More information about phase two will be announced in the next few weeks. It is expected to be completed by next summer.
Phase Three "Laptop Computers," - Newly purchased laptops and netbooks will be converted on arrival. SOU laptops currently in use will be converted on an individual basis beginning late fall and early winter.
To sum it all up:
We would like to express to you how excited we are about this change. It will improve your computing experience, dramatically decrease your login time, and will put us in a better position to plan for future technology needs.
More communication about these changes will follow soon and we will be working with departments to make the transition as smooth as possible. If you have questions or concerns, please call Jenn Heie or Roger Linhart (Project Managers), or John Stevenson (Help Desk Supervisor); we will be happy to talk with you about it.
