Students trying to access their ePrint accounts this Fall may find they are unable to print using last year’s software, due to the installation of a new University-wide printing system this summer.
In late July, the Office of Information Technology upgraded the entire ePrint system to make it more compatible with various student computers. The new ePrint software is now compatible with Windows Vista and 7 system users, as well as newer 64-bit computers.
Other new features include automatic software updates, improved printer status communication to system users, faster printing, integration of different printing stations at Duke and improved support for different paper sizes, color matching and two-siding printing, according to OIT’s website.
OIT’s Senior Communications Strategist Steve O’Donnell said OIT made sure to inform students about the ePrint upgrade.
“We posted an eFlyer, sent messages to all faculty and staff registered as ePrint users, and notified staff in the libraries, Student Affairs, Undergraduate Education, the Bursar’s Office, the Financial Aid Office, etc.,” O’Donnell wrote in an e-mail Monday. “[We] posted a message where ePrint software would be downloaded from the OIT site, posted a message on the main ePrint page, posted (and tweeted) a service update, and posted (and tweeted) a planned maintenance period.”
O’Donnell added that he did not see any immediate problems caused by the new system, including outages.
“Regarding ePrint itself, I don’t see any evidence in the IT Alerts history to indicate that there was an outage,” he wrote. “I’ve received reports of typical issues with individual machines only. Right now, I’m seeing some machines that need supplies, but that’s also to be expected; our print demand in the first days of school are always high as students print out course materials.”
Sophomore Kendall Murphy used the OIT desk in the Link Tuesday to help her install the new software.
“They were extremely helpful,” she said. “I was afraid the process would be complicated, but it ended up being simple and straightforward.”
Other students on campus opted to download the new software themselves from OIT’s website.
“OIT’s directions were great and easy to follow, and I didn’t have any major disruptions,” said sophomore Ann Mallick.
Freshman Anish Raman said the process was simple, even though he never had to install ePrint before.
“I didn’t experience any problems at all and the installation process went smoothly for me,” he said.
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