Computing Questions Conference on FC

In addition to the help resources like the Faculty/Staff Computing Helpdesk and ResNet and Computing First Aid for Students, you can log onto FirstClass and post a message on the Computing Questions & IS Alerts conference. It is located on everyone's desktop and cannot be deleted. Once your message is posted, any Wellesley College community member may reply with answers and suggestions. This can be very helpful when feedback is needed quickly, although you should always be cautious when taking any advice. Computing Questions is monitored by IS staff throughout the day.

To access the conference, double-click the Computing Questions & IS Alerts icon on your First Class Desktop. This will open a new window, where email questions and answers are posted.

To post a question (or response) to Computing Questions simply do the following:

Subject: Enter a short description of the problem
To: Computing Questions & IS Alerts
Msg: Be specific about both the problem and your computer. The more detailed information you give, the quicker you should get a response. Helpful information would include:
- Are you using a PC or a Mac?
- What Operating System are you running? (Windows 2000, XP or Vista; Mac OS 10.3, 10.4, etc)
- What programs were you running when the problem occurred?
- Did you encounter an error message? If possible include the message or a screen shot.
- Have you recently installed new hardware or software?
- How long has the problem been occurring?
- What instructions, if any, were you following? At what step did the problem occurs?
- What steps have you already taken to try to solve the problem?

After you post your question, keep checking the conference for replies.

If you know the answer to a question posted by another person, don't be afraid to reply! One of the advantages of the Computing Questions conference is that the entire community's expertise is available around the clock, which usually results in quick answers or suggestions.

In addition to the messages, there are several other valuable resources provided by the Computing Questions conference.

If you double-click the Website Computing Links icon, it will open a window with links to a number of useful help files on the web. These links can help you find answers to frequently asked questions or to gather general information about your computer's operating system.

If you double-click the Anti Virus Updates icon, it will open a folder which contains the most recent version of software and virus information. http://www.wellesley.edu/Computing/TVD/

During Computing First Aid hours, typically 7:00 - 9:00pm Sunday -Thursday during Fall and Spring semesters, consultants are available to answer questions from students. Double-click on the Computing First Aid Chat icon and read the message titled Read me before entering the chat! The First Aid locations are:

Clapp Library, First floor Lounge area
Science Center, Mini-Focus Computing Lab, after station 25

For more information on Computing First Aid, click HERE.

If you double-click the Disk Usage Utility icon, it opens a window for you. This window summarizes information about your total FirstClass disk quota and how much of that quota you are using. If your Disk Space Used is close to your Disk Space Limit, you need to delete messages and attachments immediately! See the FirstClass documentation for more information on Disk Quotas and managing your messages.

Marge Rowell mrowell@wellesley.edu
Information Services
Created: August 5, 2002
Last modified: April 14, 2008
Expires: July1, 2009