INSIDE

Lotus Notes Applications
We want to make it possible for you to remain in the Lotus Notes environment when you request computing services, telecommunication services, CTELT services, etc.  We know that it is cumbersome to go back and forth from Notes to CMS (the mainframe).

A number of Lotus Notes support staff are working hard to make these items available from a database menu.  A number of programs are near completion, and we will announce them via E-mail as they become ready.

Lotus Notes provides a way to include a link to the databases within an E-mail message.  Clicking on that link will automatically include the proper icon on your Notes desktop.

When we were debating whether to encourage users to install the Notes client or to use the Internet browser interface, we were not certain which path to take.  We were impressed with the Notes client's ease of use and functionality, but we wondered if users would want to use browsers because they would need far less training on accessing Notes through a browser.

The CTC staff is glad that most users like the Notes client.  We can make more functionality available through the client when we program the request menu, the client is required for faculty setting up their courses using Learning Space, and we are told that the client is more efficient in accessing the server.  Even though it has meant a lot of work for staff installing the client, we believe the effort was worth it.  I thought about this when I heard that the Hays Medical Center began installing clients to all of their users (many had been using browsers).

You should take time to clean up your Profs/OV mail as we prepare to move entirely to Lotus Notes.  You can delete it, print it, or mail it to your Lotus Notes account.  Remember to add needed off-campus E-mail addresses from the OV names file to your Notes address book.
[Back to Top]

Web Application for Students
In the last newsletter I mentioned that we found products that help us display mainframe database information (legacy systems) on the web.

Several of the mainframe application programmers have worked on displaying the course schedule.  When viewing the course schedule each course is linked to the course description in the course catalog.  Users can access it at www.fhsu.edu/sws/.

This is a read-only system.  As we gain more experience in using the new mainframe web tools, we should be able to allow students to enter data that will update selected information on administrative databases.  For example, it should be useful for students to be able to update their address information via the web.  Before we allow that, we have a number of security issues to resolve.
[Back to Top]

ITPAC
ITPAC (Instructional Technology Policy Advisory Committee) wanted to review the LearningSpace product, so CTELT demonstrated it at last week's meeting.  ITPAC is interested in hearing from faculty and students who have experience with it or who have seen demonstrations of it.  Please comment on what you consider to be its strengths and weaknesses.

In its current incarnation, it is an asynchronous product.  Students can interact with it at any time or place;  they need not be connected at any particular time.  A newer release will include some synchronous features - real time chat and white boarding.  The chat facility allows faculty and students to interact using the keyboard in real time and the white board permits displaying a spreadsheet, for example, that others could "mark up" from a distance.

There are other products that are synchronous and use audio and/or video.  With those products, a professor could lecture from his or her desktop using a microphone and/or a video camera.  Because these products are synchronous, the professor sets specific times for presentations.  Students "dial in" to the presentations and attend the lecture.  Most products allow the students to interact with the professor using a real time chat facility.  Some products allow two-way communication with the Professor (or other students) using audio and video (using Microsoft's Net Meeting or other software).

If you have any opinions on this kind of product, we are interested in hearing from you.  Send any comments on LearningSpace or any of the synchronous products to dschmidt@tiger.fhsu.edu and I will share them with the committee.
[Back to Top]

Congratulations
Congratulations to Cheryl Helget, CTC Network Administrator, who passed the Microsoft NT Server 4.0 in the Enterprise, Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0, and the Microsoft NT 4.0 Server tests.

Also, congratulations to Gary Hoffman, Microcomputer System Support Technician, who recently passed the Networking Essentials test.

We are proud of both Cheryl and Gary on their accomplishments and are pleased to have them as members of our CTC team.
[Back to Top]

Other Projects
Configuration Control has converted the NOTIS library databases to a format usable by the new Endeavor Voyager product, as Rob Dolan mentioned in his guest article last month.  We are looking forward to using the new system via the web.

The Applications Programming staff is working with the Alumni Association to convert data for its new Blackbaud client-server product.  As with every conversion, fields have to be carefully mapped across systems.  The applications server runs on a Microsoft NT-Compaq platform.  We trust that the Alumni Association will find the new system to be quite functional.

The Microcomputer staff are configuring and installing computers purchased with action plan money for replacing the ISN workstations.

We are pleased that this action plan was funded, because it made it possible to move to Lotus Notes and to the Ethernet.  In some cases new wire will be pulled to accommodate additional Ethernet users.

The CTC wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday season.
[Back to Top]
 

CTC HelpDesk News
by Nancy Geier, Student HelpDesk Supervisor

New “Maximum Session Time” Feature Beginning in January 1999

The University’s goal is to enable as many users as possible to access the resources available on the Internet.  However, realistically, there is always a limit to the volume of users who many connect through our servers.  Therefore, FHSU reserves the right to enforce limits on account usage (i.e., amount of time per session, etc.) to minimize inefficient utilization of system resources.

To ensure that the system is being used efficiently, system activity is monitored daily.  At times, we have encountered situations where connections have been left active for excessive lengths of time, perhaps because users sometimes forget to disconnect when they finish working.  Whenever a connection is left active, one of the modems in our server is being tied up and no one else can use it until that connection is terminated.

In accordance with this goal of maximizing efficient use of the system, an “absolute time out” of eight hours per session will be put in place, beginning in January 1999.  What this means is that the maximum amount of time of any one session will be eight hours.  If a connection has been active for eight continuous hours, the session will be terminated.  If your session is terminated, you may immediately reconnect at that time.  If you plan to do work that cannot be interrupted, such as downloading a large file, we recommend that you disconnect and then reconnect before beginning your work so that your session time will be reset to zero.

A session limit is a feature that is used by many service providers; in fact some providers set session limits at two or three hours.  Because we want to minimize any inconvenience that may be caused by using a session limit, we are setting the limit at eight hours, which is considered a liberal amount of time by many providers we have consulted.  We are also making an effort to ensure that our users are informed by advertising this new feature before it is put into place.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to be responsible users of the Dial-Up system: When you are finished using your dial-up connection please disconnect so another user may dial in.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding this new feature, please contact Dr. David Schmidt at dschmidt@tiger.fhsu.edu or the CTC HelpDesk at helpdesk@tiger.fhsu.edu or (785) 628-5276.
[Back to Top]

Internet Dial-Up Accounts
As we continue the process of converting from OfficeVision to Lotus Notes (less than 16 days left!!), we felt it would be useful to send a reminder about the benefits of having an FHSU Internet Dial-Up Account.

For those of you who may still be accessing OfficeVision from home through the ISN connection using ProComm:  Lotus Notes cannot be accessed using this method.

If you wish to access your Lotus Notes E-mail from home, you will need to obtain Internet service.  FHSU provides this service through Internet Dial-Up Accounts.

Dial-Up Accounts are available to FHSU students, faculty, and staff.  There is no charge for faculty and staff accounts for local calls.  To date, there are over 300 FHSU faculty and staff members who have FHSU Internet Dial-Up Accounts.  There are some minimum system requirements that must be met for your computer to be able to access the Internet through Dial-Up.

If you would like more information about the minimum system requirements or would like other information about Dial-Up accounts, visit the CTC HelpDesk web site at http://www.fhsu.edu/ctc/helpdesk (click on Application Info), stop by our office (Tomanek Hall, Room 113), or call us at  628-5276.

To apply for an account, simply stop by our office and fill out an application.  A consultant will answer your questions and provide instructions and software (if needed).

Our consultants are also available to answer your questions as you begin using Lotus Notes.  Watch our website for a Lotus Notes Frequently Asked Questions page to be added soon.
[Back to Top]

Access LN Files from Off Campus
Want to access your Lotus Notes (LN) files from off campus?  Well, it's easy to do.  The only catch is you need to have Internet service.  Detailed instructions on how to access your LN files from off campus (using your Internet service) can be found at: http://www.fhsu.edu/ctc/helpdesk/access_ln_from_oc.htm .  If you’d like, you may print these instructions or you may obtain a copy from the CTC Helpdesk.
[Back to Top]

Old Dial-up Modem Pool Shutdown
by Dan Pfeifer, Coordinator
Data Communication

We plan to shutdown the old dial-up modem pool (628-4051) on December 23, 1998. Users of this dial-up modem pool (628-4051) should plan to use the new dial-up modems (628-4116) after this date (see Internet Dial-Up Accounts in the CTC HelpDesk News section).

If you have any questions concerning this plan, please call me at 628-4038 or by E-mail at dpfeifer@tiger.fhsu.edu or ccdp on OV.
[Back to Top]

Information Center News
by Viv Zimmerman, User Services

Lotus Notes Update
There are only a few weeks left before OfficeVision (OV) is discontinued and we move completely to Lotus Notes (LN).  We are still working on loading LN on several computers.  We have trained over 350 users and we continue to offer a few more training sessions before the end of the semester in case some of you still want the training.

The training is not mandatory and if you feel that you don’t need the training, the  Beginning Lotus Notes Handbook is on our web site at: http://www.fhsu.edu/notes/begin_handbk.html

We are making every effort to have everyone on the new system before the campus begins Christmas break.  We currently have approximately 550 LN users.  As we approach the cutoff date of December 23, we ask that you please not wait until the last minute to begin cleaning out your OV mail, notelogs, and entering your calendar, address book, and distribution list information into LN.

You must begin preparing for LN now!  The longer you wait to use LN, the more difficult your transition might be.  Please don’t get caught with the hectic pace of the last few weeks of the semester without being ready for Lotus Notes.
[Back to Top]

Moving from OV to LN Checklist
As we move from OfficeVision (OV) to Lotus Notes (LN), there are some important tasks that must be done.  Following is a checklist of things that all users must do as soon as possible.

Send a Request for Services (F5, F1 on OV Menu #1) to let us know when we can start forwarding any new incoming non-OV mail to your Lotus Notes Account.  It would probably be wise to have your non-OV mail forwarded to LN after you have taken the training; however, you will still have to check your OV account for mail sent through OV.  OfficeVision will not be available after 4:30pm December 23, 1998.

Go thru all your OV mail.  Delete any saved notes that you do not need.  The notes you wish to keep must either be printed (printouts may be picked up at the Dispatch Window in TH111 or we will put it in the campus mail) or forwarded to your new Lotus Notes address.  Each user is responsible for emptying his/her mailbox on or before December 23, 1998.  Files in your filelist can be kept.

Go thru all your OV Notelogs and the OLDMAIL Notelog.  Delete any that you don't wish to keep.  The notes you wish to keep must either be printed or forwarded to your new Lotus Notes address.  To print your Notelog(s), press F4, change name of notelog if different than Note Log, F8, press Enter (printouts may be picked up at the Dispatch Window in TH111 or we will put it in the campus mail).  Each user is responsible for emptying his/her Notelogs on or before December 23, 1998.

Print your OV Calendar (F1, change F8 to Print 99 days of the calendar, F8, and then hit Enter).  The printout may be picked up at the Dispatch Window in TH111 or we will put it in the campus mail. Then enter the calendar entries onto your Lotus Notes Calendar.  Each user is responsible for re-entering his/her Calendar info by December 23, 1998.  Until all faculty and staff are trained, it will be necessary to maintain both OV and LN calendars.

Signoff (un-subscribe) from any listserves that you had using your OV E-mail address.  Resubscribe using your new Lotus Notes address to any listserves you wish to continue receiving.  Each user is responsible for completing this task on or before December 23, 1998.  After May 15, 1999, notes sent to your OV address will not be forwarded to your LN address.

Go thru all entries in your CMS Names file.  Type names from the command arrow on OV Menu #1.  Press F7 to go thru the file and delete (F9) any names that you don't wish to keep.   When finished with this task, press F3 to return to OV Menu #1.  The names you wish to keep must be printed and then entered into your Lotus Notes Personal Address Book.

To print your names file, go into your filelist by entering filel at the command arrow on OV Menu #1.  Tab to the line with your ID NAMES A and enter prt3812.  It may type over some of the letters on the file name, but this is OK.  The printout may be picked up at the Dispatch Window in TH111 or we will put it in the campus mail.  Each user is responsible for completing this task on or before December 23, 1998.  Now, you are ready to enter the names from this list into your Personal Address Book in Lotus Notes.

Print screen all your OV distribution lists and then go into LN and add them as Groups.  The distribution lists you wish  to keep must then be entered into your Lotus Notes Personal Address Book.  Remember to use their LN ID when entering them as groups.  Follow the instructions in this manual for creating groups.

Until the conversion from OV to LN is complete, you will need to keep your CMS account for sending Request for Computing Services, Vita, Warehouse Orders, Request for Telecommunications Service, Request for CTELT Services,  Fact Book Information, Forsyth Library Requests, etc.  This will mostly affect secretarial staff and others who frequently use these forms.  We are in the process of conversion, but it is not completely ready yet.

Look thru the Lotus Notes 4.6 training manual that has been provided by the FHSU Computing and Telecommunication Center.  It has all the information that you'll need to begin using Lotus Notes.
[Back to Top]

CMS Menu Information
After the December 23, 1998 removal of the OfficeVision menus, we will have a CMS menu in place which will contain any of the applications that have not yet been developed in  the Lotus Notes system.  Since all users will keep their CMS IDs, this will make it easy for  them to find and use any of these applications until they become available in LN.

As applications are developed in LN, we will send out a note with special instructions and a link to put the application on your LN workspace.

We are currently working on some of the applications and hope to have them tested and in production soon.  Thank you for your patience while we work on this tedious task.
[Back to Top]

LN FHSU Directory Information
If you have not yet added your phone number, office location, and other information to the LN FHSU Address Book on Notes Hub, please do so now!  Each user is responsible for entering his/her own information.  The FHSU Address Book will be used for looking up phone and office location information much like we used the OV Directory.
[Back to Top]

LN Calendar Security
Please set up your Lotus Notes so that the rest of the campus can see your calendar.  Click on Actions, choose Mail Tools, choose Delegation Profile, and click on the box for Everyone can read my calendar.  An X should then appear in the box.  Then click OK.

This will give others the ability to read your calendar.  This box should be checked unless you have a specific reason for not having your calendar read.  If you need assistance with this task, contact the CTC Helpdesk at 5276.
[Back to Top]
 

LN Calendar Hint
For those of you who have already started using the LN calendar, if you have viewed the Two Days option, you probably have noticed how LN colors in appointments in blue on your calendar.

These blue color blocks on the Two Days view make it easy to determine when the meeting begins but the ending time is difficult to determine.

You can display the ending time (if you’d like) when setting up the original appointment on your calendar. To display the ending time for your appointments, key in the ending time first in the Brief Description box of a new calendar entry.  Be sure to fill in the remaining required fields for date, time, detailed description, etc.   The ending time will show up on all views except the One Month view.  Here are some examples of how this can be entered:

-  9:30AM - CTC Managers Meeting
- 11:30AM - Dentist Appointment
-  1:00PM - Lunch
-  2:30PM - Lotus Notes Training Session

If you would like to see how calendar entries look when set up in this manner, view my calendar (Viv Zimmerman) on LN.  Choose Actions, select Calendar Tools, select Open Another Calendar.

It makes it much easier to determine the ending times for anyone viewing calendars if the ending time is included in the Brief Description field.

If you have questions about this, contact me at vzimmerm@tiger.fhsu.edu.
[Back to Top]

Using LN and MIS Simultaneously
If you have Windows 95, one of the easiest ways that I have found to use both LN and MIS applications simultaneously  from my computer is to access QWS3270 right away in the morning.  Tab to the command line and enter mis.  The Multiterm screen appears and sign onto both CMS and CICS.  Then  click on Start in the lower left corner.  Click on Programs, select Lotus Applications and then select Lotus Notes.

You should now be in Lotus Notes.  Enter your LN password and then begin working.

You may toggle between your QWS3270 applications and LN by clicking on the buttons displayed at the bottom of your screen or press ALT TAB.  This will be helpful when working with your budget, registering students, etc.

Please note that CICS applications and access will not change!  You will still have the same CICS ID and password and your CICS security will remain the same.
[Back to Top]

Change Your LN Password
Don’t forget to change your LN password.  Remember, that when your LN account was initially set up, the last four numbers of your SSN was used for the password.  Please change your password as soon as you begin using LN.  If you don’t change your password, anyone with access to your SSN could possibly access your mail or other LN files.
[Back to Top]

LN Meeting Invitations
You can automatically remove meeting invitations from your Inbox after you respond to them.  LN will remove the invitation from the Inbox but will not remove the corresponding meeting entry from your Calendar view or Meetings folder.  To do this, choose Actions, select Calendar Tools, and select Calendar Profile.  Then click Advanced Calendar Options and select Remove Invitations from my Inbox after I respond to them and then click OK.

As a word of caution, if you do not set up the above option, when you accept a meeting invitation in LN, the entry is posted on your LN calendar but the invitation also remains in your LN inbox.  If you delete the invitation from your inbox, LN also removes the calendar entry from your calendar.

If you need assistance with this, contact the CTC Helpdesk at 5276.
[Back to Top]

Removing Items from LN Folders
Please be careful when deleting items from your inbox or folders that you have created.   Some users have accidentally deleted documents that they thought were in another folder.  Hopefully, this information taken from the Using Notes and Domino 4.6 book by QUE will make it a little easier to understand.

“You can remove documents from a folder by clicking the document titles (or select multiple documents by placing a checkmark next to each name) in the folder and selection Actions, Remove from Folder.  Notes will remove the selected documents from the folder.  This doesn’t delete the documents from the database, however; you can still see the documents if you switch back to a view designed to display those documents.”

It goes on to say, “CAUTION: Don’t select the documents and press the Delete key, send the documents to the Trash, or select Edit, Clear unless you want to permanently delete the document from Notes.  Unlike selecting Remove from Folder, these actions permanently delete the documents from the database.”
[Back to Top]

LN Server Upgrade
Since installing the LN server upgrade on November 19, we have found that the web interface for LN has been greatly improved.  Users working from home may find this system easier to use.  The address is: http://tiger.fhsu.edu.
[Back to Top]

Using Subjects in Lotus Notes
When sending notes through the Lotus Notes system, please fill in the Subject line with the topic of your note.  Many users get a large amount of mail and including the Subject  makes it much easier to find notes that need immediate attention or need forwarding to another user.  It only takes a few seconds to fill it in and will make note retrieval less time-consuming.
[Back to Top]

On-Line Grade Entry
If you are new faculty or have never entered grades before or if you haven't signed onto CICS recently, please sign onto CICS and see if you can access the Course System (for example, try function 81 Roster Inquiry or 71 Roster Grade Update).

This security must be set up before you will be able to enter grades.  If you do not have a CICS ID or if you have questions, please contact Jane at 5819 or Viv at 4031.
[Back to Top]

Holiday Hours
Please keep in mind that we have modified our Helpdesk and CTC lab hours for the holiday season.  Hours are as follows:

Nov 30 - Dec 15 Open till midnight Sun-Thurs
  Reg Hours Fri & Sat
Dec 16-18         8am to 6pm
Dec 19 & 20     CLOSED
Dec 21-23         8am to 5pm
Dec 24 - Jan 3   CLOSED
Jan 4 - 8             8am to 5pm
Jan 9 & 10         CLOSED
Jan 11 & 12       8am to 5pm
Jan 13-15           8am to 6pm
Jan 16-18           CLOSED
Jan 19                Resume regular hours

For more information about our hours, visit our web site at http://www.fhsu.edu/ctc/helpdesk/.  You may also contact us by calling (785) 628-5276 or by sending E-mail to helpdesk@tiger.fhsu.edu.
[Back to Top]

In the Spotlight
In this issue of the CTC Newsletter, we’d like to feature Viv Zimmerman, User Services.

Before coming to work at the CTC, Viv worked in the Computing Center at Central Kansas Power Company, Inc (now known as Midwest Energy, Inc.) for about eight years.

Viv grew up on a farm near Ellis and attended schools there.  She began working in Data Entry at the CTC in 1980.  After several years, she transferred to Operations and worked in there for a few years while completing a degree in Data Processing.  She began working in her current position in 1989 and then completed a B.B.A in Computer Information Systems from FHSU in 1992.

Viv’s job keeps her busy with training users on the use of the new Lotus Notes system and CICS administrative systems, writing instructional handbooks, putting together the CTC Newsletter, answering questions for users who call with computer-related problems, overseeing the CTC student computer labs and lab monitors, and a variety of other tasks.  There is never a dull moment and each day seems to bring a different challenge.

Viv and her husband Bill live in Hays with their two cats.  During her free time, Viv enjoys spending time with her cats, cooking, gardening, reading, and shopping.
 

© 1999
Computing and Telecommunication Center
Fort Hays State University