Software Plan

Provide best value and efficiency

• Consider open-source alternatives
  • Open Office/Abi Word instead of Microsoft Office 2007?
• Consider other competitive products when renewing licenses
  • Trend Micro or Avast rather than Symantec End Point
    • Trend is having a discount for those switching from Symantec
    • Trend is available through Chris at Com Tek
    • Trend is recommended by RW and now used at the courthouse
  • Google Docs rather than MSO?
  • Free antivirus for patron PCs?
    • Comodo is developing a free antivirus (for organizations as well as individuals). It's currently in beta as of 7/08. May be worth looking at next year.
• Prepare for future software needs and requirements.
  • We are planning for dealing with the transition to Microsoft Windows Vista.
• Notes: We have now switched to Trend antivirus as of 7/08.

Investigate new uses/applications of software

• Use ghosting to roll out/update identical computers?
  • RW recommends Ghost for Unix
• Notes: We have started doing Ghosting using Drive Image XML.

Improve security

• Make sure all wireless points prevent peer-to-peer connections between machines on the network
• Encrypt wireless traffic where possible