Task 2: Technical Support Resources
OIT Support Center
At the OIT Support Center the majority of our work is with local accounts, so most of the tools and resources we use are local or internal admin interfaces.
A tool we do use that is publicly available is Citrix GoToAssist. GoToAssist allows us to provide remote assistance to anyone with an internet connection, regardless of their operating system. A video demonstration is available on their website.
Sometimes we need to assist a user in determining their web browser capabilities. A few sites for determining Browser settings while troubleshooting an issue are:
- http://www.whatbrowser.org – Displays the name of the web browser and version number.
- http://www.isjavascriptenabled.com/ – Checks to see if the web browser has Javascript is enabled.
- http://www.pageout.net/page.dyn/cookie_tester – Checks to see if Browser Cookies are enabled.
- http://www.java.com/en/download/installed.jsp – Checks to see if Java is installed, enabled, and up to date.
A more specialized browser check is used for evaluating software prerequisites for using Elluminate Live. The site checks for Java, and the version, to ensure compatibility with Elluminate Live. A configuration room is also available for users to evaluate their Elluminate Live settings.
Development Resources
Reference websites I use regularly are W3Schools, and W3C Validation Service.
Apple Support
As an avid Mac user, I have developed a lot of personal knowledge, but I also use the shared knowledge of others. Apple’s Support site is a good starting point for basic information, but Apple’s Support Community usually gives good troubleshooting information for real world errors.
Specific Errors
A Google search of an error message will usually provide a very good starting point for a variety of errors. Chances are very good that you are not the first person to run into an error. A Google search will usually result in a variety of results, ranging from people complaining about the error, to people troubleshooting the error through discussion posts, to the vendor’s documentation about what the error means.