[WinPartners] Retiring software support during FY2005

[Deb Bowser]

Date: Friday November 5, 2004
To:  itpartners at mit.edu, macpartners at mit.edu, winpartners at mit.edu, 
sw-release-announce at mit.edu, ed-tech at mit.edu
From: Software Release Team <swrt at mit.edu>
Subj: Retiring software support during FY2005
Cc:  is&t at mit.edu, itag at mit.edu

Good day:

After discussions with representative clients around campus, and to ensure 
a high level of quality support for the Macintosh, Windows and Linux 
Operating Systems, Information Services and Technology (IS&T) is retiring 
support for the applications listed below.

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, it is necessary to downgrade the support we will 
provide in the future.  These products will not be tested in association 
with future releases, new documentation will not be produced, and new 
training will not be scheduled.

Software slated for retirement on December 31, 2004:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Eudora 5.1 and earlier versions (Windows)
*Eudora 5.2.3 and earlier versions (Macintosh)
FileMaker Pro 5.5 (Windows/Macintosh)
Office 2001(OS 9)
  - Macintosh OS 9 is no longer supported (retired on June 30, 2004).

Software slated for retirement on June 30, 2005:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
**Netscape 7.02 (Windows/Macintosh)
Office XP (Windows)
  - Office 2003 (Windows) including Outlook 2003 has been available since 
February 2004.
Office v.X - (OS X)
  - Office 2004 Standard has been available since June 2004.

*Retiring these earlier versions of Eudora are consistent with our 
introduction of SMTP authentication in the Fall of 2003.  Eudora versions 
earlier than 5.2.1 do not have SMTP authentication functionality which 
mitigates our exposure to e-mail blockades and strengthens our ability to 
provide quality and reliable e-mail services.  More information is 
available at:
	<http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/email/smtpauth/>

**For information on FY05 supported browsers, please see:
	http://web.mit.edu/ist/topics/browsers/

If IS&T's retiring of general support imposes a significant burden to you 
or the clients you support, we would like to hear from you.  If these do 
cause a significant burden for you, we are prepared to work together to 
find a solution to ease the difficulties in migrating to a more current 
environment.

In closing, we appreciate the Community's assistance and involvement in 
Software Release and look forward to your responses.

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