This notice is addressed to all those who currently use or who are planning to use the Public Workstation Facility (PWF), including Managed Cluster stations in Departments and Colleges, to support their teaching, whether for organized courses or for teaching which depends more generally on applications on the PWF.
Requests for new application software or for new versions of application software are needed by the Computing Service by the end of Full Lent Term (18 March). They should be submitted either by e-mail (pwf-manager@ucs.cam.ac.uk) or in writing to the PWF Manager, University Computing Service, New Museums Site.
Software for which requests are received later than this date will not necessarily be installed in time for the start of the Michaelmas Term. It would also be helpful to be informed of any software that is no longer required. The list of software which the Computing Service plans to make available for the start of the Michaelmas Term will be announced on the Computing Service Webpage (http://www.cam.ac.uk/cs/pwf/upgrades.html) by the division of the Easter Term.
The programme of installation of the new software will need to start immediately after the end of Full Easter Term, in order that it can be completed on time. Those teaching during the Long Vacation should note that the installation of new versions of PWF software during that period may have implications for them.
The full set of applications for 2005-06 is intended to be available from 1 September. This time-scale will enable those whose teaching depends on these applications to check that they work correctly and to allow for any necessary remedial action to be taken before the start of the Michaelmas Term.
Those requesting software, whether new applications or upgrades to existing software, are asked to consider the budgetary implications of their requests for themselves and Managed Cluster institutions.