CLICK on news October 2001, Volume 1, Number 8
WHAT'S NEW
* New ISU Extension marketing Web site online
* ISU enters Microsoft campus agreement
* EDC says don’t panic; wait for invoice
* Transmittal changes comingUPDATES
* Remember to update Web pages
* Initiate payments correctly for EDC
* Software Services moves to EDC
* 4-H, Blue Ribbon orders to be included on invoice
* More EDC updatesQUICK TIPS
* New VirusScan engine available
* Virus tip: Watch those attachments
* Got questions about buying computers?What's old ... but still useful? Check the archive and index.
WHAT'S NEW
New ISU Extension marketing Web site online
A new ISU Extension marketing Web site is available for your use (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/emms/isuemarketing/). This site gives you easy access to organizational marketing materials to help you promote ISU Extension. In particular, look for promotional and marketing templates (Word files) that you may customize for local use. New materials will be posted as they become available.ISU enters Microsoft campus agreement
ISU has joined the University of Iowa to enter into a Microsoft campus agreement that will provide licenses for a large selection of Microsoft products, including Windows 2000 upgrades, Windows XP upgrades, Office 2000 and Office XP. Unfortunately, at this time, we do not have the details about the agreement, cost or availability of this software. We will keep you informed as we learn more. However, don't forget that software is only half of the equation. You still need to keep your hardware up-to-date in your office. Check the university's minimum support standards to see if you need to upgrade your computer hardware (http://www.iastate.edu/computing/standards/support.html).EDC says don’t panic; wait for invoice
Effective Oct. 2, 2001, Extension Distribution Center (EDC) switched to a new computer program. As with anything new, a lot of "bugs" need to be worked out. For example, the packing slips that you will be seeing do NOT have the correct extended price, sub-total, shipping and order total. Please do not panic. We realize the problem and should have it corrected before you receive your invoice. Thank you for your patience during this transition.Transmittal changes coming
Beginning the week of Oct. 29, the transmittal packet will switch from weekly mailings to twice-per-month mailings (the second and fourth week of each month). The packet will be mailed only to county offices and certain area offices. The transmittal letter will be mailed only with the transmittal packet. The letter will not be mailed separately to anyone. However, anyone may access the letter on the Web (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/transmittal/). More information will be available in the coming weeks.
UPDATES
Remember to update Web pages
In August all Web authors received an e-mail message asking them to check all their Web pages (current and old unlinked pages that still reside on the server) for old e-mail addresses (x1name@exnet.iastate.edu) and to update those pages. When we sent that message, the Extension server had more than 6,000 Web pages that still had the old e-mail addresses; we still have more than 5,000. Please go through your current Web pages and your old pages. Change the pages that need to be changed and delete from the server pages that are no longer needed.Initiate payments correctly for EDC
A number of offices are initiating payment to Accounts Receivable based on the monthly ticket/invoice received from the Extension Distribution Center (EDC). Please do not do this. We ask that you do not initiate payments to ISU Accounts Receivable until you receive your month-end "statement of account" from Accounts Receivable. Refer to an e-mail from Bill Bogue dated Oct. 11, 2001, for more detail.Software Services moves to EDC
Extension Software Services has moved distribution of all publicly sold software to Extension Distribution Center (EDC). This includes the MCS spreadsheets and the Beef Feedlot Monitoring program. The Extension Software Services Web site (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ESS/) has been updated to reflect that change. The Web site also has a current printable (pdf) brochure available for the MCS spreadsheets.4-H, Blue Ribbon orders to be included on invoice
4-H publications, including Blue Ribbon orders, will be listed on your monthly EDC invoice along with other publications ordered. The Blue Ribbon Club orders will include the club number, the printout date of the order and the total dollar amount of the publications ordered. We suggest that you attach each club's order summary to the monthly EDC invoice as a record of the specific publications ordered. You no longer will need to send a summary listing of publications ordered through the Blue Ribbon Enrollment program in May. A credit for any backorders of publications that occur will appear on your June EDC monthly invoice.More EDC updates
-- Any publications that are being deleted from inventory or designated “Web only” will not be accepted as returns.
-- The new online "EDC Store" ordering system is being tested at EDC. When the kinks are worked out, we’ll set a date for ICN training. More information will be coming soon.
QUICK TIPS
New VirusScan engine available
The VirusScan scanning engine has been upgraded to version 4.1.50. VirusScan users may notice a longer download time for AutoUpdate when downloading the updated scan engine. (It may take up to 20 minutes to download.) If you do not have AutoUpdate enabled, go to the VirusScan Console, double-click on AutoUpdate and select “Run Now.” When it finishes updating, set AutoUpdate to update VirusScan regularly. (Instructions for doing this are available --http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Comp/virus/configuring_autoupdate.htm.) If you are still on VirusScan 4.0.3, you can update the VirusScan program via the network (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Comp/virus/installing_virusscan.htm) or by using the Scout CD sent in the Aug. 10 transmittal packet. Then run AutoUpdate. To find out what version of VirusScan and what version of the scan engine you have, right-click on the Vshield in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen and select “About.”
See more information on the scan engine update (http://download.nai.com/products/licensed/superdat/engine/intel/4150/readme.txt). This is a significant update, largely because a number of additional file formats are now scanned. In particular, some non-standard MIME formats are now supported. This means that you may suddenly discover viruses in very old mail.
Virus tip: Watch those attachments
Don't open any attachments unless you know the person they're from and you're expecting them. Last year, 87 percent of all viruses were spread via e-mail attachments. If the message is from someone you know, but the subject line is suspicious, the attachment file name is suspicious or you're not expecting an attachment, contact the person it appears to be from before you open it. And, always make regular backups of your important data.Got questions about buying computers?
When it comes to computers, a dollar goes a lot farther than it did even six months ago. For example, for about $1,500, you can purchase a new computer with a new Pentium 4 processor, 256 Mbytes of memory, 20 Gbytes of storage, DVD and CDRW drives and a three-year warranty. If you have any questions about purchasing new computers, contact Extension Information Technology at (515) 294-8658 or e-mail Brian Webster, bwebster@iastate.edu.
Check the Continuing Education and Communication Services Web site. Also visit the ISU Extension Web site. Send your comments or questions about this newsletter to Laura Sternweis (lsternwe@iastate.edu).
Nondiscrimination Statement and Information Disclosures
