Stay Plugged In

In order for your computer to stay virus-free and patched, it needs to remain on the network. You should never unplug your workstation and plug something else in to that connection.

Do not plug your laptop into the network workstation connection. If you want to use your laptop in addition to your regular workstation, your department may purchase an additional line designated specifically for a laptop for your office. If you want to use your laptop as a wireless connection, no line would be necessary.

It is important that your mobile machine not be plugged in without special arrangements, as it could potentially already be infected. By plugging it in, you are taking the chance of spreading the infection to other machines on the network. Laptops should always go through the VPN server whether you are using a wireless connection or an extra hard line in your office designated for your laptop.

Also, remember to log off at night. This is a security precaution as well as a reminder to help you protect your profile and files.

New Stuff

New software is pushed out nightly as well as during the weekend to minimize interruptions during the work day.  If you experience problems, first restart your computer before calling the Helpdesk.  Recent changes include:

• PCs: Microsoft Project 2003(Management), SPSS 14 (Math Applications), Adobe Creative Suite 2, this includes: Photoshop, ImageReady, InDesign, and Illustrator.
• Macintoshes: Updated Adium, Firefox, Thunderbird, and Mozilla, and have added a package of Opera to the core packages.
• PCs and Macintoshes: The Drive Mapping function via Remote has been turned on. This will allow you to map the drives of the machine from which you are connecting to the terminal server.

Proper Post Perusal

Please review your logs for the administrative programs that you run from Nell, Sam Menu, or Sam Web. To ensure that your reports accurately reflect correct data, you must check that the programs finished without errors. if you would like assistance in deciphering your logs, please call the Helpdesk (294-1950) for an appointment.

Extreme Makeover Bandwidth Edition

Remember how we said last month that contracts take time? Well, the contract is finally officially signed, and the increased bandwidth is almost a reality: anticipated time is now during March.

To make up for the delay, we have freebies to give away. HP4500 color toner cartridges, T003 Epson Black cartridge for 900/900G980/980N, HP inkjet print black cartridges 45, and an HP inkjet print tricolor cartridge 23. Just write in and ask for yours. First-come, first-served.

Don't Fall for Ooompa Loompa

You may have heard about a new worm attacking Macintoshes through ichat. The file is being distributed as latestpics.tgz; it claims to be screenshots of the upcoming Mac OS X Leopard. You cannot be infected by this unless you do ALL of the following:

1. Receive email/ichat or download the file.
2. Double click the file to decompress the tarball.
3. Double click the file that gets uncompressed. The file that is uncompressed has a jpeg icon so the you may think you are opening a jpeg image.

So do none of these. You cannot be hurt by this if you just delete it. If you do not know the sender, do not open attachments, do not decompress unknown files, and do not open the resulting files.

The Web

We are in the midst of our annual web site audit. By state law, any key entry sites accessible from the main agency site, must comply with federal and state guidelines.  If you maintain your departmental site, enroll in one of our two SHSU Web Compliancy courses this month.  We'll show you how to make sure your site passes the web compliancy examination.

The SHSU undergraduate 06-08 catalog is currently being formatted for the web; it will be available soon.

Do you have great photos from campus? Please share. We will spotlight on the new main University web page. Please let us know if you notice any navigation problems or typos with the new pages.

Training---Here or in Cyberspace

James Van Roekel, Director of the Office of Academic Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, would like to share information about an online training option from the Northeast Texas Consortium (NETnet).

Advanced Internet Teaching Methods--April 17 - June 2, 2006
This course is for the online teacher with strong basic computer skills and a desire to provide a variety of learning experiences online which will appeal to different learning styles. Participants will explore advanced Web interaction techniques, plan for a streaming media project, understand compression and the impact on graphics file sizes, and develop animated and transparent graphics. Participants should have taught online for at least one year. Tuition $85 Register online.  

You may request one-on-one training at anytime. Just send e-mail to the Helpdesk.

Why the Big Bucks?

Perhaps you've seen the TV ads for low-priced laptops. Wondering why the ones we recommend are pricier? A networked-machine requires more oomph than a personal one.

We use the Dell Business Class--Optiplex machines, rather than the home-use Dimension line. The Optiplex workstations are specifically designed with dependable stability in mind. You are assured that you will not receive refurbished motherboards, untested components, and quirky drivers.

Blackboard

A new user's group is being formed to meet the first Friday morning of each month at 9 a.m. in the AB1, 131 conference room. Come meet with other faculty and share successes and challenges.

Training Opportunities:

1. The Blackboard Assignment Manager has been available since version 6.0, but the word from Blackboard is that they are phasing out the Digital Drop Box in favor of the Assignment Manager in a future release, so now is a good time to learn how to use this much more user-friendly way to give out assignments/files and collect them in return.
2. The newest tool in Blackboard at SHSU is the ability to Adaptively Release your content.  For example you can make a certain area of your course available only to those who have read the syllabus, scored a certain range on a online quiz, or only to students in a certain group. 
   

March Madness

Lots of activities will be going on this month.

Instant Messaging: Planned changes include a new instant messaging system with a campus-wide implementation.

S: Drives: More space.  That's the upside. The downside is this will mean some extended downtime while data is synced. We will keep you posted on our planned schedule for this synchronization interruption.

Mail: More space. Once again, the downside will be an extended downtime while we parallel the files. Reminder:   use only the generic names (smtp, imap, pop3/pop) for connecting to the SHSU mail server.   

Mail: Storage Formatting.   This will give you the ability to easily create folders in folders, as with Outlook Exchange.   There is one catch to this.  Periods have special meaning and should not be used in the folder names. You should see a performance increase as it will be faster accessing large mail folders. Hopefully, no more corrupt Inboxes!

What's Good, What's Not?

The Helpdesk provides support for university equipment and software on the local area network. Each month's Update will now include the versions of software and minimum requirements for hardware with the new or changed information highlighted and bolded.

• Memory Sticks: Purchase (and encourage your students to buy) flash drives that are USB Mass Storage Compliant.
• Operating Systems: The supported version of Macintosh machines is OS X, versions 2, 3, and 4. The supported version of Microsoft's Operating System is Windows XP.
• Software Packages: The supported versions of Office suites are Microsoft's Office 2003 and WordPerfect Office 2000 for PC's and Microsoft Office 2004 for Macintoshes.
• Hardware Configurations: The minimum requirement for SHSU Local Area Network support for a PC is a 1Ghz processor, with 512mb RAM, and a 40GB disk. The minimum requirement for a Macintosh on the LAN is a 733 mhz processor, with 512mb RAM, and a 40GB disk.

Approved for campus-wide e-mail distribution by Associate Vice President Jim Stevens