The University began the final stage of the process of converting e-mail accounts from the Emerald system to the web-page based Trumpeter system last week.
Seniors, who were able to switch their accounts last week, had the option of staying with Emerald. All other students - including graduate students - are required to make the switch during their respective appointment times over the next three weeks.
ITS has received high approval ratings from students who have already switched their account. "It was really easy and they were very helpful," junior Dan Sencabaugh said. "The new format makes more sense."
ITS staff also said the transition was going smoothly, even if only seniors and a few juniors have been converted to Trumpeter.
Overall, upperclassmen have a limited knowledge of their new, required e-mail system. Sophomore Matt Arnold said that all he knows about Trumpeter is the new email address format, and is web-based structure. "The new firstname.lastname is convenient...other than that, I don't know anything about it," he said.
Some found that the e-mail sent out to inform students about the Trumpeter switch did not help to clarify the system. "The e-mail was a bit vague. I found out from friends that I was supposed to come to Eaton to switch my account," Sencabaugh said.
At this time, e-mail is the only change being made to Emerald. The system will continue to provide other services for the campus. Among these services include Usenet News, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and departmental and personal web pages.
Once students activate their e-mail account, they are given a sheet from Information and Technology Services (ITS) with their new password, and a web address to pages with more information about Trumpeter.
Students are required to have configured their Emerald account's e-mail to forward to their new Trumpeter address before they switch their accounts. Those who wish to have their e-mail forwarded to another account can do so when they switch to Trumpeter, instead of having to go down to ITS building behind Pearson Hall.
Trumpeter, which freshmen have been using since the beginning of the year, is modeled after popular email programs such as Hotmail and Yahoo!Mail. It allows students to check their email from any computer with Internet access, unlike Emerald, which required a computer with Secure CRT or a SSH server. Like Emerald, Trumpeter can be configured to work with the Netscape Messenger e-mail program, and can be forwarded to another account.
Trumpeter consists of two separate servers: Coral for students and Granite for faculty and staff. The new system will also allow more space for e-mail and attachments, reducing irksome "disk quota exceeded" messages, according to Associate Director of IT Training Kathleen Cummings.
Freshmen say they have used the Trumpeter system all year without much hassle. Many say its likeness to Hotmail and Yahoo!Mail makes it easy to master. "I just hate that there isn't an address book...other than [that] it is just the same," freshman Christina Bernadotte said.
Tufts Communication and Computer Services (TCCS) hopes to add an address book feature in the future, but is not making any guarantees.
Trumpeter is an Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) server, as opposed to Emerald, which is a Post Office Protocol (POP) server. POP servers store e-mail on a server and copy it onto the computer for viewing. If e-mail is viewed on more than one computer, it will be deleted unless specifically told not to do so. IMAP servers save e-mail on the Internet server, allowing it to be viewed easily from different computers. According to the TCCS website, the IMAP format is "a good fit for our mobile University population."
Juniors are allotted to switch their e-mail accounts on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. Sophomores will be allowed to switch between Feb. 20 and 22, and graduate students between Feb. 27 and Mar. 1.
