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Winter 2003
Phone or network problems?
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What’s New in Computer Training?
Hands-On Workshops The various new features and changes in Windows XP and the Office XP applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, FrontPage, Outlook) continue to lead the list of issues that faculty and staff need help with when working on their computers. Many of us would like to subscribe to the philosophy, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But with any technology, change comes frequently. When Microsoft updates software products, support for older product versions is eliminated. Being forced to upgrade is no fun, but software trainers from IT will be trying to make it easier for users this spring. To see our spring schedule of hands-on workshops, check http://www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/training/schedule.asp. If you need help with new versions of Office and Windows, look for workshops specifically focused on “New Features of Windows XP,” tips for “Upgrading to Word, Excel, or PowerPoint,” or features like “Mail Merge in Word 2002” (it’s different!). A seminar on using Adobe Acrobat and workshops in FrontPage, Photoshop and an Introduction to Digital Imaging are geared toward people finding themselves developing and maintaining Web sites. For university staff who want to demonstrate their competence in Microsoft Office programs, we will be offering workshops and practice sessions covering the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) tests. New workshops mean new training materials. As a result there is a slight increase in workshop costs. The workshops remain a bargain. If listed workshops do not specifically meet your needs, trainers are occasionally available to conduct customized workshops on specialized topics for colleges and departments. See http://www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/ training/ for more information about how to customize training to meet your needs. New Trainer On Board We are pleased to announce that Nancy Taft has recently joined Alice Freeman as a part-time computer software trainer for IT. Nancy taught workshops for the UW Computer Center from 1987 through 1989, when IT was using WordPerfect, Lotus, dBase and DOS. Since then, she has continued to expand her knowledge while holding other software trainer positions. Nancy brings a lot of experience to the computer training program and enables IT to increase the number of workshops offered. For those of you who have had trouble taking three hours during the day for training, watch for evening and weekend offerings. Other Training Services In addition to the instructor-led workshops, we continue to provide self-paced training opportunities in Office 2000 and Office XP programs. Dates and times are listed at http://www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/training/selfpace.asp. The computer lab in Wyo Hall, room 425, is also open every Wednesday from 1:00 to 3:00 pm for people with Web development problems. System programmers, graphic designers, and Microsoft and Adobe application specialists are available to answer questions on a first-come, first-served basis. A new wireless network hub makes it easy for Web designers to bring in their Web site designs on a laptop and connect directly to the network. Other Lab Enhancements Desktop and Web publishers are welcome to come and work on projects during open lab hours. PageMaker, Photoshop, Acrobat and FrontPage are installed on all of the computers. A color laser printer, color inkjet printer, black-and-white laser printer, desktop scanner and digital camera are some of the equipment available for trouble-shooting questions and problems. In May, the lab will be closed for a week while IT replaces all of the computers and monitors. For more information about the computer software training program and how we can help you, please visit our Web site at http://www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/training/. ASUWlink Student Server Receives UpgradeDuring winter break, Information Technology upgraded the student ASUWlink server to provide better and more reliable service. ASUWlink fills many academic needs, but its primary use is student email. While the “main chassis” of the server was not upgraded significantly, its software and peripherals were. Specifically, ASUWlink is a Sun Enterprise 5000. It had seven 250-MHz, 64-bit
processors and 2.75 Gig of memory. ASUWlink was upgraded to have 9 processors and
over 4 Gig of memory. In addition, the upgraded ASUWlink has a Gigabit network
connection. This means, most significantly, that it has faster and larger
fiber-connected disks, and the disks are mirrored rather than using software
RAID-5. The operating system was upgraded from Solaris 2.5.1 to the latest release
of Solaris 9. All of this means increased capability, increased performance and a
more responsive server. Many application packages were also updated. For further
news and updates, see http://w3.uwyo.edu. Hummingbird Exceed Upgrade AvailableExceed 8.0 for Windows is now available on UWApps. Licensed users who have purchased yearly maintenance can install it from \\uwapps\exceed8.0. If you don’t have a license but need one, call 766-4357, option 1, for
information. Please report any issues with the new version to your user consultant
or to the IT Help Desk. Exceed version 7.1 will no longer be available after July
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If
you suspect problems with the UW computer network or the phone system, find
answers on Information Technology’s Hot Page at 
What is Remote Support?Remote support is an internet-based desktop-sharing technology that allows you to receive help solving your computer problems over the phone. With remote support, a UW Information Technology user consultant shows you what steps to take by “sharing” your screen or – with your permission – by taking control of your desktop and fixing the problem remotely. With this service, you will likely not have to wait for an office visit the next time your computer causes trouble. Instead, you can get help right away simply by calling your user consultant and connecting to a specific Web site. Last spring IT announced remote assistance with our intention to pilot the software over the summer. (see “IT Offers Remote Assistance for UW Computer Users” at uwyo.edu/InfoTech/AboutIT/newsletter/Spring2002.htm). IT is happy to report that we’ve successfully implemented DesktopStreaming™ in order to provide this new service. We’ve had a lot of opportunities since last spring to test the technology with some of our customers. Many of them now request a remote support session – instead of an office visit – because they are so pleased with the consultant’s ability to offer immediate online support. DesktopStreaming has improved IT’s overall efficiency. More than 365 support calls have been resolved using DesktopStreaming screen sharing. That’s 365 issues that in the past may have required office visits. Multiply the number of calls by the time it takes to schedule an appointment, walk or drive to a building, fix the computer and return to the IT office. That’s a lot of hours saved, allowing us to help you more quickly. If your computer gives you trouble, you can call for remote support and be back to work in minutes, rather than waiting hours or days for an appointment. Some people may be afraid of losing contact with their assigned consultant if remote support is used. In fact, when calling to request remote assistance, you will almost always have the chance to work with your consultant. That familiar voice will be behind every support call, so you shouldn’t feel distanced from the consultant. Remember, too, that remote support won’t be the only available option. There will always be situations that require your consultant to make an on-site visit to your office. They may use DesktopStreaming to determine what the issue is, and that will better prepare them for their office visit with you. Client Support Services will ensure that those familiar faces you’ve come to know will continue their departmental rounds. Our consultants want to keep that important face-to-face relationship with you. If you do choose remote assistance, IT wants to be sure you’re comfortable with it. First, you don’t need to do anything special to allow this type of support. The technology is Web based, meaning that we can help anytime during normal business hours as long as you are connected to the Internet. And, we can help anywhere – the campus office, the conference hotel room, the state extension office – as long as you are connected to the Internet. Second, we can’t share the computer screen unless the customer initiates the request – you have to click “ok” to allow us to connect. Third, we can assist you by simply viewing the screen and guiding you through the steps, or you can choose to share control of the screen with the consultant. You’ll be able to see every keystroke and mouse click the consultant makes, as if you were performing the task yourself. At the end of every session, each customer has the opportunity to provide IT managers with feedback about the support they received. We don’t require you to complete the questionnaire, but we certainly encourage it. This gives us the chance to review technology, the consultant and the solution provided. Recent comments from some of our UW customers appear at right. The next time you need one-on-one help from IT, we hope that you’ll give remote assistance a try. Ask for “DesktopStreaming,” or request a remote support session. The consultants are eager to show off the new technology, save you time, and provide quick and correct solutions to your computer questions. Remote assistance will:
For more information about remote assistance please contact your user
consultant, or call the IT Help Desk at 766-HELP (6-4357), option 1.
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Customer Comments:
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IT Academic Support Unit keeps computer labs humming
Labs are available to all UW students, faculty, and
staff. Staffed by friendly and knowledgeable student assistants, the labs are
equipped with personal computers, a variety of the latest software (including
Windows XP and Office XP), printers and scanners. To learn what software and
hardware are installed in each lab, see http://microlab.uwyo.edu/software.asp
and Special requests Instructors who need special software installed in the labs or classrooms can submit their requests to ASU for approval and implementation. Visit http://microlab.uwyo. edu/SFSub.htm to review the software submittal policies. The ASU can also provide consultation, coordination and maintenance for new labs, existing labs, and certain special academic projects. An appointment will be made to conduct a lab survey of requirements, and to complete a cost estimation sheet. Class files Many instructors use the network to distribute class assignments. To access
these files students can Larger files, such as lecture presentations, can be placed on a Web server so that students can view the files with a Web browser. For more information about posting class materials, please contact your assigned departmental consultant. See http://www.uwyo.edu/infotech/services/helpdesk/uc/ for a complete list of consultants. Lab locations and hours For a complete list of available labs and their schedules as well as computer-aided classrooms, go to http://microlab.uwyo.edu/alllabs.asp and http://microlab.uwyo.edu/schedule.htm respectively. To reserve a classroom for scheduled classes or lectures, call the classroom coordinator at 766-4388. For more information To find out more, visit the ASU Web site at http://microlab.uwyo.edu,
contact ASU via email at asu-it@uwyo.edu or
call the IT Help Desk at 766-4357, option 1.
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The Information Technology Academic Support Unit (ASU) is a small group with a
large responsibility: making more than 1,000 computers available for use in 86
academic computer labs and classrooms across campus.