Pass: IT upgrades university to Office 365

Thank you, Division of Information Technology, for upgrading the university to Office 365.

Don’t think I didn’t notice the little changes after I opened up a copy of Microsoft Word — 2013! I was wondering why my word document was moving quickly and didn’t lag when saving my class assignments on a computer in Reavis Hall.

Office 365 is a great tool for providing technological services to students. With the university-wide upgrade now in effect, I’m glad you understand how crucial it is for students to continue working on their assignments from anywhere with a campus network connection.

Just like Google Drive is used as a do-it-all software tool for writing, sharing and editing on word documents and Excel spreadsheets, the 1,000-gigabyte OneDrive storage space is a progressive step toward helping students work on any computer with the upgrade, including personal laptops and phones.

What’s this madness? The upgrade works for Mac and PC users? And you claim I can use the software upgrade 400 days after I graduate?

I noticed the upgrade in the Holmes Student Center during the first week of classes. Yes, you already updated the computers in the library, too — before students arrived for the fall semester. That’s very proactive of you, Division of Information Technology. I like your new style — very suave, indeed.

Put another feather in your cap, Division of Information Technology. I know it’s probably not worth much, but you’ve earned my thumbs up.

Fail: Local Barnes & Noble kicks the bucket

On Dec. 31, Barnes and Noble, 2439 Sycamore Road, will say goodbye to DeKalb and Sycamore, according to a Monday Daily Chronicle article.

The store is known for its extensive aisles of best-selling books, magazines, gifts and other entertainment items.

Students could get a ride to the store on the Route 7 bus route as it stopped nearby.

As a kid, I enjoyed browsing through the aisles in the closest Barnes and Noble store to my hometown, which was more than an hour away. I spent hours sorting through paperback books, music collections and various board games with friends.

It didn’t matter if I bought anything as long as I spent my weekend afternoons browsing through assortments of hourly entertainment. I looked forward to spending time in a store that catered specifically to booklovers.

I remember purchasing my first CD there when I was 10 years old. People had to scan the CD’s barcode, wear oversized headphones and listen to 30-second samples of selected tracks. This was before Napster, Limewire and other file-sharing sites revolutionized the music industry and made visiting stores unnecessary.

While it’s unfortunate to see another bookstore close, it doesn’t shock me.

In this digital age, it’s easier for modern consumers to review and order books online from the comforts of their home than travel and browse through the nearest bookstore. The store isn’t in sync with modern consumer trends for instant gratification and accessibility.