Student Technological Assistance and Resources

Ask 5000 : : Mi cheel s Hal l Lab : : Peer Trai ni ng : : PC Repai r : : Web Devel opment : : Tel ecommuni cati ons and Networki ng
Inside this Issue
Special Points of
Interest
Customer Delight .... 1
Vyatta ..................... 2
Linux ....................... 2
Peer Training ........... 3
IP Technology .......... 4
Stress
Management ........... 4
Bacteria, Germs
and your Computer ...5
Providing
customer service
Open source routing
Its Linux man,
its sweet
Peer Trainings coming
to a years end
Stress
Management tips
Skype, the new rage?
Keyboards vs toilets

April 2006
Customer Delight
We have all heard of
customer service and how
we all need to strive to
provide excellent customer
service; but once you, as
an employee, provide that
excellent service what
happens? Well, obviously
the customer will respond
to such a high level of
service. If you do it right,
the response is something
called customer delight.
Customer delight is
achieved by rising above
the norm of servicing the
customer and instead
striving to delight the
customer. Many employers
from all types of professions
provide customer service
on a daily basis, however,
there are only a handful
of companies out there
that strive to delight their
customers. If you have
ever done business with
one of these companies
you will know. Once you
make a transaction and get
home you will probably
say to yourself, Gee whiz,
that was an extremely
pleasant experience.
Well probably not, but
either way, that feeling is
an example of customer
delight. It is something
that we as a help desk
should strive to provide to
each and every one of our
customers no matter the
situation. Although the
idea of customer delight
sounds easy as pie, it is
quite diffcult to achieve.
There are several factors
that must fall into place.
First of all, customer
delight must be a goal for
each employee. This may
sometimes be a diffcult
goal to reach when you are
having a bad day, but all it
takes is one person to fall
outside of the set goal and
they can undermine the
entire process. It only takes
one bad apple to make an
unpleasant apple pie.
Second, customer
delight must be a goal
for those in authoritative
positions. It takes a leader
to change the world
and it is the same for an
organization. As with most
things in life, change starts
at the top and trickles to
the bottom. Being critical
of simple actions, like how
someone answers a phone
call, can and will make
a world of change. It is
the duty of management
to make sure that their
employees are aware of
the quality of the service
they provide, and offer
suggestions as to how to
improve.
Last, everyone must
learn to care. This can
encompass a large
number of tasks and
activities, however today
we are going to keep
things simple. Caring
can be as simple as
observing that there is
paper all over the desk
and needs to be cleaned
up because it looks
messy. Caring can also
be diffcult or frustrating,
much like the time when
you are attempted to
backup a failing hard
drive for a student even
though your shift is over
in fve minutes and you
really wanted to go
home and watch the
latest re-run of Friends.
The important point is
that caring sometimes
involves going above
and beyond, even when
a customer isnt sitting at
the window.
Like Ive previously
stated, customer delight
is not necessarily an easy
Ben Guldan
continue on page 2
Page 2
goal to achieve. It takes
dedication and time from
each employee, but with
time it is defnitely an at-
tainable goal. Next time
you are at the window
assisting Mr. Idontknow-
howtouseacomputer,
remember that even he
deserves the right to be
delighted with the service
he may receive, even
though he doesnt know
how to burn a CD.
Vyatta
Open Source Routing
Much like the under-
dog battle for the com-
puter desktop/server that
is raging between Micro-
soft and Linux, Vyatta is
planning on taking on
Cisco. Vyatta is in the
beta stages of a special-
ized release of Linux that
will perform advanced
routing capabilities.
Right now they are work-
ing with manufactures of
various network interface
cards to provide the same
functionalities as the pro-
prietary Cisco routers. All
the hardware and software
is designed to run on the
x86 architecture and will
be freely available to down-
load. The main advantage
for a small or branch offce
is the fnancial commit-
ment. Vyatta is predicting
that a router running on
their hardware will be 50%
- 90% less expensive as the
mid-range products of its
Jason Hotujec
competition. The secu-
rity of open source code
is also a big selling point.
If there are vulnerabili-
ties people all around
the world will quickly
help to fx the problem.
I know everyone likes
the underdog so to fnd
out more the website is:
www.vyatta.com, where
a downloadable liveCD
technology preview can
also be found.
Customer Delight
continued from page 1
Linux
Many of you may have seen my computer at work,
some of you may have even asked me what the heck
is that that you are running. To which I usually say
its Linux man, its sweet. Now most of you Im sure
have never even had the chance to work with Linux
or even know where to get started. So Ill give you a
quick run down for some of the distros of Linux which
I have learned about. Keep in mind I have not neces-
sarily used all of them so I can only tell you what I have
learned from reading. There are tons and tons of distros
of Linux and each one is a bit different from the other,
think of it as the difference between windows versions.
There is windows server, home, professional, windows
ME and so on. Now this isnt an exact analogy but its
close enough, that and nothing else comes to mind.
The few distros that Ill breify talk about are, Fedora
Core 4, SuSE, Unbuntu, Debian, and Linspire.
Linspire http://www.linspire.com/
First off is Linspire. This distro is so much like win-
dows that it was actually originally named Lindows,
that is until Microsoft made them change the name.
Linspire was designed to be a replacement for windows
and is often sold on discount computers at Wal-mart. It
allows the users to use a point and click update system
which is very much like windows. The other thing that
Linspire boasts is the fact that there is no need for a
command line. This is a complete reversal for a Linux
OS. Most Linux users swear by the command line, as
it is how you accomplish most of your work in the OS.
Linspire also does cost a yearly subscription fee for the
Travis Schlafke
updates which is also a reversal since Linux is tradition-
ally an all free OS.
SuSE http://www.novell.com/linux/suse/
SuSE is a bit more advanced than Linspire and is
much more Linux-like. SuSE is a good alternative to to
windows and for those new to Linux. SuSE does use
the command line and is very user friendly. Its inter-
face is made for an easy transition from windows and it
includes many wizards to help make your peripherals
just work. SuSE is supported by Novell and recently
released version 10, and is a preferred Linux distro for
laptops due to its great wireless support.
Debian http://www.debian.org/
Debian is a favorite distro of Linux admins and very
advanced users. Debian is unique because its dedi-
cated to using only the stablest versions of code. Youll
never fnd any of the latest releases or software for it
so there for none of the bleeding edge stuff. Debian is
a great system to use for server installs and has a huge
user base so you are always able to fnd help with using
it.
Fedora Core 4 http://fedora.redhat.com/
If youve heard of Linux in the past youve most
likely heard of Red Hat. Well Fedora Core is the off-
spring of the Red Hat company, only Fedora is their
open source project and is supported entirely by the
open Source Fedora community. Fedora Core 4 is the
currently release version, but Fedora Core 5 will be out
continue on page 3
by March 15th. Fedora includes only free open source
software, so theres no windows media player or any
of that included. Due to the fact that there is relatively
frequent release cycle it always has most of the newest
software. The community support for Fedora is great so
there is always help for troubles you may have.
Ubuntu http://www.ubuntu.com/
Ubuntu is a fairly new player on the Linux scene,
but has won over tons of users. Ubuntu is designed to
give you a great experience with Linux, be user friendly,
stable like Debian, and very confgurable. Ubuntu is
based on Debian and is updated every 6 months like
Fedora. Like many other distros Ubuntu is and always
will be completely free, due to the fact that it is a rela-
tively new distro, the user base might not be as big as
some of the other distros but the community is growing
rather rapidly.
Keep in mind that this is a very very brief over view
of a few major Linux distros. There are literally hun-
dred of different versions of Linux, like Slackware,
Knoppix, CentOS, Mandriva, Gentoo, Yellow Dog(for
PPC computers) and the list goes on. If you really want
to learn in detail about the different types of Linux I
recommend reading up on them and what each offers.
Not sure where to go to do this you say? Well then try
Google, this is an excellent resource for fnd info about
ANYTHING!! You can also check out distrowatch.com,
linux.org, linuxtoday.com for starters. Most every distro
also has its own page to tell you just what they are
about.
April 10-14
Customer Service
Dreamweaver
Beginning Excel
Intermediate Excel
Digital Camera
Front Page
Beginning Powerpoint
Intermediate Powerpoint
April 17-21
Beginning Access
Intermediate Access
Beginning Word
Intermediate Word
Auto Cad
Digital Video
MAC Familularity
Photoshop
InDesign

April 24-28
Customer Service
Dreamweaver
Illustrator
Front Page
Beginning Excel
Intermediate Excel
Beginning Powerpoint
Intermediate Powerpoint
May 1-5
Beginning Access
Intermediate Access
Beginning Word
Intermediate Word
Digital Camera
Digital Video
MAC Familularity
Photoshop
InDesign
Auto Cad
Available Trainings
Page 3
Linux
continued from page 2
Peer Training
Justin Burmesch
Hey everybody, as you
all know, Peer Training
is designed to help you
learn important skills that
you will need for your
job. However, it is very
important to realize that
the number one person
responsible for your
learning and knowledge
is you. Remember that
learning is a life-long
endeavor, and that
you are always your
primary teacher. Its very
important to try and take
every opportunity to learn
that you get, because
you never know when
that opportunity will be
available again.
For example, help
desk employees should
never be afraid to do
some research and
experimentation when
trying to fx a diffcult
problem. Not only
are you likely to fnd a
good resolution to your
problem, but you will
probably learn a lot in the
process.
Experimentation is a
huge part of learning, and
for many people, the best
way to learn something
is by doing it. For this
reason I would like to
challenge everyone to
go out of their way to
try something new. It
doesnt matter if it is
something as simple as
trying a new food or
something more work-
related such as sitting
down and spending some
serious time in front of a
Mac or a Linux box trying
to learn the operating
systems. I can promise
you that you will learn
something from the
experience.
Make sure you are getting to
all your required classes!
Page 4
Stress Management
Gavin Hoesly
Im sure all of you have had one of those helpdesk
days that make you want to scream. If you have never
felt that way, might want to try going through a metal
detector, because you are probably not human. Stress
is a normal part of your everyday life. What exactly
is stress? Stress can be categorized into good and bad
stress, and it is a fact that both are good for you. Even
though it sounds weird, it is true bad stress can be a
good thing for your mind and body. Just like anything
good, it needs be managed to an appropriate level or
it will be as unhealthy as eating too much of a specifc
item. How is this done then you might ask. Well,
at work it can be kind of diffcult because you dont
want to break down in the middle of fxing a computer
practicing the art of breathing. This would interfere
with the image you are supposed to be portraying to
the customer. Techniques that are not appropriate
would also include, but not limited to swearing or
portraying your actual feelings with inappropriate facial
expressions or other body language. Some things can
be done on the job in between projects or customers
that would help take your mind off the stressful events.
You have to keep in mind that you have to make room
for these so that they are not cutting into the job duties
that are expected of you. Here are some tips to better
manage your stress.
1. Be aware of what causes stress, and how you react
to it physically and emotionally.
2. Recognize what you can change.
3. Reduce the intensity level of your response if
necessary. (dont be a drama queen)
4. Learn techniques that may moderate your physical
reactions.
5. Be physically self conscious. (Take care of your
body. Exercise and eat right. Appropriately mix leisure
and work in your life.)
6. Be conscious about your mental health. (This can
be done by maintaining healthy relations with friends
and family, being realistic with your goals, expecting
that life wont always go as planned, and be a friend to
yourself.)
Internet Phone
Revolution
Jason Connors
Have you heard of the new
rage? Baggy pants? Short
skirts? High performance
wireless antennas? Nope!
Internet Proxy Telephones?
Indeed. The new IP
telephone technology has
rapidly grown in the past
few months. An internet
phone is a telephone that
connects through the
internet and has a separate
IP address. These phones
use a VOIP technology
or Voice Over Internet
Proxy. There are several
applications that can
be used, such as Skype
or Google Talk. VOIP
technology has the ability
to be so popular that it
could be the technology
we soon use for cellular
phone devices. Some
cities with complete
wireless capabilities
are already trying this
technology. The hopes
are that cities which are
provides with access
points throughout the
towns will be able to
provide an IP address to
peoples cellular devices.
This would eliminate the
cost of a cellular phone
bill and one would only
have to pay a wireless
internet bill. This would
also eliminate the long
distance bills as well. If
you would like to get a
start with VOIP perhaps
you should check out
www.skype.com and
play around with that
utility. It is a great starter
program for newbies
to the internet phone
revolution.
Page 5
Bacteria
Heather Buchholz
People who share
computers also share
each others germs. You
may not realize how dirty
the keyboards and mice
are but some physically
look like health hazards.
They are flthy, stained
and encrusted with
grease and dirt. I have
seen keyboards where
keys have actually got-
ten jammed because of
accumulated goop. This
build up could be from
food crumbs, hair or
other debris. Keyboards
and mice that look like
they are clean can also
be a health hazard, if you
only knew what was lurk-
ing there, you may back
off, or run out the door
screaming. The computer
is built up with more
germs then most things
that you would imagine.
It is a proven fact
that a toilet seat has fewer
germs; you could collect
fewer germs
Tapping on a the typical
toilet seat. At the Univer-
sity of Arizona, a study was
conducted to see just how
much of a difference the
cleanliness is.
After collecting the results,
it showed that on an of-
fce toilet seat, there was
an average of 49 germs per
square inch. Sounds like a
lot right? WRONG! On a
keyboard, there was 3,295
bacteria per square inch;
thats more than 60 times
higher. Why is this you may
ask yourself?
Well, the janitors job
is to do frequent cleaning
with a disinfectant that will
kill germs, most keyboards
and mice never get sani-
tized. People are constantly
coughing and sneezing on
them. Germs from un-
washed fngers and hands
also get deposited on
these workstations. Some
can remain alive for sev-
eral days which can then
get picked up by multiple
people. People who share
computers also share
each others germs.
When you are down
in the lab or working at
the help desk and fnd
yourself surfng the in-
tranet, playing games or
watching movies (you
know all the things that
you are not supposed to
be getting paid for) please
help keep this bacteria
count down by going
around and cleaning your
area.
STAR Student Technology Assistance and Resources
http://star.uwstout.edu
STAR Director
Ben Guldan
Ask5000 Managers
Travis Schlafke
Gavin Hoesly
Micheels Hall Manager
Heather Buchholz
Peer Trainer Coordinator
Justin Burmesh
Web Developer
Nick Schilling
PC Repair Manager
Jason Connors
Telecommunications Manager
Jason Hotujec
Keep up the
good work!