A plan is a text file that can be used as a public bulletin board to post information for other users of the system to view. Director of Information Technology Philip Fitz said that facilities to read and write plans will not be available on the College's new email systems. Last year, many students, especially seniors, expressed concern that they would not be able to read and write plans when VAX was replaced, Fitz said. In order to solve the problem, members of an on-campus computer programming group called Naturally On The Edge (NOTE) agreed to take up the task of creating a web application that serves the same purpose as plans.
According to Seth Fitzsimmons '02, NOTE is comprised of students dedicated to improving technology resources at the school. NOTE's previous projects include the online directory and an online voting system. They are also currently working on an online room draw system, according to Fitzsimmons.
Alex Hochron '02, a member of NOTE, said the website that will replace plans is currently in beta testing and that it should be available to students by the end of the semester.
"It's exciting to be getting to the point where we can open it up to the campus," Hochron said. "I'm looking forward to it."
According to Fitzsimmons, there is a unique online community of Amherst students who use plans, and NOTE took on the project in an effort to preserve that community.
"I'm glad we've been able to put together something that will preserve the community VAX plans created," Fitzsimmons said. "We hope people like it."
However, unlike VAX plans, alumni will not have access to the new web site because access will require a password, according to Fitzsimmons.
"It will be a lot harder for me to keep track of my friends and for them to keep track of me," Melissa Roja '00 said. "Not being able to check it would be a real loss."
"I think it's sad," Rachel Zinn '01 said. "I don't think I will be anywhere near my friends geographically next year, so it would have been a nice way to keep in touch."