Improving wireless
A new login system for the university’s wireless Internet access has begun appearing on computer screens in recent weeks. The old system still works, but for those students that have noticed, the new alternative is a welcome change that will surely help encourage wireless Internet use around campus.
The new system, provided by a company called Blue Socket, appears automatically when you start your browser. Login is immediate and much faster, and the connection seems faster as well – maybe because fewer people are using it.
There’s the down side – VCU has posted no notice of the new system anywhere on campus or online, as far as we can tell. Also, wireless printing in the library and elsewhere still requires the old system. Maybe this is because the new system is still in the testing phase, but students would like to know about anything that would make their lives easier.
Another problem – the new system blocks access to AOL Instant Messenger. While this is a benefit in classrooms where chatting with friends can be a distraction, the common areas of the university should allow access to such a basic service.
In the end, the new system is a great improvement over the old one. But we’d like to be told about it, and for AOL Instant Messenger and wireless printing to work when we need them.
Instant competition
Speaking of AOL Instant Messenger, whatever happened to competition for instant messaging? Yahoo! and MSN offer rival services, but they don’t work with each other.
When AOL and Time Warner merged in 2000, the idea was that AOL would have to open its instant messaging network to competition if it was going to complete the merger.
But then President Bush got elected into office, and suddenly competition isn’t a big deal anymore. If you’ve seen AOL’s rival services lately, they’ve made great gains in user interface improvements and usability, while AOL has remained relatively the same.
If only people could switch services, AOL would have a reason to catch up.
Happy Spring Break!
Spring Break already? Was it not just a month ago we were digging our cars out from under snow at the beginning of the semester (and VCU didn’t close, as usual)?
In any case, enjoy the break, and we’ll see you back here on Monday, March 21st (try not to think about it too much).