New anti virus software

The University has changed its site-licensing for anti virus software, effective 1 February 2004.

Computer Associates eTrust will become the University's new anti virus environment from 1 February 2004.The PC version of the product will be installed remotely on you PC, with the McAfee product removed at the same time. You will need to restart your computer when advised by a message on the screen that the new software has been installed. Please restart your computer when you see the message.

Helpdesk staff will install the software for Macintosh OS 9 users once the software is available. Software for Macintosh OS X is not yet available: users will be notified when it is.

W32/Bagle email virus

There is a new email virus on the loose infecting PCs across the campus.

Reports have been received from PC users across campus today of a new virus, W32/Bagle. This is a mass-mailing virus transmitted via email attachment. Anti-virus software on mail servers and email clients across campus needs to be updated to combat the infection. The virus mails itself to addresses harvested from the infected machine, and installs software that allows the infected computer to be controlled remotely.

Macintosh computers are not affected by the virus, but users may receive a number of the virus-infected emails.

The emails have the subject "Hi", and contain a .exe file (PC executble) as an attachment. The file name for the attachment varies, but all are about 20K in size. The sender's address has been stolen from the address book or other file on a previously infected computer, so it may appear valid. It is not.

DO NOT OPEN OR RUN THE EXECUTABLE. Any comedu staff who have run the attachment should shut down their machine immediately and call the comedu helpdesk. Infected computers will be disconnected from the network until the virus has been removed by TSU staff.

Emails suspected of containing the virus should be deleted without being opened.

Further details of the virus can be seen at http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=description&virus_k=100965.

Proposals for Building 10 Lab software installations for 2004

Please review the list of proposed software to ensure all the applications you require for 2004 will be installed in Building 10 labs.

The following applications are to be available in the Building 10 Labs in 2004. Please review the lists and contact cehelpdesk@comedu.canberra.edu.au if you expected to use software in these labs that is not included on the lists. There is no guarantee that software not on the lists can be installed in time for first semester use.

Macintosh

OS X 10.3.2 with NO CLASSIC MODE

• Adobe Creative Suite
  • Illustrator CS
  • InDesign CS
  • Photoshop CS
• Calculator
• Cinema Tools 2.1 -- Removed for licensing reasons
• Compressor 1.1 -- Removed for licensing reasons
• DVD Player
• EndNote 6
• Final Cut Pro 4.1 -- Removed for licensing reasons
• Final Cut Pro Additional Easy Setups -- Removed for licensing reasons
• iDVD 3 -- Replaced with iDVD 4
• Image Capture
• iMovie 3 -- Replaced with iMovie 4
• Internet Explorer 5.2
• iPhoto 2 -- Replaced with iPhoto 4
• iTunes 4.2
• LiveType 1.1.1 -- Removed for licensing reasons
• MacroMedia Suite MX
  • Director MX
  • Dreamweaver MX 2004
  • Extension Manager
  • Fireworks MX 2004
  • Flash MX 2004
  • Freehand MXa
• Microsoft Office vX
  • Word
  • Excel
  • PowerPoint
• Mozilla -- Removed: incompatible with the environment
• Preview
• QuickTime Player
• Safari
• Sherlock
• Sound Studio 2.1
• Soundtrack 1.1 -- Removed for licensing reasons
• Soundtrack Loops -- Removed for licensing reasons
• GarageBand -- Added to replace Soundtrack
• SPSS 11
• Stickies
• TextEdit
• Virex 7 (may be eTrust if the installation disks arrive in time and it works)
• Windows Media Player 9.0

PC

Windows 2000 SP4

• Adobe Creative Suite
  • Photoshop CS
  • InDesign CS
  • Illustrator CS
• Microsoft Office 2000 SP-3
  • Access
  • Excel
  • Front Page
  • PowerPoint
  • Project
  • Publisher
  • Word
• Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.1
• EndNote 6.0.2
• DX Databases
• Internet Explorer 6
• Mozilla
• Windows Media Player 7.1 (maybe upgraded to v9 if testing shows it works well enough in the environment)
• CA eTrust (pending arrival of install media, otherwise MacAfee)
• MYOB First accounts v10
• MYOB Accounting Plus v11
• Paint Shop Pro 8
• PowerDVD XP
• QuickTime 6
• RealOne Player
• SAS 8.2
• SmartForce Training
• SPSS v11.5 with Amos 4
• Telnet QVT 5
• Type Tutor
• Visual Studio 6 SP-5
• WinZip 8
• Macromedia Suite MX 2004
  • Director MX
  • Dreamweaver MX 2004
  • Extension Manager
  • Fireworks MX 2004
  • Flash MX 2004
  • Freehand MX
• WS_FTP 5.08
• QSR Nvivo 6
• Maple 9

WebCT upgrade

Some users have had to upgrade their browsers before they can use the recently-upgraded version of WebCT, the University’s online teaching support environment.

The University has recently upgraded WebCT to version 4.1. The upgraded version works well with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, but does not work with Netscape 4.7.

The supported browsers are:

• AOL 7.0 (PC)
• AOL 8.0 (PC)
• AOL OSX (OSX)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0, 5.5 and 6.0 (PC)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1 (OS9, OSX 10.1)
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.2 (OSX 10.2)
• Netscape 6.2.x (PC and Mac)
• Netscape 7.0 (PC andOSX)

Users you need another browser to use the new version of WebCT should contact the comedu helpdesk for a supported browser to be installed. Note that Netscape 7 does not include Calendar, so users of the University Calendar will need to keep their current calendar software installed.

Media Facilities Users Group (MFUG)

Recommendations are being made to revitalise the Division’s Media Facilities Users Group (MFUG).

MFUG comprises users of the Division’s media facilities, coordinating access to equipment loans and media teaching facilities. It also advises the IT & Infrastructure Committee on issues relating to loan equipment, software requirements, and studio and lab facilities.

Following concerns that the TSU had taken control of MFUG, the TSU withdrew from managing it early last year. MFUG has not met since.

Effective operation of such a group is of benefit to the Division because it provides a forum for users of the media facilities and a conduit to the Executive for issues relating to the Division’s media facilities. Executive has been asked to endorse the continued operation of the group and appoint a Convenor, with responsibility to ensure the group:

1. gives media facilities users effective access to a forum to discuss any issues in relation to the use or operation of the Division’s media facilities;
2. provides staff with an opportunity to give feedback on services received from Client Services Division (Building 10 labs operation, hardware, software and support;
3. meets at least three times each year;
4. schedules access to labs, studios, loan equipment and staff required for demonstrations to ensure the most effective use is made of limited resources; and
5. provides advice to the Executive through the IT & Infrastructure Committee on the operation of the Division’s media facilities and needs for future improvements.

Membership of the group should be open to all Divisional staff with an interest in the media facilities of the Division, including (but not necessarily limited to) staff who are teaching in areas requiring media equipment and facilities from the Schools of Creative Communication, Professional Communication, Education and Community Studies, and Languages and International Education, plus the head of the CRC, and TSU media staff. MFUG will choose its own Chair, and report to the IT and Infrastructure Committee through the MFUG Convenor.