More computer problems. . . - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Dec 3, 2004

More computer problems. . .

Date: Dec 3, 2004

for those who don't want to hyperlink--IBM is trying to sell it's pc business. i guess HEST is referring to USM's decision to run with IBM exclusively for new pcs.

Date: Dec 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: HEST
"Wonder what this does to the USM contract"

I read elsewhere that a a Chinese company was interested in acquiring IBM's selloff.

Date: Dec 3, 2004

Yes, you're right, SCM. It's been a long day of grading interspersed with meetings that were dreadful enough to make me want to go back to grading. . .Apparently, I'm guilty of the same thing I constantly harp at my grad students abiyt -- leaving out the important details.

It is rumored that IBM is getting out of the PC business, and they are looking to sell that section of their company to Lenovo, China's largest maker of personal computers.

Here's a part of the article I thought was interesting:

"A sale now, if it happens, would be consistent with the strategy pursued by Samuel J. Palmisano, who became I.B.M.'s chief executive early in 2002. He has sold hardware businesses where profits were slender and growth prospects were limited, like its hard disk drive business, which was sold to Hitachi. . .'Palmisano's getting out of businesses that aren't growth opportunities and concentrating on what I.B.M. does best,' said Mark Stahlman. . . 'PC's are not where the growth is.'. . .To trim costs, I.B.M. has steadily retreated from the manufacture of its PC's. In January 2002, it sold its desktop PC manufacturing operations in the Untied States and Europe to Sanmina-SCI, based in San Jose, Calif."

Is it just me who thinks that USM's CTO should have been considering such things?

Date: Dec 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: HEST
".Apparently, I'm guilty of the same thing I constantly harp at my grad students abiyt -- leaving out the important details."

Ummmm....and I harp about proofing written work for typos, too. That should be "about," not "abiyt." Maybe I should quit while I'm ahead. . . .

Date: Dec 3, 2004

I shudder to think of what kind of meeting would make a person wish they were grading papers . . .

Date: Dec 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: New Adjunct
"I shudder to think of what kind of meeting would make a person wish they were grading papers . . ."

I've got five letters, which when strung together are quickly becoming a conditioned punisher for many people around campus -- N-C-A-T-E

Date: Dec 4, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: HEST
" I've got five letters, which when strung together are quickly becoming a conditioned punisher for many people around campus -- N-C-A-T-E"

ODE TO NCATE:

N is for the Novices around here

C means Cents & dollars we are short

A says Away's where I should be now

T means only Tenure is denied

E is for the Eager inexperienced

Put them all together they spell N C A T E

Can't we put it off another year?

Date: Dec 4, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: NCATE poetry/song contestant #001
" ODE TO NCATE: N is for the Novices around here C means Cents & dollars we are short A says Away's where I should be now T means only Tenure is denied E is for the Eager inexperienced Put them all together they spell N C A T E Can't we put it off another year? "

N is for the way we Neglect our place
C is for the sins we Can't erase
A is very very extra Alienating
T is Time to find a way to dodge the
Edict coming

NCATE rules are something not to "play"
NCATE accreditation is the legal way
Members of NCATE make it
Take it away, and we can't fake it

NCATE affects all of USM.

another sin
of USM
another sin
of USM

Date: Dec 4, 2004

There is a long tradition of buying questionable services/technologies at USM. Just look at PeopleSoft, the ATM network, web consultants for site redesign and dont forget Pileum.

Date: Dec 4, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Who Are You
"There is a long tradition of buying questionable services/technologies at USM. Just look at PeopleSoft, the ATM network, web consultants for site redesign and dont forget Pileum."

I'll have to speak up for PeopleSoft (a little) -- it wasnt' designed for higher ed, and it wasnt' perfect, but there was nothing else out there. My understanding was that the system Ole Miss bought was worse. And what you had before was failing fast.

I was in CICE when we changed over from a manual to a PS system. Most of our problems were the result of folks not thinking about our unique needs when PS was implemented. I personally input "Incomplete" grades for hundreds of Independent Study students because People Soft could not recognize open admission year-long courses at that time. And then I had to deal with the consequences! But before that, everything was manual, and we could not find out anything about student status, etc. before enrolling them in IS courses. So, PS was not perfect, but it was a step in the right direction.