Prep computers for daylight saving time
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 changed the dates of daylight saving time this year. It will start three weeks earlier (March 11) and end one week later (Nov. 4) than last year. These date changes may impact your operating system and some software.
If you run a current operating system (Mac OS X 10.4; Windows XP or Vista; Linux Red Hat Enterprise 4) and subscribe to an auto update service, you should be set. If you don't subscribe or you have an earlier operating system, your date-time stamp may not automatically update on Sunday, March 11 at 2 a.m. You will then need to manually set the date-time stamp.
If you use TechTime for calendaring, IS&T applied a vendor patch on Feb. 19. Note that TechTime will correctly handle the time for any meetings you scheduled after Feb. 19.
To learn more about the impact of daylight saving time changes on computer systems and applications, visit web.mit.edu/ist/topics/os/dst.html. If you have questions, contact the Help Desk at computing-help@mit.edu or x3-1101.
MIT Medical launches Patient Online
You can now connect with MIT Medical at any hour to manage many details of your medical care. Patient Online lets you send messages to your clinician, access your health history, request an appointment or renew a prescription, all from the convenience of your web browser. Patient Online is both secure and confidential: It upholds MIT Medical's strict privacy standards and complies with federal regulations.
To register for Patient Online, go to MIT Medical's home page at web.mit.edu/medical/login.html. Once you have an account, you can access the Online Front Desk to request, reschedule or cancel appointments or to update your contact information. The Online Consultation Room lets you communicate privately with your clinician and his or her staff about routine medical issues. You can also request prescription renewals and review your medications, list of allergies and immunization history. If you have questions about registering for or using Patient Online, e-mail POLsupport@med.mit.edu.
Technotrash becomes Technocycle
Due to the strong interest on campus in recycling technological materials, the MIT Department of Facilities has revamped its Technotrash program. Now called Technocycle, the initiative features recycling bins in local mailrooms around campus. Community members can discard cell phones, PDAs, pagers, diskettes, CDs, tapes, keyboards and rechargeable batteries in these bins. Be sure, though, to delete any sensitive data before you toss!
Facilities also plans to put Technocycle bins in strategic public places on campus. Once these locations are finalized, Facilities will post the information on the department's recycling web page.
If you have a large amount of tech material to recycle, call x3-6360 or e-mail recycling@mit.edu to arrange for a pickup.
Sign up for security alerts
Awareness is the key to prevention. With so many security risks associated with computing nowadays, it's essential that you keep up to date. To receive the latest news on this front, be sure to subscribe to IS&T's Security-FYI e-mail newsletter. Its new format provides short summaries on software security patches and virus alerts, a safe computing tip, and any IT-security news that's relevant to MIT community members. To sign up for this informative and timely newsletter, go to mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/ist-security-fyi.
Digitalk is compiled by Information Services and Technology.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on February 28, 2007 (download PDF).
