- MS VISTA ROLLOUT
Windows Vista and Office 2007 boast an array of new features and a new look to the user interface that you may be anxious to try out. Thanks to the agreement between Valparaiso University and Microsoft, faculty and staff can use these product upgrades on their home computers at no cost. University owned machines can also be upgraded at no cost to the department.
Each machine is different so depending on your system’s unique configurations some hardware upgrades may be needed. Because of the new look and feel, you may also feel more comfortable getting an overview of Office 2007 and Vista from the Office of Information Technology.
It is not uncommon to work on a particular file both on campus and at home, or to send a file created using Office 2007 to someone who may not have upgraded. These differences in systems could potentially make files impossible to use. To ensure these files are compatible, it is recommended that departments coordinate their upgrades with IT.
The Office of Information Technology has produced the following roll-out and support timetable to foster communication and allow for a systematic approach to implementing these new programs on campus. Please remember that the dates reflected below are subject to change depending on compatibility issues that may exist with Vista or Office 2007 and other software applications that are utilized on campus.
Faculty, staff or departments interested in upgrading their systems are encouraged to contact Mark DeMateo to arrange a consultation to develop a tailored implementation plan. A planned implementation schedule will allow for a smooth transition and help avoid potential problems.
Targeted Date Event July 1, 2007 Office 2003 and 2007 and Windows XP and Vista available for Home Use requesters (Note: Vista is incompatible with many university tools and not yet supported at this time) July 1, 2007 Announcement of phased roll-out of Office 2007 and Vista with purchase of new machines beginning in fall 2007. Departments will have choice to allow individuals to upgrade with new machines or to wait for full department to be upgraded when all machines meet deployment requirements. August 1, 2007 IT prepared to support Vista and Office 2007 arriving with students. Preliminary training materials available for Office 2007 Late Fall 2007 Full training materials for Vista and Office 2007 Summer 2008 Upgrading of classrooms and public computers where possible 2008-2009 Continued phased roll-out of Office 2007 and Vista; departmental option of individual or phased upgrades. 2009-2010 Target year for getting remaining machines and departments to Vista and Office 2007.