Powered On: May 2025
Introducing Freshservice: Our New IT Ticketing System
By Mat Camara
Exciting changes are coming to our IT support services! We are pleased to announce that we are implementing Freshservice as our new ticketing system, with a planned go-live date of June 30, 2025.
Freshservice is a modern, user-friendly platform designed to improve efficiency, streamline requests, and enhance communication between IT and our users. With features like an intuitive self-service portal, automated workflows, and improved tracking capabilities, Freshservice will make it easier than ever to request and receive IT support.
What to Expect:
- A more user-friendly experience for submitting and tracking IT requests
- Faster response times and improved issue resolution
- A knowledge base for quick access to IT resources and FAQs
- Enhanced communication and status updates on your tickets
As we transition to Freshservice, we will provide training and resources to ensure a smooth rollout. Stay tuned for more details and tutorials in the coming months.
We’re excited about this upgrade and look forward to providing an improved IT support experience for everyone!
Check our "helpdesk" site soon...
3D Printing, With a Purpose
By Phillip Trujillo
I love tech and I love tinkering so I would have thought that 3d printing would have been a no brainer. I tried with a cheap printer 11 years ago, and quickly got frustrated with how finicky and failure prone the hobby was, so I walked away. Last year I decided to jump back in, but I had to set a few rules for myself. What I printed had to have more use than just some cute knick knack that would gather dust.
The OCD is strong in this one.
I will admit, there is something alluring about a tool or desk drawer that has a place for everything, and everything in its place. 3D printing can open up a world that puts IKEA organizers and Sortimo boxes to shame. While repositories like Printables.com and Thingiverse.com are full of desktop organizers, there are now even some web based drag and drop design tools like MakerWorld’s “Make My Desk Organizer” that enables one to potentially design their perfect organizer.
If Sortimo, small drawer organizing boxes, or foam inserts that are cut out to perfectly cradle your tools make your heart happy, you will love projects like Gridfinity that have a massive community of people that have made a bin for just about anything you can think of for putting in a drawer or box.
Need to go vertical with your storage? Check out Honeycomb Storage Wall (HCW for short) and Multiboard. There are even custom accessories for IKEA skadis boards, and plain old pegbords.
Cosplay- it’s like Halloween, but year round.
If there is a fandom, there is probably a Cosplay community surrounding it. People enjoy dressing up with anything as simple as a couple iconic trinkets to full-on life-size suits of their favorite Videogames, Movies, Anime, Comic, Webtoons, and or alternate universe personas. Master Chief, X-Wing Pilot, Naruto, Cable, Alastor, and Steampunk all have helmets, armor, and props that can be printed out and painted to wear to help you find your peeps at your favorite Convention.
Cast a Fire Ball!
D&D, and Pathfinder are powered by a little bit of imagination, but nothing helps make it more immersive, or DM punishing than mini figures. Sites like MyMiniFactory.com and Cults3d.com are chalk-full of trolls, wizards, warriors, dragons, and slime cubes that you can use to fight with and against. If you want a mini that better reflects your avatar, then Heroforge.com may offer the web tools to let you bring them to life. If the paper maps are just not quite cutting it, you can find no lack of multifloored castles, troll strongholds, quaint towns, and murky dungeons just waiting for you to print and assemble.
If board games with less D20s are more your speed, you will find lots of opportunities to have fun. Whether you need an extra hand to hold all the Uno cards you had to draw with endless reverse, or a few Hotels to replace some that went flying off somewhere at the end of your last “Friendly” game; 3d printing has you covered. You will even find a few artistic twists to classics like “Connect 4-Tex” or custom 3D Settlers of Catan board pieces.
I feel the need, the need for speed!
It may surprise you, but there is a large community of R/C designers and makers sharing their designs on Printables.com, Thingiverse.com, and MakerWorld.com. The sheer variety of filament blends and materials have made printed parts and components that are just as strong and durable as injection molded or fabricated parts. The availability of Bluetooth programmable microcontrollers that easily connect with popular game controllers make the Hobbie even easier to get started with. I must admit, watching ProfBoots on YouTube design, print, build, and program mini construction equipment has me itching to finish up some of my current projects so I can print out and have mini forklift battles with my friends.
You have my attention, go on…
I know there are a ton of 3d printing options out there, and getting the right printer will be a big factor determining if you love this hobby or hate it. I personally would start with a filament printer with PLA. PLA and PETG are generally safe to use in your house. Remember, you are melting plastic creating off gases, and materials like ABS and ASA are harmful. I would also caution against resin printers as the material is hazardous until the last stage of processing and will leave you with cleaning tanks of hazardous material you can’t just easily dispose of. As to what printer you should get, there is no lack of YouTubers and sponsored influencers that will tell you pros and cons of different printers. There is nothing wrong with starting small and upgrading if you find it is something you enjoy. I currently have a Bambu A1 combo, a Qidi q1 pro, and an Anycubic Mono 4k and M5. I have been printing mostly knick knack free for over a year, though I may be cheating a little by justifying some things I print as substitutes for the Revell model kits I used to make all the time.
The college has a Maker Space that you can learn more about, and connect with other makers. There are also groups on Facebook and other social media where people share and ask questions.
T.E.A.M.S…….Go TEAMS! TEAMS! TEAMS!
by Be Phan
Now that you’ve mastered Teams with Lisa’s awesome four-part series! Hopefully you were binging the series to take it all in. You can now show your team how awesome you are with these time saving shortcuts in TEAMS.
In the search box, at the very top of your TEAMS app or just hit CTL+E:
Type forward slash (/) in the Search box and a list of commands (shortcuts) will appear with descriptions of what they do.
Below are a few examples:
Want more? You got it! TEAMS also have shortcut key combinations like CTL+E for the search box. Here are just a few:
You can find the entire list of shortcut by selecting the “settings and more” (…) next to your picture profile and then selecting “Keyboard shortcuts”
CSS Employee Spotlight: Lalo
by Mat Camara
Lalo Norberto, an Information Technology Technician II at the Canyon Country Campus, has been a valued member of the College of the Canyons team for the past four years. A proud alumnus of COC (Class of 2012), Lalo went on to earn his Bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Northridge (Class of 2014).
Equal parts artist and problem-solver, Lalo’s background is both imaginative and hands-on. He completed the Shielded Metal Arc Welding Program at COC in 2018 and has years of experience as a professional touring musician, having performed across 30 U.S. states, including Alaska, as well as in the United Kingdom and Mexico City.
Beyond his work in technology, Lalo is a passionate supporter of the arts. He enjoys attending live concerts, music festivals, and local shows, always seeking out new musical experiences. He is also an avid film enthusiast who loves exploring new releases and classic cinema alike.
A lifelong basketball fan, Lalo keeps up with the NBA year-round and enjoys connecting with fellow fans. He also plays in local pickup games whenever he can.
Lalo’s combination of technical expertise, creativity, and professionalism makes him a valued and dynamic presence at College of the Canyons.
The ‘Tomorrow’ of VoIP and Phones on Campus
- Recording
- Recording Password: C^$ohjD9
- Rubric Response Form: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/da2QFRy1n1
- Recording
- Rubric Response Form: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/WJsfhpn1wZ
- Recording
- Rubric Response Form: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/Cv25GRc10B
Laugh it up, Chuckles!
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