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Microsoft is releasing Windows Vista, the latest version of its desktop operating system, to US retailers tomorrow, January 30.

The operating system is available at midnight tonight at local CompUSA stores. Customers can also purchase and download the software.

Rob Pegoraro of the Washington Post noted in his review that Vista looks much better than previous Windows software, but requires a thoroughly modern personal computer. For some users, it’s less expensive to buy a Vista-ready computer than to upgrade their RAM, graphics card and hard drive.

I don’t recommend installing Windows Vista until Service Pack 1 is available. Companies should delay their upgrade until their business and enterprise software vendors provide Windows Vista support. Even then, the average user doesn’t need the extra features.

See this link for more information: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012900615.html

According to an article in the Indianapolis Star and reprinted in the Honolulu Advertiser, more US companies are reexamining their policies regarding mobile devices. Marian Salzman identified several trends that could affect businesses this year, including a growing need for employees and managers to “slow down” and focus on face-to-face meetings.

This means shutting off and putting away cell phones, Blackberrys, and other devices during lunch or dinner.

Employees may want more control over their workspace. As more offices adopt open designs that replace offices with generic cubicles, employees will need private rooms for confidential meetings, phone calls, and quiet time.

The Association of College and University Housing Officers–International (ACUHO-I) sponsors the 21st Century Project, an effort to design modular student residences for university campuses.

See http://www.21stcenturyproject.com/home.htm and http://chronicle.com/daily/2007/01/2007012903n.htm for more details.

Some of these designs use inexpensive fixtures and construction techniques, and can be stacked on each other to create buildings. Other designs use movable walls that let residents partition their living space as needed.

These systems could be applied to our own housing problems in Honolulu.

Several students at Diablo Valley College (DVC) have been accused of selling grades. The accused students each had access to the college’s grade management system, and were offering other students better grades.

College officials say that the relevant procedures have been changed to prevent future problems.

Student workers at universities sometimes face potential conflicts of interest, especially if they gain access to registration, grade managemenht, and other information systems. In some cases, university managers welcome student employees because of their low pay scale.

When managers fail to considered the security and ethics issues that are involved, the university’s reputation can suffer.
According to an article in the Contra Costa Times, one DVC student feared that he would have to people that he didn’t pay for his grades.
 http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/email/news/16560143.htm

http://chronicle.com/news/index.php?id=1579

University admissions departments rely on e-mail to communicate with prospective students, hoping to gain an edge by providing personalized service.

However, two admissions staffers at the University of North Carolina sent the wrong e-mail message to 2700 students who had applied to the university’s undergraduate programs.

The message congratulated each student on their successful admission to the university.

However, the students in this were applicants who were supposed to receive a request for their midyear high school grades.

The admissions department apologized in this statement (PDF).
Thanks to Abe Gruber for the tip!

• http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/01/26/admissions.mistake.ap/index.html
• http://digg.com/offbeat_news/UNC_Congratulates_2_700_Prospective_Freshmen_In_Error
• http://drslounge.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=4665465