Sample e-mail Date: Wednesday October 13, 2004 To: ITPartners <itpartners@mit.edu> From: Software Release Team <swrt@mit.

edu> CC: Subj: Discontinuing software support during FY2005 Dear Department Chairman: After discussions with key users around campus, Information Services and Technology (IS&T) is reducing support on December 31, 2004 for the applications listed below. Our review suggests that in order to maintain quality support for key applications in use, to improve responsiveness to new vendor releases, and to make it possible to introduce new product offerings, it is necessary to downgrade the support we will provide in the future for the following older applications. These products will not be tested in association with future releases, new documentation will not be produced, and new training will not be scheduled. Main software scheduled for retirement on December 31, 2004: 1- Eudora 5.1 and earlier versions (Windows) 2- Eudora 5.2.3 and earlier versions (Macintosh) 3- FileMaker Pro 5.5 (Win/Macintosh) 4- Netscape 7.02 (Win/Macintosh) 5- Office 2001(OS 9) A comprehensive list of all software scheduled for retirement and corresponding date is attached for your convenience. Please review the plan above and let us know by end of November 2004 if retiring any of this software from general support imposes a significant burden to your Department and/or the client community you support by sending email to swrt@mit.edu. If significant burdens are apparent, we are prepared to work with you to find solutions to ease the difficulties in migrating to a more current environment. Finally, we appreciate the Community's assistance and involvement in Software Release and look forward to your responses by November 30, 2004. Sincerely, Deb Bowser ************************* Deb Bowser QA Coordinator - Client Support Services Information Services and Technology (IS&T) Massachusetts Institute of Technology Room W92-176 Cambridge, MA 02139 617-253-3879 bowser@mit.edu