The Help Desk is pleased to announce the official active student migration date from SLC Webmail to Gryphon Mail — 12:01 AM EDT July 23rd, 2007.

At 12:01 EDT AM July 23rd, 2007 all active student @slc.edu email will be redirected to @gm.slc.edu. This will ensure that no new email is lost during the migration. Once this task is complete the only way to check SLC email will be through Gryphon Mail. Active students will not have access to SLC Webmail after 12:01 EDT AM July 23rd, 2007.

The Gryphon Mail migration took place at 12:01 AM July 23rd, 2007.

This announcement was emailed to the active student body on: July 6th, July 13th, July 18th, July 19th, July 20th, July 21st, and July 22nd, 2007.
Click here to read the Gryphon Mail FAQs.

Please read the following carefully.

Over the next few weeks, the Help Desk will send a number of reminders regarding the migration to Gryphon Mail. Before July 23rd, active students should delete old email you do not want transferred to Gryphon Mail and back up your address book.

We recommend deleting old email from your Inbox, Drafts, Sent, as well as any folder(s) manually created. All remaining email on SLC Webmail will be copied into Gryphon Mail. Please be patient: this process may take up to 72 hours.

You should also back up your address book. Follow the steps outlined in the Gryphon Mail FAQs. You will not have access to SLC Webmail to do this after 12:01 AM EDT July 23rd. Click here to read the Gryphon Mail FAQs.

If your SLC email is currently forwarded to another email address via SLC Webmail, it will be overridden at 12:01 AM EDT July 23rd. All active student SLC email will be redirected to Gryphon Mail.

Please read the Gryphon Mail FAQs for more information regarding your temporary password for Gryphon Mail.

Vacation message settings will not be copied into Gryphon Mail.

Migration Recap

• Read the Gryphon Mail FAQs — Most if not all of your questions about Gryphon Mail are answered there.
• Back up your address book — It will take you approximately 2 minutes to accomplish this task.
• Delete unwanted email — The fewer messages you keep, the faster your old email will be transferred to Gryphon Mail.
• Active students will not have access to SLC Webmail after 12:01 AM EDT July 23rd.

Click here to read the Gryphon Mail FAQs.

PLEASE NOTE THIS WILL ONLY AFFECT ACTIVE STUDENT EMAIL ACCOUNTS.

Help Desk

Topic(s):email, fix, learn, student

1. What is the new SLC Webmail?
2. When will my Gryphon Mail account be available?
3. How do I access Gryphon Mail?
4. What is my Gryphon Mail username?
5. What is my Gryphon Mail temporary password?
6. I do not know my SLC ID number. What should I do?
7. I am unable to log on to Gryphon Mail.
8. What will happen to all my mail in SLC Webmail?
9. How long will the migration process take?
10. How do I import my address book to Gryphon Mail from SLC Webmail?
11. How will I get the word out that my email address has changed?
12. What will happen to email sent to my @slc.edu address?
13. Can I change my password in Gryphon Mail?
14. I forgot my Gryphon Mail password, can it be changed/reset?
15. Can I still log on to SLC Webmail after my account is migrated to Gryphon Mail?
16. What will happen to mail on SLC Webmail?
17. Can I POP my mail using a mail program (Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.)?

1. What is the new SLC Webmail?

   Some people may call it GMail but we call it Gryphon Mail. A number of great applications including GMail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Chat are just a few features available in the new SLC Webmail. A number of specific features that will interest everyone include 2GB of space, 20MB file attachments, and labels. Be sure to try out the sharing features in calendars and docs!

2. When will my Gryphon Mail account be available?

   If you are a new student to Sarah Lawrence your account will be ready by the end of June. If you entered SLC before June 2007 your account will be migrated in July/August 2007. Please keep an eye on your Inbox for the migration schedule.

3. How do I access Gryphon Mail?

   Go to http://gm.slc.edu.

4. What is my Gryphon Mail username?

   Your Gryphon Mail username is typically the first letter of your first name followed by your last name. For example: Frodo Baggins = fbaggins
   
   At times a username may contain a number or an additional letter. This happens when an account with the same username already exists. For example, Falco Baggins' username would be: fbaggins1

If you are unsure what your username is please contact the Help Desk at 914-395-2460, x-2460, or use our online form.

5. What is my Gryphon Mail temporary password?

   Your Gryphon Mail temporary password is made up of the first two initials of your last name, the first two initials of your first name, and the last four digits of your SLC ID. Frodo's ID number is 029680922 so his password would look like this: bafr0922
   
   For security purposes you will be prompted to change your password during the first log on. Please make note of the password you choose. The Help Desk does not have access to your password.

6. I do not know my SLC ID number. What should I do?

   We recommend the following:

   1. Locate your SLC ID card. Your SLC ID number is printed below your name.
   2. The ID number you use to log on to MySLC is your SLC ID number.
   3. Locate a bill from Sarah Lawrence College. Your SLC ID number can be found on the top left of the statement.

   If you are still unable to locate your SLC ID number, our recommendation is to contact the Registrars Office 914-395-2301.

7. I am unable to log on to Gryphon Mail.

   Please be sure you are using all lowercase characters for your username and your password. If you are still unable to log in please contact the Help Desk at 914-395-2460, x-2460, or use our online form.

8. What will happen to all my mail in SLC Webmail?

   During the migration process all of your mail in the Inbox, Drafts folder, Sent folder, and any folder(s) created manually will be copied into your Gryphon Mail account.

9. How long will the migration process take?

   The length of time will vary based on the number of messages you have in your Inbox, Drafts, Sent, Trash, and manually created folders. Please be patient as the migration process may take up to 72 hours.
   
   Gryphon Mail will operate normally during the migration process.

10. How do I import my address book to Gryphon Mail from SLC Webmail?

    A new tool has been installed on SLC Webmail.
    
    

    Save your address book:
    • Log on to SLC Webmail
    • Click on Addresses, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Export to CSV
    • A dialog box will appear asking you what to do with the file
    • Click Save
    • Select Desktop to save the file (username-addresses.csv) to the Desktop
    • Click Save

    Import your address book:

    • Log on to Gryphon Mail
    • Click on Contacts
    • Click on Import
    • Click on Browse…
    • Locate the address book file (username-addresses.csv), click it, click open, and then click Import Contacts.

11. How will I get the word out that my email address has changed?

    Any new email you send will come from your new email address (username@gm.slc.edu). It is also recommend that you email everyone after you import your address book to advise them of your email address change.

12. What will happen to email sent to my @slc.edu address?

    After your account is migrated to Gryphon Mail all email sent to your @slc.edu address will be forwarded to your new @gm.slc.edu address. This setting will be removed during the academic year which will cause any mail sent to @slc.edu to bounce. The removal date has yet to be determined.
    
    It is highly recommended that you do not use your @slc.edu address after your account has been migrated to @gm.slc.edu.

13. Can I change my password in Gryphon Mail?

    Yes. Please refer to Google's help page for more information: Google's Help Center

14. I forgot my Gryphon Mail password, can it be changed/reset?

    Yes. Please contact the Help Desk at 914-395-2460, x-2460, or use our online form.

15. Can I still log on to SLC Webmail after my account is migrated to Gryphon Mail?

    After your account has been migrated to Gryphon Mail you will not be able to log on to SLC Webmail.

16. What will happen to mail on SLC Webmail?

    Any email on SLC Webmail will be deleted after May 31st, 2008.

17. Can I POP my mail using a mail program (Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.)?

    Yes. Please refer to Google's help page for more information: Google's Help Center

If you are going to use a mail program be sure to type in the complete username.
For example: fbaggins@gm.slc.edu not fbaggins or fbaggins@gmail.com

For general use questions refer to Google’s Help Center

• http://mail.google.com/support/

Topic(s):email, fix, learn, student

Academic Computing and Information Systems are extremely pleased to announce that student e-mail services will begin migrating to Google Apps this summer (2007). Many of you have been using Gmail already and know that it is part of a very powerful and easy to use suite of tools.

As we begin the transition we will keep you informed of any changes that will affect your mail service, so please check your SLC e-mail often for updates.

Gmail for Sarah Lawrence Graduating Seniors

As you have already heard, student email accounts will be migrated to the Google Apps platform over the summer (2007). Historically, the email accounts for graduating students have been terminated and deleted in August each year. We are pleased to announce that starting this year graduating students accounts will no longer be deleted and will be included as part of the Gmail implementation and will be available for you to use as long as you wish. Please check your SLC email periodically for announcements regarding the switch over.

Topic(s):email, learn, student

More…

Topic(s):faculty, fix, forms, staff, student, wireless

Your network or H: drive (a.k.a. home directory) is a mapped drive on SLC3, which is one of the College's servers. It behaves like a hard drive, allowing you to save files to it. On campus, the address for a person's network drive is:

\\\\slc3\\username

where “username” is a person's network user name. An example might be \\slc3\bgates.

Off-campus access is now available.

All College-owned PCs on campus are configured to map an H: drive upon login. Mac users should map a network drive as needed.

Connecting to the Network Drive

To configure your own PC to map an H: drive automatically, you must have your network connection configured properly. Follow the directions at the appropriate link below:

• Windows 2000/XP
• Mac OSX

Topic(s):faculty, fix, h drive, learn, network storage, staff, student

1. Click here to download the network logon script. Save it to your desktop.
2. Right-click the file called logon.bat and choose Edit.
   
3. In the first line of the script, replace the two instances of the word usernamehere with your network username. For example, you might change the first line to look as follows:

   net use h: \\\\slc3\\bgates /user:bgates

4. Choose File -> Save.
5. Choose File -> Exit.
6. Cut logon.bat from your desktop and paste it to C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
7. Restart your computer.

After your computer restarts, you will see a login script that will ask you to type the password for \\slc3\. Type your password, then press [Enter]. To make sure the script worked, double-click on My Computer and see if you have an H: drive and a P: drive.

Topic(s):faculty, h drive, learn, network storage, staff, student

1. In the Finder, choose Go->Connect to Server
2. In the address bar, type: smb://slc3/
3. Click the Connect button
4. In the Workgroup/Domain field, enter academic
5. Enter your SLC network username and password
6. Optionally, select Add to Keychain to remember your password next time.
7. Click OK.

A drive will appear on the desktop. Remember to eject the drive (by dragging it to the trash) when you are done, especially on public computers.

You can create an alias to this drive for quick access (File->Make Alias).

Topic(s):faculty, h drive, learn, network storage, staff, student

Buying a computer with the following specifications will protect you from obsolescence for three to five years. If your needs do not dramatically increase, you may even be able to keep using your computer for even longer.

The most common question we are asked is: “Should I buy a Mac or a PC?” There is no clear-cut answer. The choice of PC vs. Mac is mostly a personal one; Windows XP and Mac OS X are both stable, mature, and full-featured. Besides personal preference, however, there are a number of other factors to consider in your choice of computer. Read more about Macs vs. PCs.

Below are the suggested minimum specifications for new computer purchases.

• Laptop or Desktop — Sarah Lawrence College recommends a laptop. Though a desktop will be cheaper and more powerful, a laptop's portability will come in handy on campus.
• Processor — Almost any recent processor will be sufficient, though we do not recommend Celeron or Sempron processors.
• Memory (RAM) — 1 gigabyte.
• Hard drive — At least 80 gigabytes is recommended; 100 or greater if you intend to create digital art.
• Display size — 12 inches or greater on a laptop; 17 inches or greater for a desktop.
• Wireless internet access — A wireless card is a necessity for a laptop, but not required for a desktop.
• Disc burning — Make sure that your computer can burn CDs. If you edit videos, DVD burning can also be useful. Look for a CD-R or DVD-R/DVD+R drive.
• Warranty — A three or four year warranty is recommended, especially if you have a laptop.
• Removable Media — A 1 gigabyte (or larger) USB flash drive is recommended for quick file transfers, and you can use it for backing up important documents as well.

After you buy:

• Web browsing — We recommend that Windows users use Firefox, a free, powerful, and secure web browser. Firefox is easier to use than Internet Explorer 7, and more secure than Internet Explorer 6–which should be avoided. Download Firefox here. For Mac users, we recommend either Firefox or Safari (the web browser that comes with their computers).
• Security — Sophos Anti-Virus (Mac and Windows) is offered freely to students by Sarah Lawrence College. Beyond that, Ad-Aware SE and Spybot S&D are excellent free anti-spyware tools for Windows.

Further Reading

• Laptop or Desktop?
  A laptop's portability allows you to take it to class, the library, with you on plane flights, and home over breaks without having to ship it through the postal service. A desktop will give you more “bang for your buck.”
• Mac or PC?
  Today Macs and PCs are both capable of performing the same tasks in roughly the same amount of time. No matter what platform and what computer you choose, it will be perfectly sufficient for word processing, reading email and browsing the Web. However, Macs and PCs are still very different in their “feel,” price, and software libraries. Click here for a more in-depth discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each.
• Processor
  Modern processors–such as the Intel Core 2 Duo–are all extremely fast and powerful. However, some manufacturers still sell computers with Celeron or Sempron processors which are very slow in a misguided attempt to cut costs. Avoid these computers, no matter how cheap they are.
• Memory (RAM)
  More RAM allows you to run more programs at once and still have your computer feel responsive. Less RAM will limit your ability to multitask and make your computer feel slower–in fact, not enough RAM is the most common bottleneck a computer can experience. RAM is so cheap these days that even 2 gigabytes is fairly inexpensive and should be strongly considered, especially for extreme multitaskers, video editors, or heavy Photoshop users.
• Hard drive

  A larger hard drive will let you store more data (pictures, music, movies, conference papers, etc.) on your computer. Because of the relative difficulty and expense involved in removing and replacing a hard drive, we recommend that you buy a computer with a hard drive you can “grow into” to avoid space cramps later.

• Display size
  On a laptop, a larger display will add considerably to the weight of your computer, limiting your ability to easily transport it. It will also probably raise the price, too. On the other hand, it will give you more room to work and make multitasking easier. On a desktop, bigger is always better, since the computer isn't going anywhere. Though 17 inch displays are common, a 20 inch display is likely to be a better idea, and it will not be significantly more expensive than a 17 incher. We recommend a widescreen monitor (16:9 rather than 4:3).
• Wireless internet access
  A wireless card is not very important if you have a desktop, as the dorms are not covered by wireless networks. On a laptop, though, a wireless card is vital, and will make your life easier anytime you need to connect to the internet away from home.
• Disc burning
  Beng able to burn CDs is less important if you have a decently-sized flash drive, but it is still handy. Being able to burn DVDs can be quite convenient for moving larger amounts of data than can fit in a flash drive, and CDs or DVDs are excellent for distributing digital media you have created. For the most storage capacity, look for a dual-layer DVD burner.
• Word processing/productivity
  Microsoft Office has become the de facto standard. If you need many of the advanced features of Office but would like to avoid the “Office tax,” you might consider OpenOffice, which is free, does most of what Office can do, and reads and writes Office file formats (.doc, .ppt, .xls) natively. Mac users may prefer NeoOffice, which is a more Mac-like version of OpenOffice. Please note that we are unable to provide support for OpenOffice or NeoOffice.
• Warranty
  A good warranty is essential for any computer, especially laptops, which typically see more wear and tear than desktops. A warranty will protect you from having to pay expensive repair costs should anything go wrong with your computer during coverage, and will have paid for itself should even one repair be required.
• Web browsing
  We recommend Mozilla Firefox for a variety of reasons: security, speed, standards compliance, and user customizability. Firefox outmatches Internet Explorer 6 in all these categories, and Internet Explorer 7 in most of them. Firefox is also free (zero cost and open source).
• Security
  Anti-virus and anti-spyware software is very important for any Windows computer. Ad-Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy are both free and easy to use, and failure to use them can result in infections of malware–spyware that can steal your personal information or viruses that can hold your files hostage or even turn your computer into a spam zombie. Macs are mostly immune to these threats, as little to no malware exists that targets Macs.

Topic(s):faculty, learn, recommendations, staff, student