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Frequently asked questions

Q1: Can I read York Extra off-campus?
A1: Yes. York Extra can be accessed via www.york.ac.uk/yorkextra from anywhere in the world provided you have a IT Services username and password (you will be invited to login).

Q2: A news item has been posted to my department's channel. However, I cannot see the item. What is the reason for this?
A2: There are three possibilities: You are not subscribed to your department's channel. Please select 'Channels' in the top left panel of York Extra and then subscribe to your department's channel by putting a tick in the box next to the channel description. The message has not been targeted at you. For example, as a member of staff, you will not see a message sent to your department's channel if it has been targeted at first year undergraduate students. The departmental channel has been subscribed to and the message has been targeted at you. However, the channel has not been opened for reading. On Windows 2000, click on the plus sign beside the Channel name to open the channel and view its contents. (On Windows 95, by default, a channel is always open.)

Q3: By default, which channels is a user subscribed to?
A3: A user is subscribed to the News channel which is provided centrally by the Communications Office. Users are also subscribed to the Urgent and Announcements, Community and Events channels and can opt out if they so wish. All the other channels are opt in and therefore users have to subscribe. This includes a user's departmental channel.

Q4: What is the difference between the News, Announcement and Events channels?
A4: The News channel is for official University news. The Events channel is used to publicise an event of potential interest to all members of the University, for example a public lecture. The Announcements channel is for other information provided by departments, for example grant deadlines. See the Policy on Content for more information.

Q5: I am using a PC which is not supported by IT Services. How can I configure my PC so that York Extra automatically appears at startup?
A5: Instructions are available at http://www.york.ac.uk/yorkextra. Click on 'Help' at the top left of the screen and consult 'Using the previewer'.

Q6: Why doesn't my department use York Extra?
A6: Ask your Head of Department! It is a very quick and effective way to share information and cuts down the number of emails.