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Student Edition, February 2008

Emergency Mass Notification System Update

In case of emergency or on-campus threat, the University of Missouri can notify you (students, faculty and staff on each campus) by voice and text message as well as e-mail. All you need to do is add your emergency contact information to the Emergency Mass Notification System (EMNS). Individuals are responsible for keeping their own information up to date.

Students can add or update their information in myZou.

1. Log in with your PawPrint (SSO ID) and password.
2. Click Self Service on the main page or in the left-hand menu.
3. Click Campus Personal Information on the main page or in the left-hand menu.
4. Click Phone Numbers.
5. Add your contact information.
6. Click Save.
7. Log out of myZou.

TigerNet Wireless Network to be Removed from Service

TigerNet uses the WEP protocol for data privacy. WEP has shortcomings:

• WEP is not very secure. The WEP key is easily cracked, making it relatively easy for someone to eavesdrop on your wireless data communications, including web browsing, e-mail, and file transfers. It's also fairly easy for people with no MU affiliation to obtain the WEP key from someone working at MU, allowing them to access the wireless network and use our resources (such as Internet bandwidth).
• The WEP key must be distributed to all wireless network users and configured on every wireless computer. In addition, the key must be changed occasionally to limit, at least for a while, the number of non MU-affiliated users on the wireless network. This is a support problem and is inconvenient for everyone.

TigerNet1x uses the 802.1x protocol to improve data privacy and network access and has the following benefits:

• 802.1x allows wireless network access via PawPrint (SSO ID) authentication. Your PawPrint and password are strongly encrypted to protect them against theft. Only users with an MU affiliation have a PawPrint, thus preventing nonaffiliated persons access to our network.
• There is no key to be distributed, which is much more convenient for users and support staff.
• 802.1x supports several types of data encryption. When properly configured, it provides very strong encryption, making it all but impossible to eavesdrop on wireless communications.

For information on how to configure your wireless-enabled laptop or other device to use TigerNet1x, please visit the IT KnowledgeBase. For additional information about wireless networking on campus, please refer to Mizzou IT's Wireless page.

DMCA at MU — What's the Law?

What is the Law? The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 2001 (DMCA) is a federal law that protects the authors of intellectual works such as books, movies and music. Some people think that you may copy and share copyrighted materials so long as you are not selling the duplications. This is untrue. Copying and distributing someone else's work may violate an author's rights even when you are not selling the copies.

What can happen if I'm caught illegally downloading copyrighted materials? Complaints about illegal file sharing typically arrive directly from software, music and motion picture associations, copyright holders and law firms. Mizzou IT disables network access for the listed device and attempts to identify the owner to inform him or her about the complaint. Once we have identified you as the owner of the device and validated the complaint, the following will happen:

1. You must stop sharing all copyrighted materials as defined by the MU Acceptable Use Policy and federal law.
2. You must complete the Mizzou IT "Safe and Legal Computing on the Internet" course. After completing the course, you will sign an agreement to cease sharing copyrighted materials. Upon signing the agreement, we expect you to remove any files currently being shared across the network.
3. Your device will remain off of the MU network for a minimum of two weeks.

Furthermore, Mizzou IT will assess a $200 administrative fee to individuals who are found in violation of policies related to illegal downloading or distribution of copyrighted files. This fee covers staff time and expenses associated with resolving DMCA violations.

Can I be sued? In some cases, yes! The RIAA has often distributed "early settlement" letters to universities around the country as part of their anti-theft campaign. MU will forward "early settlement" letters to students that the RIAA alleges have shared copyrighted material illegally while using the University network. MU will send a cover letter along with the RIAA early settlement letter to the student's e-mail address, as well as his/her current and permanent addresses. Unless served with a proper subpoena, court order, or other legal process, the University will not release the name of the student to the RIAA. By forwarding the early settlement letters, MU has made no determination that a student has engaged in copyright infringement or that they should enter into an early settlement with the copyright holder. It is solely the student's personal decision whether to respond to the "early settlement" procedure. MU encourages students to seek legal counsel before responding to these letters.

To comply with the law and to protect yourself from possible litigation, we strongly encourage you to remove illegally-obtained copyrighted material from your computer, and to stop downloading copyrighted material illegally. Mizzou IT will continue our education efforts in this area, but ultimately the choice is yours. More information on the DMCA is available on the Mizzou IT DMCA policy page. If you have questions, please contact isam@missouri.edu.

News Bytes

• It's never too late to sign up for Ruckus, a free digital entertainment network designed specifically for college students. You can access more than 3.2 million high-fidelity, virus-free music tracks and do it without risking copyright infringement. The basic Ruckus account is free to any MU student with a valid mizzou.edu e-mail address. Go to ruckus.com, click on "Sign Up," and enter your mizzou.edu e-mail address.
• Are you or someone you know using technology at MU to enhance the student learning environment or process? The annual Excellence in Teaching with Technology Awards recognize faculty, staff, graduate instructors, and teaching assistants who use technologies and demonstrate excellence in teaching. MU faculty, staff, and students are eligible to submit nominations prior to March 31, 2008. To find out more and submit nominations online, visit provost.missouri.edu/faculty/awards/technology.html.
• If you live in a residence hall and are not currently subscribing to Mizzou IT's local phone service, you can still subscribe to MizzouIT long-distance service. Just use any phone on campus capable of making long-distance calls. (Make sure it's okay with the subscriber when you use their phone!) You just enter the long-distance authorization code we give you, and you can make domestic calls at seven cents a minute plus applicable taxes. International rates vary by country. There are no sign-up or monthly fees. Since it's your authorization code, you will get the bill — not the telephone subscriber. Sign up is simple. If you aren't subscribing to our local phone service, just go here to sign up for long distance.
• Get ready for Office 2007 by attending one or all of IT Training's primer courses. The courses are shorter than our regular courses and focus on new features, like the ribbon. IT Training is in the process of converting from 2003 to 2007 for our more comprehensive courses as well. You should see them popping up on the schedule after spring break. To sign up for a primer, visit the IT Training page.

Cold-Weather Tips for Laptops

Store carefully. Never leave a laptop in the trunk of your car in cold weather, even if it's in an insulated case. If your laptop freezes, you could lose all your data.

Let your laptop warm up. After bringing a laptop in from the cold, let it warm up to room temperature before starting it. The display is especially vulnerable. Don't use a heating pad to "thaw" a frozen laptop display! Allow it to warm up on its own before you start up.

Use a laptop warmer.... These devices, designed specifically to keep a laptop warm, have been tested for safety and effectiveness and are a good investment.

...but avoid excessive heat buildup. Too much heat is as bad for your laptop as too little. Don't use mug warmers or pocket warmers to heat your laptop! These devices can cause problems if they heat the wrong parts of a laptop and can even melt internal components. Also, don't use your laptop while it's in its bag (or anywhere else that doesn't allow adequate air circulation) — inadequate ventilation can cause the processor to overheat.

Change your laptop's power settings. If your laptop uses the "power save" mode, turn it off. A running laptop will stay warmer than one that's asleep, as it generates its own heat.

OneNote Helps You Collect, Organize, Share Notes

Some of the things you can do with OneNote:

• Share notes with other team members or students via email. In addition to your own notes, OneNote enables you to clip an image from your browser and even places the referenced URL in the notes.
• Record a meeting or lecture for later reference. OneNote associates the audio to the notes you take. As you listen to the audio later, OneNote highlights your notes on your computer screen.
• Tag important notes. With just a click, you can apply a star to an note item to help find it later. The star is just one of many tags you can apply.
• Flag notes to show up in your Outlook Task Pad to remind you of an action item recorded during a meeting or lecture.
• Ink notes with a tablet PC. Instead of typing, you can handwrite notes and later convert them into text. Obviously, your handwriting must be legible!

Don't take notes on paper and tediously type them into your laptop any longer. Do it once and save time. To learn how to use OneNote 2007, sign up for a free course with IT Training.