[Macpartners] IS&T Software Update for March 2005

[Deb Bowser]

Date: Tuesday, March 29, 2005
To:  Members of the MIT Community: itpartners at mit.edu, macpartners at mit.edu, 
winpartners at mit.edu, sw-release-announce at mit.edu, ed-tech at mit.edu, 
linux-help at mit.edu
From: Software Release Team <swrt at mit.edu>
Subj: IS&T Software Update for March 2005
Cc:  is&t at mit.edu, itag at mit.edu, it-lead at mit.edu


MIT continues to progress with the retirement of Windows 2000 Professional 
and as March 31st approaches, we are closer to our goal of one primary 
Windows operating system, namely Windows XP Professional.  Anyone still in 
need of migrating from Windows 2000 Professional should see the Software 
Retirement section below for information about MIT licensing for Windows XP 
Professional.  Our thanks to the Community for their assistance with the 
operating system upgrades.


Topics of the month:
----------------------------------------
1. Recently released software
2. Software release efforts underway
3. Volume & site license software update
4. Software retirement
5. Windows Automatic Update Service (WAUS)
6. How are we doing?  Let us know


1. Recent Releases
-------------------------------------------------------
Linux
------------------
None

Macintosh
-------------------
Adobe Reader 7 - March 17, 2005
Office 2004 Professional - March 15, 2005

Windows
-----------------
Adobe Reader 7 - March 17, 2005


2. Software Release Efforts Underway
------------------------------------------------------
Linux
-----------
RedHat Enterprise 4 - Release effort beginning - TBD

Macintosh
----------------
Apple Mail - Release effort underway - April 2005
Eudora 6.2 - Release effort underway- April 2005


Windows
-----------------
Eudora 6.2 - Release effort underway - April 2005
Microsoft Anti-spyware - evaluation in progress
VirusScan Anti-spyware enterprise module - evaluation underway
Windows Automatic Update Service (WAUS) configuration tool - April 2005

To obtain information on any of the release efforts listed, please visit 
our page:  http://web.mit.edu/swrt/


3. Volume Site License Software Update
---------------------------------------------------------
Students can now obtain access to Matlab for use on their personal machines 
through the Matlab Student Experiment.  See http://matlab.mit.edu/ for more 
information.

IS&T is gearing up to distribute Adobe Acrobat Professional 7 for mid 
April.  At that time, Software Liaisons for each Department, Lab and Center 
(DLC) will be able to download installation media images as well as 
register for Acrobat Pro 7 licenses.  We will also be collecting unused and 
upgraded Adobe Acrobat Professional 6 licenses.


4. Software retirement
--------------------------------------------------
Keeping pace with current operating systems and applications benefits 
everyone.  As a reminder, Windows 2000 Professional will be retired on 
March 31, 2005.  MIT has signed a Microsoft Campus Agreement (MSCA) to 
license Windows XP Professional for use on Department, Lab and Center (DLC) 
machines as well upgrading undergraduate student operating systems..

In order to maintain quality support for key applications in use, improve 
responsiveness to new vendor releases, and to make it possible to introduce 
new product offerings with the resources available, it is necessary to 
retire support for Windows 2000.  Applications going forward will only be 
tested on Windows XP Professional.


5.  Windows Automatic Update Service (WAUS)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
We recommend users configure their Windows machines to use MIT's Windows 
Automatic Update Service (WAUS) for critical patches and service pack 
deployment.  For more information about and instructions on how to 
configure your machines to use WAUS, see the WAUS documentation at:

         <http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/windows/updates/>

An easy to use configuration tool is in the works to enable easier access 
to the advanced configurations for WAUS.


6. How are we doing? - Let us know
--------------------------------------------------------------
Do you find this communication helpful?  Are there other items of interest 
you would like to see included as well?  Please take a moment to let us know:
http://web.mit.edu/swrt/feedback.html

You can always send e-mail to swrt at mit.edu with any questions and comments 
you have pertaining to this communication or other software release matters.

Deb Bowser
QA Coordinator - Client Support Services
Information Services and Technology (IS&T)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Room W92-176
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-253-3879
bowser at mit.edu