Welcome to the June release of our newsletter where we are introducing a subscription based service and you have been selected as a potential subscriber. If you do nothing you will receive future newsletters on a quarterly basis. If you don’t wish to receive future editions send an email to majordomo@uluru.nt.gov.au with "unsubscribe talkingtech" in the body of the message.

Competition for new name
The Learning and Technology in Schools Program (LATIS) was used to highlight the rollout of the first generation of centrally managed computers and networks in NT schools in 2001. We are keen to come up with a new name that is evocative of the second generation of IT infrastructure so IT Services is offering a laptop to the school of the student or staff member who comes up with the best new name for the schools ICT network. The name could be an acronym, phrase or single word.

Entries must be posted to onlineservices.deet@nt.gov.au by cob Friday 23 June. The winning entry will be selected by John Dove and the judges decision will be final.

Floods and Monica - Disaster Recovery
Big thanks to school based staff, service providers and our IT Services team in responding to the Katherine Floods and Cyclone Monica. In both cases the valuable ICT equipment was secured and backup tapes for all critical data were taken off site to secure locations. The Darwin prize for adaptation and survival must go to Pam Hepburn who moved from Katherine after dealing with the floods to Maningrida where she weathered Cyclone Monica.

School Computers Replacement Project Starts
Tenders for the new computers for schools closed on 7 June and we expect to select the supplier by the end of July. The contract will run for three years and we have committed to purchase 4000 computers and 2500 laptops to replace the LATIS PC’s now and the teacher laptops in August 2007. Schools will also be able to purchase through this contract and we estimate that over 12,000 computers will be purchased over the life of the contract. For more information see School Computers and Networks.

Microsoft Schools Enterprise Agreement
The Department has received a final proposal from Microsoft to provide Server and Microsoft Office Licences for computers connected to NT School networks excluding teacher laptops.

Under the new arrangement schools would pay $30 a year for all new computers and have the latest version of microsoft office installed. The new agreement would also provide Microsoft Exchange for teacher and student email. These products would cost schools over $100 under the current licensing agreement.

We belive this proposal represents excellent value for schools and we are seeking comment from schools (favourable or unfavourable) by Friday 23rd June before making a final recommendation to the DEET Executive. Please email your comments to deetitoperations.deet@nt.gov.au

Spam Spam Spam
The Internet may be wonderful but why do we keep getting spam emails. IT Services staff in all organisations receive more feedback on spam than any other issue. Sadly the current mail standards which are so open they let you send and receive messages from any text with an “@” in it means we will always have this junk mail. The major software and hardware companies have solutions but as usual they cannot agree on a common standard. For more information see our spotlight on security.