Collegiate Times

Two weeks after it launched the VT Desktop Alert, the university is fielding inquiries from other universities for the new message alert system.

The VT Desktop Alert, which can be downloaded on the Virginia Tech Web site, has been available since the tail end of the summer. Its developer, Carl Harris, describes it as a "little special-purpose Web browser that goes and refreshes the content."

"That content normally doesn't contain anything," Harris said, "so when there's an alert, it generates new content" in the form of an emergency message that fills up the screen.

So far, the number of users is estimated between four and five thousand.

Other institutions have followed Tech in the implementation of emergency alerts via e-mail and text messages, but Harris is not aware of any other universities with a desktop alert. Many have expressed interest in the program, including University of Virginia.

"We have some who would like to license the software from us and use it themselves," Harris said. "Another scenario would be to make it available through an open-source license. We haven't really made any hard and fast decisions about that."

The university launched the alert Aug. 12 for the small audience of those on campus during the summer. The alert can be downloaded on the latest versions of Macintosh and Windows, and Harris said the number of expressed installation issues was minimal. A new version of VT Desktop Alerts that complies with Mac's Snow Leopard software will be released this Friday in conjunction with the software.

This alert was also created with the intention of serving those outside of the Tech community, whereas text or e-mail messages were mainly intended for those on campus. Users in four countries have installed VT Desktop Alert.

"In an emergency situation, there have always been a lot of people who would like to know," said university spokesman Mark Owczarski. "Parents, alumni, people who are in the media ... people would like to know." The idea is that while a system such as the text alert could begin to slow down with increased participation, something like the desktop alert would not be affected by the number of users. Those who sign up for the desktop alert should receive any emergency message within five minutes.

The VT Desktop Alert and the other notifications are available at www.alerts.vt.edu.