Forum on E-mail Migration
In response to suggestions from colleagues and customers, IS&T will host a Community Forum on E-mail Migration on Thursday, Nov. 2, in Room W20-307 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. This forum will give IS&T the opportunity to hear more about customers' experiences and requirements as the e-mail landscape evolves.
Continuing an e-mail migration process that began last January, IS&T will retire support for the Eudora e-mail application effective Dec. 31, 2006. With the support of IT colleagues around campus, IS&T strongly endorses migrating from Eudora to Outlook 2003, Outlook Express or Apple Mail. Also, Qualcomm, the vendor for Eudora, recently announced that it will discontinue selling a commercial version of Eudora early next year, although MIT's existing site license will be honored until it ends in June 2007.
IS&T's Departmental Information Technology Resource (DITR) Team runs the AdminIT Program, which offers desktop computing maintenance services to administrative members of the MIT community at no charge to the department. These services cover a range of needs, including standardization of desktop applications, semiannual preventive maintenance visits and specialized support. The related Administrative Desktop Renewal Program provides options for replacing older computers.
If you think your department could benefit from participating in the AdminIT Program, come join members of DITR on Wednesday, Nov. 8 for an informational breakfast meeting. The event, which starts at 9 a.m., will be held in Room W20-491. To R.S.V.P., e-mail to Chuck King, AdminIT program coordinator, at ditr@mit.edu. To learn more about the program, visit web.mit.edu/ist/services/hardware/adminit.
NameConnector upgrade
IS&T has upgraded NameConnector, the automated voice response system for MIT's telephone switchboard. This technology lets callers to MIT's main number, 253-1000, say the name of the person or department they wish to reach and then be connected automatically.
The upgrade, from Parlance Corporation, mitigates background noise and improves name recognition for callers with strong accents. It will also allow IS&T to add some features over the next few months. These include "barge in" (where a caller can interrupt the prompts and say the name) and support for hands-free operation by recognizing specific words such as "OK" or "cancel." IS&T also expects to simplify the initial prompt so that callers can say either a person's name or a department name, without having to select which option they want.
NameConnector allows up to five different versions of a person's name (e.g., Thomas Smith/Tom Smith). If callers are having trouble reaching you or your department, send e-mail to nameconnector@mit.edu, or call 253-1000 and ask to speak to an operator. To learn more about NameConnector, see web.mit.edu/ist/services/telecommunications/nameconnector.
Digitalk is compiled by Information Services and Technology.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on November 1, 2006 (download PDF).
