FAQs on Campus Computing
Where can I find legal sources for downloads?
College students need to know where to find legal sources for downloading music and other media. Here is a comprehensive source for legal downloads.
http://www.campusdownloading.com/legal
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Minimum System Requirements for ANGEL LMS
- IE 7 or higher
- Firefox 2.0 or higher
- Pop-Up Blocking disabled
- JavaScript enabled
- AJAX enabled
- Windows XP
- Windows Vista
- Macintosh OS/X at or above OS recommendations
- Major releases of browsers are supported within 60 days of their release to market, excluding beta releases
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Important Information About Computer Printing Allowance
Ursuline College provides 500 pages of free black and white printing to each student each semester. Beyond that, the College may charge students 10 cents per page for black and white and 25 cents per page for color printing.
All student logins are connected to PCOUNTER, a system whereby the student will receive a popup each time they print. The popup will inform the student of his or her current printing balance compared to her quota. Amounts do not carry over. This is one of the "green" initiatives the college has implemented.
The message will read:
Hello username, your balance is $50.00.
Once your balance is less than 0 you will be charged $0.10 per B/W page and $0.25 for color.
Cost of this job is $0.40
The above message therefore reads, that the student began with $50.00, as all students do at the start of the semester. The student will be deducted $0.40 from the balance for this particular print job (equivalent to 4 black and white pages). Only once a student's balance goes below $0.00 will the student be charged for additional printing.
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Ursuline Login Accounts Policy
Only current Ursuline College students and employees are entitled to apply for an Ursuline login. When an individual leaves the College, the login will be disabled and the mailbox deleted.
Students
Student logins will remain active while the student is currently enrolled. Once per year during summer, inactive student logins are disabled for all student who are not currently registered. The College will immediately disable the account of a student who is dismissed from the College.
Employees
Employee logins will remain active while the individual is employed by Ursuline College. When an individual leaves the College, the account is deleted upon the effective date of separation from the College.
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How do I get Tech Support?
Ursuline College Help Desk provides technical support services for current students, faculty, and staff.
How to contact the Ursuline Help Desk
24/7/365 the way to contact the Ursuline College Help Desk is by filling out the web form called,
Flowan Helpdesk. Fill in the form, and click submit.
If you are using Safari on a Mac, login first and then enter a new case. Login to the Helpdesk Login with your Ursuline email address. If you need help with your password, please call, 440-646-8391.
What happens then?
After you click submit, your issue goes immediately into a queue for attention. Your issue will be routed to the best group of analysts to solve your problem.
When can I expect my response?
After you submit your issue, you can expect a response back during the hours the Help Desk is open. During times the Help Desk is open, you will receive a response within four hours for Urgent requests, and eight hours for Normal requests. The Help Desk is open 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
What if I just need help right away?
If you need help right away, then the best thing to do is to locate a member of CIS staff, either by phone or in person. During the following hours you should be able to reach a staff member, if needed: Monday through Thursday 7:30am to 7:00pm, Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm, and Saturday during Fall and Spring semesters 8:00am to 4:30pm.
What about bigger issues?
If you feel there is a bigger problem with network services that will affect many people, then at all times, please be sure to call one or the other of these phone numbers, 440-449-4471, or 440-449-4433.
What if I'm still having problems?
Some technical issues are more complex and take more time than others. Or, it could be that our solution did not actually resolve the problem. Users have the option of re-opening cases. Login at this link, Helpdesk Login with your Ursuline email address to see your case and to leave messages for CIS staff. If you need help with your password, please call, 440-646-8391.
At all times, you are welcome to follow up with a member of our staff either in person, or by telephone. Here is a listing of current staff contacts,
CIS Staff.
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How do I change my password?
You can change your password at any time, and as often as you would like. Just follow these steps. If you do not know your current password, you will need to contact the
Flowan Helpdesk.
Directions if you are Off-campus:
- On the College home page, log in to your Ursuline e-mail using OWA Outlook Web Access.
- Once inside OWA, in the gray banner bar on the right-hand side, click the Options icon.
- In the left-hand navigation pane, select "Change Password."
- You will see Domain\user name: URCO_NT\your_user_name
- Fill in your old password.
- Then type in a new password. It must have at least seven characters.
- Click OK.
- The next time you go to log in remember to use your new password.
If you are on College PC, follow these directions:
- Log on to the PC in your office as you normally do, using your old password.
- If you have any programs open, such as Outlook, close them.
- Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete to bring up the Task window.
- Click "Change Password."
- You will see, User Name: your_user_name; Log on to: URCO_NT
- Fill in your old password.
- Then type in a new password. It must have at least seven characters.
- Click OK and then re-boot your PC.
- Log in with your new password.
- If you have a cell phone, be sure to change the password there as well.
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How do I access my Ursuline e-mail on my SmartPhone?
Ursuline College email system runs on Exchange server. We support Windows Mobile smartphones from many different service providers, and Apple AT&T iPhone 3G. The phone must be running Microsoft ActiveSync which is built in Windows Mobile. Other types of smartphones and protocols such as POP and IMAP are not supported at this time. The iPhone is the only exception.
Inside ActiveSync on your phone is a section called "Configure Server":
Server:
https://mail.ursuline.edu/owa
Server for iphone: mail.ursuline.edu
SSL: yes
domain: ursuline.edu
To install a security certificate which is compatible with the College's Exchange server, using your phone, navigate to one of these links. Select the correct link depending on which version of Windows Mobile is on your phone. Save the cab file on to your phone. Then explore to it and install it by double-clicking.
Windows Mobile 5.0:
WM5 root cert
Windows Mobile 6.0:
WM6 root cert
Select Yes or OK to install the certificate.
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How can I keep my PC updated and running well?
Keeping your PC updated is critical for keeping it in good working order. There are a few simple things you need to do in order to keep your PC running well.
Run only the most current version of Windows
Install only the latest Windows. It is important to run the latest version of Windows. Windows XP2 has built in update services and will automatically bring over updates for you. Make sure you let your PC get updates and install them as soon as they are available.
Run only the most current version of other programs installed on your PC
Secunia Software Inspector will scan your computer and determine if you are using the latest versions of software and provide update links. The Secunia Software Inspector covers the most common/popular end user applications: * Internet browsers * Internet browser plugins * Instant messaging clients * Email clients * Media players * Operating systems.
Install anti-virus software
Every Windows PC needs to have anti-virus software added to it. When you buy a new PC it may come with a trial version anti-rvirus program.
That is not enough! You must make sure you subscribe and receive updates for your anti-virus software because new viruses are always being released.
If you want to save some money, subscribe to free anti-virus software. One good program we recommend is AVG.
It is available to download and use free.
Grisoft's AVG Anti-virus Free Edition will protect your computer from viruses.
You also get free access to the newest virus updates and it has an easy-to-use interface. Grisoft's AVG Free Edition is free for personal, non-commercial use.
Enable the Windows XP2 firewall
Windows XP2 has built in firewall. Make sure you use it!
Download and install Windows Defender
Windows Defender is a free utility upgrade for Windows XP from Microsoft. You can download it for free. Microsoft Windows Defender is a security technology that helps protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Known spyware on your PC can be detected and removed. This helps reduce negative effects caused by spyware, including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings, and unauthorized use of your private information.
In Conclusion
Following the above simple steps will ensure your PC is up-to-date and running well.
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Help, my PC is infected!
Okay, I've been on the Internet and I need to clean up my PC. Can you help?
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
The
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool checks computers running Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows Server 2003 for infections by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom and helps remove any infection found.
Spyware and Malware Removal Tools
SUPERAntiSpyware Free edition or
Spybot Search & Destroycan detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover.
Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition protects your computer from data-mining, aggressive advertising, parasites, scumware, trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers, and tracking components. Ad-Aware Personal edition is free for non-commercial use.
AVG Anti-Rootkit Free will scan your computer and determine if there are any root kits installed on your PC. If it finds any, it will remove them.
AVG Anti-Spyware Free Edition is another free tool from AVG which protects against spyware to avoid infections in the first place.
Virus Removal Tool
McAfee AVERT Stinger is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove specific viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to help when dealing with an infected system.
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Do I need an office program for my computer?
Yes, indeed, you will need an office program for your computer. Here are some options for obtaining Office.
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Office is the de facto standard for creating documents. We recommend purchasing a copy of it for your studies at Ursuline College. You can purchase it where ever software is sold. Or, for the best price, you can also purchase it through the College web site.
Anyone with an Ursuline email address can purchase Microsoft programs here,
Buy Microsoft Software.
Open Office
If you are on a tight budget and want to save money, then
Open Office might be for you. Although files created with Open Office are not 100% compatible with Microsoft Office, the program still works well on its own. OpenOffice is free to download, use, and distribute.
PowerPoint Viewer
If all you want to do is be able to view PowerPoints, Microsoft makes available for free a PowerPoint viewer. Don't have PowerPoint? Need to open a PowerPoint presentation?
The
PowerPoint 2003 Viewer lets you view full-featured presentations created in any version of PowerPoint.
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PHISH Avoid being a victim!!
The Internet is a public place. Internet email addresses are public information. Do not be fooled into thinking you are on a private, totally secured network. It is good to keep in mind that the Internet is a public place where you don't always know for sure with whom you may be speaking, or who all may be listening. Please keep that in mind, particularly related to PHISH emails.
10 Rules for How to Avoid Identity Theft from PHISH email
- Never give your passwords out for any reason!
- Phish is a spam email that relies on user naivete to capture your login and use it for bad purposes such as sending spam from your mail account.
- Don't ever email your password to anyone.
- Don't give out your password no matter who claims to need it.
- Never give your passwords out for any reason!
- Be wary of emails sent to you by someone you don't know.
- Be wary of official sounding emails that are from someone you do or do not know asking for your password. DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PASSWORD.
- Even if the requester claims they are your webmail administrator, do not give out your password.
- SPAM emails do get through to your inbox. Delete them. Do not reply to them.
- Legitimate network administrators will never ask you for your password. They will provide a way for you to change it. They will never ask you for it.
- Protect your identity and your reputation when you are online, just as you do in everyday life! Give no one your password.
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How do I view and create PDFs?
PDF stands for "portable document format". It is a secure method for sharing a document on the Internet. That is why you will find many PDFs on the Internet. To view them, your computer needs to have Acrobat Reader installed on it. You can use the link below to install Acrobat Reader. If you actually want to create a PDF file yourself, you have some options we will discuss below.
PDF Reader
Acrobat PDF Reader is free software you can download and install on your Mac or PC. It will allow you to view and/or print PDF files you may find on the Internet.
You can download
Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.
Acrobat Pro
In order to create a PDF file from your Word or other Office document, you need Acrobat Pro. Acrobat Pro can be purchased where ever software is sold. But, there are other options for creating a PDF. So, keep reading.
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Can you help me purchase a computer?
Purchasing a new computer or laptop can be a challenge that we would like to help you overcome.
Why have a Personal Computer?
To take full advantage of your studies at Ursuline College, you will want to have access to a current personal computer. Members of the Ursuline College community use their personal computers to share documents and study. Yes, there are computer labs on campus. But whenever possible, most students expect them to supplement their own computers. Buying a computer is a major decision, and many families want their students to attend class before making a choice. Be aware, however, that many courses first-year students take expect regular computer use and students can expect computer-based assignments from the first day of class.
Windows vs. Macintosh
The College supports both Windows and Macintosh computers. So, you may choose the systems that you prefer. Most students own Windows computers; students who purchase Windows computers will find the most support for this platform. On the other hand, the Art Department recommends Macintosh computers because departmental courseware makes use of the Macintosh's capabilities. Most all software today is available now for either platform.
Desktop vs. Laptop
In deciding whether to buy a desktop or a laptop computer, you should balance your need for portability against the factors of price and performance. A laptop computer is more expensive than a desktop computer of equal power and has less power/capability than a desktop computer of equal price. Furthermore, a laptop will be more difficult and expensive to upgrade when you need more power/capability, and generally costs more to repair. Nevertheless, laptop computers are more and more popular choice because of the benefit of being able to take the computer to class, back and forth to home. As with Windows versus Macintosh, choose the computer that best matches your budget and work habits.
System Recommendations: Minimum vs. Recommended
| |
Minimum |
Recommended |
| Processor: |
Pentium 4 2.8Ghz |
Pentium Duo Core |
| RAM (memory): |
1 GB RAM |
2 GB RAM |
| Hard Drive: |
40 GB |
60/80 GB or more |
| Optical Drives |
CD-ROM |
CDRW/DVD combo |
| Monitor: |
17in CRT for desktop PC |
17in CRT or larger |
| Network: |
integrated Ethernet |
integrated Ethernet and WiFi |
| Multimedia: |
Integrated audio and video |
Integrated audio and video and external speakers or headphones |
| Operating System: |
Windows XP2 Home or Pro Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger |
Windows Vista Home, Business Premium Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger |
| External drive: |
1 GB USB flash drive |
60 GB USB passport hard drive |
| Firewall: |
Updated anti-virus program, Windows XP2 firewall, Microsoft Windows Defender anti-spyware |
Updated anti-virus program, Windows XP2 firewall, Microsoft Windows Defender anti-spyware |
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What programs do you recommend for digital photos?
There are a number of programs you'll find useful for managing digital photos. Some that we have found particularly useful are listed on this page.
Picasa
Picasa is free Windows software for managing your digital photographs. It will allow you to do some basic editing and keep your photos organized.
It is free to down load from
Google Picasa.
Windows Image Re-Sizer
Image Resizer is included in Windows XP PowerToys. It will allow you to resize one or many image files from inside Windows Explorer with a right-click.
You can download
Windows Image Re-Sizer. from Microsoft's web site.
IrfanView Graphic Viewer
IrfanView is a very fast compact graphic viewer and editor for Windows. Using IrfanView you can rotate, resize, sharpen and convert over 60 different image file formats.
IrfanView Graphic Viewer is free personal, for non-commercial use.
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What do I need for video, audio, or other multimedia?
There are a number of multimedia "plug-ins" for your Internet Explorer, Safari, or Mozilla Foxfire you'll find useful for playing media on your computer. Some that we have found particularly useful are listed on this page.
Apple QuickTime Player
QuickTime will allow you to view QuickTime movies as well as other videos, audio recordings and photos.
Apple QuickTime Player
Real Player
Real Player can be used for streaming audio and video files to your computer. The player is free to download and install on your PC.
Java Plugin
The
Java Plugin will allow you to view webpages developed using Java.
Flash Player
The
Macromedia Flash Player plugin will allow you to view web content developed using Flash.
Shockwave Player
Macromedia's
Shockwave Player plugin will allow you to view content on web pages which were created with Macromedia Director. If you need to view shockwave pages you can download the player for free.
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Blog, wiki, podcast and more, defined
This is the FAQ with a brief, working definition of the latest tech terms.
Blog
A blog is an online diary where an individual can write to the world at large about their thoughts or experiences.
Del.icio.us
Del.icio.us is a web site where you can keep and share bookmarks to Web content.
MySpace and Facebook
Really popular destinations on the Internet where people get together.
P2P
P2P stands for peer-to-peer which is a form of networking two computers together so that files can be shared directly between the two machnies. P2P is a common way for sharing music and video.
phishing
Phishing is an attempt to extract confidential financial information by sending emails that look as if they are from a legitimate source. Key Bank and eBay are both well known targets for phishing schemes.
Podcast
A podcast is an audio track of a speaker, or musician which is produced for distribution by downloading from the Internet. Video can also be made into a podcast.
RSS
RSS is a syndication technology primarily used by publishers to distribute articles to subscribers. RSS software runs inside a web browser where the use can locate and subscribe to a feed. Internet Explorer 7 will include native RSS functions; Firefox has many options for RSS plug-ins.
Web 2.0
Web 2.0 is the successor to Web 1.0. It is an indefinite terms with the implication that the Web has evolved since it was first introduced in 1994 with the first Web browsing software. The primary characteristic of Web 2.0 has to do with the social nature of much of the current activity on the Web.
Wiki
Wiki is a living encyclopaedia where things (all sorts of things, anything, and everything) are defined, redefined, and discussed.
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Thoughts on staying safe on the Internet...
The Internet can provide tremendous opportunites for meeting new people, sharing your thoughts and hopes, and establishing lasting friendships. However, it is good to keep in mind that the Internet is a public place where you don't always know for sure with whom you may be speaking, or who all may be listening. If you keep that in mind, you will no doubt have a safe experience on the Internet.
10 Rules for Staying Safe on the Internet
- Don't share confidential, personal information on blogs or other message boards.
- NEVER respond to an email that asks you to verify an account number or credit card.
- Don't give out any personal information such as your telephone number, your home or college address, where you work, etc...
- Never give your passwords out for any reason!
- Be wary of emails sent to you by someone you don't know.
- Pay attention to the pictures you are posting on the internet. Ask yourself if you would show that picture to your parents?
- When shopping on the Internet prefer site that are well known, such as Amazon, for example.
- Downloading music or movies without paying could have unintended consequences.
- Don't talk to strangers on the Internet.
- Protect your identity and your reputation when you are online, just as you do in everyday life!
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And finally, some more stuff you might want...
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a popular alternative to IE. Built with your security in mind, Firefox web browser keeps your computer safe from malicious spyware and pop-ups ads. You can download Firefox to experience the Internet the with tabbed browsing hassle-free.
Google Toolbar and other Google stuff
The
Google Toolbar eliminates pop-up ads, allows you to search the Web with Google from any site, fills in forms with one click and it highlights search terms on web pages. Then, of course there's other Google stuff, so stay on top of it all...
Google Earth
Google Earth combines satellite imagery, maps and the power of Google Search to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips.
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