AIM may go the way of the dinosaurs in computer labs

5/8/07

By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor

When one of the most often used programs in the computer labs is non-educational it can create problems for students who need to get work done.

With new software available the IT department has been able to monitor ten computers in the 24-hour lab to see which programs get the most use. IT has bee compiling the data for about a month, which was when they acquired the new software Mike Dente, head of IT, said.

The three most used programs in the computer labs are Internet Explorer, which was used the most, AIM came in second and Microsoft Word was the third most used program, Dente said.

Even though word was only the third most used program it wasn’t a huge concern since, “it isn’t like word isn’t getting used at all,” Dente said.

Jeb Stewart, a math major, didn’t care if AIM was removed from the computers because, “I don’t use it.”

Although nothing has been decided as to whether AIM will be removed from the lab computers it would be done in order to make the labs more efficient, Dente said. “Recreational activities like AIM are lowest on the scale of priorities,” Dente said.

The real issue isn’t with people using AIM but with the people who use AIM exclusively, Dente said. Another problem is that AIM contributes to a large number of the noise complaints within the labs, Dente said.

Kasey Cushman, a sophomore, wasn’t concerned about AIM being removed because, “I don’t even have AIM but it would bother me if I had something to do and people were only using AIM.”

A possible compromise would be to only have AIM on a certain number of computers in the labs. Shandi Barclay, senior social sciences major, didn’t think removing AIM would make any difference because, “people could still use AIM Express on Internet Explorer.

Mike Thatcher, a senior social science major, shared similar feelings because; “I’m graduating in two weeks so it doesn’t matter.”

Dente would also like to have “lab maps” outside of the computer labs, which would show students, which computers are available and which ones aren’t available.

Nothing has been decided yet as to whether AIM will be removed from the lab computers because data is still being collected and it needs to be looked at, Dente said.