Tech Ops releases new technology
Several new technologies have been added to Central Michigan University this year by Technology Operations to benefit staff, faculty and administrators.
They include the ability to chat with a Tech Ops producer with help on creating video and podcasts on iChat, a new content management service for Web sites called Plone and a Wiki that everyone can access and edit.
The technologies were unveiled at their event, "A World of Difference," last Friday.
Jeff Wilson, the manager of Technology Operations and the assistant director of residences and auxilary services, said that as of July 31, all students, faculty and administrators can access support help with creating video and podcasts by contacting a Tech Ops Producer through iChat.
"At Tech Ops, we feel that the benefits of CMU diving into video (and) mobile learning is so tremendous, that we really wanted to facilitate the transition into this exciting new frontier," Wilson said.
Interested users simply click on a video icon in their iChat window to be connected to a producer, Wilson said. Producers are already available for questions on CMU's Jabber chat system, he said.
Secondly, Wilson said, a new content management server named Plone has been launched to aid CMU Web site administrators in the creation and editing of their Web sites. Plone is very user-friendly, he said.
Tech Ops Application Programmer Kevin Daum also said Plone is easy to use.
"Plone lets non-technical people create and maintain information using only a Web browser," Daum said. "Plone allows us to put powerful Web site development tools in the hands of those who care most about the Web sites."
Plone is an open-source CMS and is also free, Wilson said. Tech Ops currently maintains more than 30 Web sites and the group receives new requests almost daily, he said.
"A CMS was an obvious choice for us in order to effectively allow our sites to grow," he said.
Tech Ops has also set up a Wiki to share information about their services and is allowing other groups and organizations on campus to create their own Wikis as well.
"The basic idea (of a Wiki) is to rapidly share information," Wilson said. "Think of it like having a set of word documents that everybody collaborates on."
Any CMU faculty member, staff member or registered student organization can request a Wiki for their group from Tech Ops.
Tech Ops staff maintain campus software and computers, create Web sites and web applications, maintain the CMU housing portal and provide technological support to students, staff, faculty and administration.
More information about new campus technologies and Tech Ops can be found at www.ihelp.cmich.edu. To access the Tech Ops Wiki or request a Wiki, interested parties can go to ihelp.cmich.edu/rsvp/wiki.
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