Eastern Michigan is about to launch a new e-mail system
and, whether you've been ignoring the e-mails that detail
the switch, reading every word you can get your hands on
or avoiding the matter altogether, it's time to pay attention.
Even as you read this, it's already happening.
 |
YOU HAVE NEW MAIL: This screen capture
shows
the design, colors and fonts that will be
part of
EagleMail, the new campus e-mail system
that
debuts Oct. 3. |
To make the Oct. 3 transition seamless for users, the
hosting company, Merit, is already synchronizing e-mails
and address books in the old and new systems. When service
switches to EagleMail Oct. 3, users will log in the same
way they always have, but with dramatically different results.
That login will take them to a veritable playground of
electronic communication: unlimited storage, a modern-looking
and customizable screen environment, compatibility with
cell phones, Blackberrys and iPhones; and calendar and
collaboration tools. It'll happily work with programs like
Outlook and Thunderbird, which download e-mail to your
computer, or you can use all the features from any computer
connected to the Internet.
And yes, it sends e-mail, too.
"It's very easy to use," said Rhonda DeLong, director
of Web communications. "Yes, it's got lots of features
that you might not know how to use right away but, as far
as composing and sending e-mail, it's very straightforward.
We will offer training, but I think a lot of people are
going to look at it and think, 'Why would I need to be
trained?'"
Approximately 200 people participated in a pilot launch
over the summer, using the new system for a month and keeping
a log of problems and comments.
"We were looking at it not only from the standpoint of 'does
it work?', but "does it work for users?" DeLong said. "One
of the things that stuck out for me was that everyone was
really bummed that they had to go back to the other system
for a couple of months. Everyone was like, 'Get this up
and running.'"
 |
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Kathy Robertson,
a
senior instructional technologist in informational
technology, moderates a Sept. 29 workshop in Halle
Library about how to use the new e-mail system
that
will be coming online Oct 3. New e-mail system
workshops started earlier this month and
will
continue in October.
|
The division of information technology has created user
guides and quick-start guides, nonetheless, and the IT
help desk will offer support for anyone who needs it.
Most users on campus won't need to do anything beyond
making sure their e-mail passwords are up to date. Any
password that's more than six months old won't work when
the new system goes live.
People who use e-mail clients like Thunderbird, Eudora,
Outlook or MacMail will need to change some security settings
and, for those who have their EMU mail forwarded to another
account, will have to set that up within EagleMail. People
who use group e-mail lists will have to rebuild those lists
in EagleMail, though all their e-mails and address books
will be migrated to the new system.
Even though EagleMail is very intuitive, DeLong says IT
is allowing for some extra time to get everyone transitioned
smoothly before officially launching the calendar and sharing
functions. That said, those features will work right from
the start — they just won't be supported or migrated from
the old system until early 2009.
By making a series of synchronizing "sweeps," Merit is
able to move EMU users to the new system with no downtime.
Users should be able to log in Oct. 3 and find their e-mail
world improved, intact and waiting for them.
And, if you find yourself hanging on that "should," not
so confident this thing will actually do what its handlers
say, rest assured those working on the new system understand.
"There's a lot of skepticism on campus," DeLong said. "But,
I feel like we can't lose. First of all, our old system
is so bad, and the product we've chosen is very innovative
and very much on the edge of what a lot of universities
are trying to do. In the beginning, we may have a lot of
skeptics, but I think the overall product and the service
they get will win them over."
Faculty, staff, or students who need personal assistance
with EagleMail can contact the IT Help Desk at 487-2120
or go to https://it.emich.edu/helpdesk/.
Online documentation about EagleMail is available at https://www.emich.edu/training/email.
.
