March 26, 2007

Password changes // Microsoft Office 2007 upgrade timeline // Microsoft Office 2007 compatibility tool // Microsoft Office 2007 seminars // Web browsers: An eye toward greater readability // Linderman improvements continue


Password changes
For security purposes, Lehigh requires that users change their passwords every six months. Because users sometimes encounter login difficulties immediately after changing their passwords, review and follow these procedures to eliminate the most common causes of login failures. http://www.lehigh.edu/computing/docs/pswd/changepswd.htm


Microsoft Office 2007 upgrade timeline
Microsoft recently released Microsoft Office 2007 as an upgrade to Microsoft Office 2003. Unlike previous Microsoft Office upgrades, the new version has an entirely new interface and many new features. Library and Technology Services (LTS) is planning to upgrade the public computing sites to Office 2007 (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access) soon after final exams end in May. This means that Office 2003 will no longer be available in the public sites. The upgrade will be propagated to the public sites in late May and will be available for use in all public sites in early June. Library and Technology Services will upgrade faculty and staff computers one department at a time and on an as-needed basis. Student and faculty work at home media availability is unknown at this point but will be available for the fall semester.

Microsoft Office 2007 compatibility tool
The new version of Office 2007 saves files in a different format than Office 2003, causing compatibility problems with reading files in older versions of Office. For example, if a student saves a Microsoft Word document in Office 2007 and sends it to a professor who has Office 2003, the professor will NOT be able read the document. To resolve version incompatibilities, it is recommended that users download and install the Microsoft Office 2003 file compatibility tool located on the Install Software list or at the Office 2007 documentation webpage located at http://www.lehigh.edu/lts/comp/docs/office07/ Users with Office 2007 installed will have no problem opening files saved in Office 2003 format.


Microsoft Office 2007 seminars
The Office 2007 interface is significantly changed from previous versions. LTS is in the process of creating documentation explaining the basic differences in the interface http://www.lehigh.edu/lts/comp/docs/office07/ Free training seminars
will be offered in late April and early May that will explain the basic differences in the Microsoft Office interface (these seminars will be announced shortly on the LTS seminar web pages) https://cf1.cc.lehigh.edu/seminar/


Web browsers: an eye toward greater readability
Finally, relief for tired eyes! Both the IE 7 and the Mozilla browsers have "accessibility" features that benefit both the visually impaired and those of us who squint at our computer screens to read smaller text or text on a low contrast background. For info go to http://www.lehigh.edu/helpdesk/docs/ie7/zoom.html

Linderman improvements continue
Some furniture deliveries, book and staff moves, equipment installations, and other final touches in Linderman Library continue. Thank you for your patience with these minor disruptions. Wireless access in some areas is not yet at full strength so work continues on that as well. Please enjoy the convenient cafe, group study rooms, and the opportunity to once more browse for books in the stacks!