Software Requests

We will be converting to Microsoft Office 2003 between the Spring Semester and the Summer I term.

Faculty: If you use any software (other than Microsoft Office) that is accessed through the SHSU Installation Menu in your classroom, we need to hear from you. Please let us know by April 1st if you'll be using specific software packages in your Summer I or II courses. There's a form online that will allow us to more efficiently ensure the software is functional and enough licenses are in place. Please take a moment now to give us the feedback so that we may provide your students with the applications you need.

Home Security

Do you know what spyware is? Actual spyware can be installed solely for the specific purpose of monitoring everything that's done on a machine. However, there's another type of spyware that comes as a part of Advertising Supported software (Adware). Adware permits you to use software at a reduced price or free because advertising is picking up part of the bill. Sounds good, doesn't it? Unfortunately, this software also places tracking software on your system.

With spyware on your machine, your resources are used by "calling home" in effect, as your actions are being reported. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if your browswer Start page has changed, you may have spyware installed on your machine. Frequent pop-ups are also a symptom that you have spyware on your machine. An additional undesirable side effect of spyware is that companies can harvest your information and send you spam.

We recommend you protect your home computer from viruses and spyware in a variety of ways.

• PC system protection: The Microsoft site: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/ will walk you through enabling automatic updates, turning on a personal firewall AND will give you a free copy of antivirus software for one year.
• For spyware detection / removal, we recommend Ad-aware or Spybot Search & Destroy. They are both compatible with Microsoft® Windows® 98/Me/NT/2000 and XP Home and Professional. They are free for home use.
• For pop-up blocking,
  • Install the Google toolbar if you use Internet Explorer. Open www.google.com and choose Services and Tools. Choose Google Toolbar. Then choose Download Google Toolbar. There are some legitimate pages that use pop-ups---including the SamWeb administrative site. When they appear, you may choose to Always permit pop-ups from this site.
  • If you'd like to try a new browser, we can suggest Firefox.

Sam Menu

As of 2/23/04, you may only request (or grant) access to a program from the Sam Menu. Requesting and granting access is no longer available from the Nell SHSU Administrative menu.

To request access, simply click on the program name listed under Inaccessible Programs. If you know the program name but can’t find the program name to click on it, select Search for Program under the Help option at the top of the screen. Enter the program name (or partial name) in the box provided. Expand the list of Inaccessible Programs by clicking it, then click on the program name that you wish to request. An email will be sent to the owner of the program indicating that you have requested access.

To request access for a student worker, use RQST01MG under Computer Services on the Sam Menu. Enter the program name in the space provided and the username(s) of the student for whom you are requesting access. Using this program will allow program owners to track the origin of the request when reviewing their program lists and user access.

For program owners, granting access from the Sam Menu is a similarly simple process. Upon login to the Sam Menu, you will be notified of any pending requests that you may have. You may process those requests when you login to the menu, by following the prompts as they appear, or at a later time by selecting “Manage User Access” under the Help option at the top of the screen.

Blackboard

The upgrade to the larger servers has been accomplished, and fortunately, a version upgrade was also accomplished without any large hiccups. The move from 6.0.11 to 6.1 contained some behind-the-scenes software patches, as well as two new features.

1. EDIT VIEW quick link allows you to browse through your course as a student would and then access items in content areas in order to change them. You no longer have to use the Control Panel link in the Navigation Menu.
2. WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editor. You can now make content items look as if they were formatted in a word processor without having to know any HTML. Create bulleted lists, highlight your text, change your font and even insert hyperlinks; all with the help of the WYSIWYG (pronounced WIZZY-WIG) editor. This editor is only available for PC users that use Internet Explorer 5 or above. A Macintosh version is projected to be available by the end of the year.
   

Bulletin Board

Has it been a while (or never) since you checked out the campus online Bulletin Board? You can post an event on the Bulletin Board and request it be "sticky". This allows it to be the top post when displayed so you get extra publicity.

We invite you to join in on this Board in welcoming our Fall 2004 students. There are currently 66 topics and 398 posts in this area. Help convey the real story of Sam Houston State University to our incoming Bearkats.

Media Circus III

Once again, the Office of Academic Instructional Technology and Distance Learning is coordinating a showcase of new, cool stuff and techniques. Contact James Van Roekel if you would like to be a presenter at this semester's two-day event. It will be April 6th from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. and April 7th from 9 a.m. till noon in the LSC Ballroom.

Training

The sessions for March training are now posted. Review the Training Calendar for details. 

As mentioned above, we will be installing Office 2003 this summer. Mindleaders, our online training service, has just added a new course in Office 2003. So get a head-start on the features of this new office suite by taking the online class. Last month, we added Photoshop to the network. You might like to try the Photoshop for Dummies course on Mindleaders.

You may contact Christy Cross to sign up for a free subscription to Mindleaders. The Computer Services Department will pay for the Mindleaders subscription for any fulltime faculty/staff committed to enhancing their skills. Check out the Mindleaders catalogue for other classes that might be beneficial.

Tech Tip

Want to decipher the numbers like 12x2x24 on your CD burner? Curious whether you should use a CD-R or CD-RW? The web site Webopedia explains these details and lots more technology descriptions.

A CD-R drive has only two actions -- recording onto and reading from compact discs. A CD-RW drive adds the third function of rewriting (erasing and recording over).

The "x" is the transfer of 150 KB of data per second. The first number indicates the speed at which the CD drive can record data onto a CD-R. In the above example, the CD drive will record data at 12 times 150 KB/second. The second number indicates the speed at which the CD drive will rewrite data onto a CD-RW compact disc. So in the above example, the CD drive will rewrite data onto the compact disc at 2 times 150 KB/second. Usually, the rewrite speed, is lower than the first number, because rewriting takes longer than writing. The last number is the speed the drive will read data. So in the above example, the CD drive will read data from a compact disc at 24 times 150 KB/second.

CD-R compact discs can be recorded on only once. It is permanent and cannot be erased. CD-RW compact discs are discs that can be recorded, erased and re-recorded over. Most audio CD players, especially older models, can only read CD-R discs, so it is best to record music onto CD-Rs. CD-RWs are typically used to store data or used as back up files.

Staff News

We are saying farewell to Stephen Lyford, one of our computer system technicians and an SHSU alum. Steve has taken a position in Houston providing video conferencing support. We'll miss him---as we know many of you will!