May 31, 2021
A picture is worth a thousand words … it just takes longer to load.
With the summer session just beginning, we thought it would be a good time to review our tech support process. While Duke is still operating in a limited on-site capacity, we are continuing to make sure you have the support you need, where you need it. Here’s what you need to know:
But first, here’s our Tech Tip of the Week …
Well, not really a Tech Tip, but a fun fact …
Many people credit Grace Hopper for being the first to use the term “bug” to refer to an engineering problem when she found a moth in a relay used by the Harvard Mark II computer. By removing the moth, she was “de-bugging” the system. Contrary to popular thought, she was actually just perpetuating a term already coined much earlier by a famous inventor.
Historians have traced the term to none other than Thomas Edison, who first used the term “bug” to describe engineering problems, as in this note to the president of Western Union:
You were partly correct, I did find a ‘bug’ in my apparatus, but it was not in the telephone proper. It was of the genus ‘callbellum.’ The insect appears to find conditions for its existence in all call apparatus of Telephones.
So now you know …
Class Support
Action Required – Please take a few minutes to complete this form. As you plan for the remainder of the semester, let us know what questions you have or what tech support or assistance you need. By now, most of you are are Zoom pros, but here’s a refresher for those who are planning to teach Zoom classes this spring:
Zoom Classes: If you taught in the fall or spring, you know the drill. For those new to being an instructor in this type of class:
- If you request it via the link above, for the first two weeks of class, a member of our team will join your Zoom class 5 minutes prior to the start of your session and stay until all tech issues are resolved.
- Any issues during class? Call 919-684-9200.
- We encourage you to start class with a Class Expectations If you need a sample, let us know.
Zoom Class Recordings
If you are recording your Zoom class, remember that Duke has a limited amount of storage for Zoom recordings. Please follow the instructions in this video for saving your recordings and making them available in Mediasite for your students. Remember to delete the Zoom cloud recording after it’s converted to I If you have any questions about this, please call the IT Service Desk at (919) 684-9200.
PC, Laptop & Mobile Tech Support
Contact SON-IT by calling (919) 684-9200 or send an email to SONIT-Support@duke.edu. If we’re busy with someone else, feel free to set up an appointment. Zoom works well for these calls, but a voice call is acceptable, too. Most issues can be resolved remotely. Here is a list of our support services:
- IT Services
- Laptop support
- Mobile device support
- Application support
- Server support
- IT Service Desk
- Hours – 8-5, M-F
- Phone: (919)684-9200
- Email: SONIT-Support@duke.edu
While we provide drop-in support for devices, we recommend that you coordinate with the SON-IT Service Desk before-hand to schedule a time to drop off your device.
For issues that take longer than a couple of hours, we can provide a loaner laptop for you to use while you wait. These laptops can be configured to work with your existing storage and applications.
Classroom AV
When you need help in the classroom, please call (919) 684-9200. Our on-site tech will assist.
Just to review:
- Multimedia Services will ensure classrooms are sanitized before and after class
- We will replace saran wrap around the touch panel before each class. (Yes, the touch panel will work through the saran wrap. It’s a neat trick our IT Staff discovered!)
- Multimedia Services will sanitize hands and wear a mask, when assisting users
Multimedia Services will continue to do the morning and evening checks of all classrooms and conference rooms.
Missing Our Campus?
This week’s Duke Photo of the Week is the Ronald McDonald House.
