[Macpartners] IS&T Software Update for August 2005

[Deb Bowser]

Date: Thursday, September 1, 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 August 2005
Cc:  is&t at mit.edu, itag at mit.edu, it-lead at mit.edu


This monthly communication is intended for Faculty, Staff and 
Students within the MIT Community, to provide updated information 
regarding new and upcoming software products and services.

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


1. Recent Releases
---------------------------------------------------------
Linux
------------------
Fall 2005 Back-to-school CD - August 16, 2005


Macintosh
-------------------
Eudora 6.2.3 - August 2, 2005
Fall 2005 Back-to-school CD - August 16, 2005
Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) - August 17, 2005
Mail - (Panther 10.3.x), August, 18, 2005
Mail - (Tiger 10.4), August, 25, 2005

Windows
-----------------
Eudora 6.2.3 - August 2, 2005
Fall 2005 Back-to-school CD - August 16, 2005
Outlook Express 6 - August 25, 2005


2. Software Release Efforts Underway
------------------------------------------------------
Linux
-----------
None


Macintosh
----------------
Fetch 5.x - Release effort underway - Sept. 2005
iPassConnect 2.37 - Release effort underway - On Hold
Virex 7.7 - Release effort underway - Oct 2005


Windows
-----------------
iPassConnect 3.30 - Release effort underway - On Hold
Microsoft Anti-spyware, Beta 1, refresh 2 - evaluation in progress
SecureCRT 3.0.x - Release effort underway - Sept/Oct 2005
SecureFX - 5.0.x - Release effort underway - Sept/Oct 2005

The Software Release Team is actively trying to fill the Windows 
Platform Coordinator position that Bryant Vernon has recently vacated 
in pursuit of his MBA from Sloan.  The job posting number is 
mit-00002312 and you can find out more information and apply online 
via the MIT Job's Site at http://web.mit.edu/jobs/.


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
---------------------------------------------------------
Dreamweaver 7 and Maple 10 will be ready next week for distribution 
to students.  We are working with IS&T Academic Computing to evaluate 
the ongoing software distribution model for academic packages like 
Maple and Mathematica to better understand the value and how we can 
fund such licenses in the future with reduced resources.  We are also 
looking at packages that have less direct academic application like 
Dreamweaver which we have provided free to students in the past, but 
may need to charge a nominal fee next academic year (2006-2007).  To 
view the available licenses including Dreamweaver and Maple, start at 
http://web.mit.edu/ist/products/vsls/.


4.  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/>


5. 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
Team Leader - Software Release Team
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