Computing Services provides new technology, entertainment

Pitt Computing Services can only offer free tablets and inflatable obstacle courses once a year, but the new technology profiled at Wednesday’s “Love your computer” kickoff event is available year-round.

This year’s event promoted several new technologies and service locations available to students. Jeff Rhodes, manager of student computing services, said the event was “aimed toward informing new students about computing services.”

This year, Rhodes said, students should not need to carry flash drives ever again. Instead, Pitt students can utilize 25 GB of online storage space accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection. Box, at pitt.box.com, allows students to log in with their Pitt usernames and passwords and use the online document storage for free.

Meghan Cahalane, a freshman pharmacy major, came to “Love your computer” for the free T-shirt but stayed for the information on Box.

 “It just sounds kind of interesting and a different way to save memory on your computer,” Cahalane said.

Advertising a chance to win two Microsoft Surface tablets, the event drew in more than 1,000 students and gave them information on technological resources. Lync, a Microsoft program affiliated with Pitt, is an online form of text, audio and video communication similar to Skype available to those enrolled in the school. The benefit to using Lync, Rhodes said, is that all Pitt students have an account already.

“If you’re working on a group project you can easily find everybody,” Rhodes said.  

Microsoft Lync also allows students to “share your desktop” with other students, meaning that if one student were having trouble doing something with his or her computer, another student could log onto Lync and remotely control the desktop of the student in need. This process is much like when professionals enter a computer to find bugs or malware. 

Currently the basement floor of Alumni Hall is undergoing renovations, but on Oct. 10 the floor will be open to show off many changes. Jeff Ruff, senior coordinator for Pitt computing services and system development, has been involved with the “Love your computer” event in all of its nine years. He thinks the renovations will be a big draw for students looking to work on group projects. 

“We’re pretty excited about the Alumni lab,” Ruff said about the CSSD department. “We think it’ll be a real nice lab for students. Real sharp looking.”

The gold T-shirts given away at the event displayed a web address: Lynda.pitt.edu. There, students can learn about software such as Adobe Photoshop, HTML and various Microsoft Office programs. All information regarding Lynda, Box or Lync can be found online at technology.pitt.edu, or students could stop in the University Store on Fifth and visit the IT support center, or “tech row,” the unofficial name according to Ruff. 

“It seems like there’s always somebody with a question about something with their computer,” Ruff said. 

 Pitt Computing Services has several events planned for the upcoming calendar, none of which have set dates yet.

The 9th Annual “Love your computer” day took place on the William Pitt Union Lawn from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.