A password has also been created for you. Your password authenticates -- or proves that you are you -- when you use your computer. Do not tell anyone your password. Keeping your password secret guards against unauthorized use (or misuse) of services in your name. If you forget your password, contact Technology Support Services and they will issue you a new one.

For security reasons, it's a good idea to reset pre-assigned passwords right away and change working passwords at least once every six months though you will not be forced to by the system. To do so, follow the instructions on our website. We require a minimum password length of 6 characters, which should include at least one number and/or one capital letter. Do not use a password that is obvious such as your birthday or pets name.

Other resources such as Computer Management and Development Services (CMDS) require that your passwords are changed periodically, and there is no way around it. The convention for CMDS passwords is as follows: Minimum 6 Characters and must include 1 number. This convention ensures greater difficulty in someone guessing your password and possibly accessing confidential information.

TSS asks only that if you set a screen saver password that it is shared with us so we can perform maintenance on your computer.

Viruses are computer applications that can cause damage to networks, computers and data. To avoid transmitting these viruses from one computer to another it is important not to ignore warnings of possible viruses on your computer. Frequently you will receive e-mail warning you of a new malicious virus, it is possible for this to be true, however it is most frequently a hoax. Most viruses are designed to appear "cute" or just annoying which some are just that, however that is often used to mask (Trojan Horse) the real virus that will destroy data. Avoid opening an e-mail's attachment that is not expected, delete the message immediately.

Every user is supplied a home directory that is secure and can only be accessed by that specific user on one of our servers. There are some shared directories that can be accessed by a select few users who are given permissions. These directories are backed-up nightly and the servers are also protected from power surges and brownouts, where not every workstation is. We also have a strong virus protection application that runs on the servers to protect your data from malicious infection. It is for these reasons that we strongly recommend you save your data to a secure location such as the server. The directories that are made available to you can be found under the G: drive seen in ‘Explorer’ and ‘My Computer’. If you choose to save locally on your C: drive, be advised that you are responsible for your own backups. The best way to do this is with 3.5" floppy disks, or purchasing a 100Mb ZIP Drive (equivalent of approx. 70 floppy disks per disk).

Other than the printers that are located in the public areas of each department, there are also two color printers available for administrative use. These printers are located in the Presidents’ Workroom and also in the workroom between Student Services and the Business Office.

If you find that you want to print to one of the above printers and it is not installed on your computer, place a request on WebDesk for the software to be installed.

A printer standards list has been posted and can be viewed by visiting the TSS web site and choosing "standards". Use this list when researching future departmental purchases.

Some of the most typical printer issues can be resolved by performing the following steps:

1. Click <Start> then <Settings> then <Printers>
2. Double-click the icon for the printer in question

• This shows the print queue and the print jobs it contains. If you originally sent the print job, you can use the print queue dialog box to manage the printer queue and print jobs. For example, you can pause print jobs if you later determine that the print job will take too long, or delete them if you know they will not appear as you would like.
• From this window you can also determine if the printer is out of paper, requires user intervention (manual paper feed?), is just offline, or if you are even connected to the printer.

Another task that is very simple, is selecting an alternate printer to print to (from Word for example):

1. Select <File> then <Print>
2. Click the down arrow in the top right of the dialog box that appears, this will display a drop-down list or available printers
3. Select the printer you wish to print to, if you don’t see the printer of your liking, contact TSS so the printers’ software can be installed on your computer.

First some terminology, a LAN (Local Area Network) is described as "a short distance data communications network (typically within a building or campus) used to link together computers and peripheral devices (such as printers) under some form of standard control" (i.e. YCCC). A WAN (Wide Area Network) is described as "a network that is used to connect dispersed sites" (i.e. MTCS).

The AS/400 is where CMDS resides, and in June of 1999 YCCC received a new state-of-the-art system which has proven to increase productivity and efficiency for all staff members who use CMDS.

Our network continues to migrate its dependency from the Novell NetWare Servers to a growing number of Windows NT Servers. Windows NT has proven to be most effective in providing a platform for York County Community College to provide the services that will best suite the needs of faculty, staff and students. Stability and redundancy has greatly improved with Windows NT versus Novell NetWare. Our uptime is upwards of 97.5% and continues to stabilize daily.

When using a YCCC Computer, you agree to comply with the "Acceptable Use Policy" that governs the proper, ethical, and considerate use of YCCC's computer system. Please see the entire text of the policy in your Faculty and Staff Handbook (Article 4.45) or at www.yccc.edu/aupolicy.htm

And a very good question it is too. It's all very well saying the Internet is a mine of information, but if you don't know where to look you could be there for quite some time. Which is why there are programs called Search Engines lying around. These programs allow you to type in keywords, for example if you were looking to fix your car's engine, you would type in 'Car Engines', and all the places where you can find information on that particular topic will be listed. Basically, the Internet without Search Engines is like a car without wheels. A few examples of search engines are www.yahoo.com and www.infoseek.com.

The Internet relies on people to write articles about things for other people to read. Most of the information on the Internet is available free of charge - however some places require you to purchase an ID before you can continue, which is usually done by an electronic credit card transaction.

When people think of the Internet they quite often think of email as well. The two are very closely linked, however they serve two totally different purposes. While the Internet primarily acts as a source of information, email (which is short for Electronic Mail) is a way of communicating with people who are connected to the Internet.

Internet Service Provider (e.g. AOL) when you connected to the Internet - this is the thing that looks like: yourname@yourserviceprovider.com Using this address other people with email addresses can send you messages and other files. Many people incorporate an email address into their web site so that you can mail them with your comments just by clicking on a picture or word. You can mail me if you like with your comments and questions by clicking Here. Email does have its disadvantages - people use it to send around chain emails (similar to chain letters except there are far more of them) and also some people use it to write hoaxes about viruses which are supposed to kill your computer. It's safest to ignore all messages, which encourage you to pass them on to as many people as you can.

Chat, unlike email, is a feature of the Internet where you can talk in real time, like on the telephone, with other people who are in the same chatroom as you. Chatrooms are usually grouped by interest - for instance you may have a chatroom on Mountain Biking, or maybe one on Computing... the list is endless. Your Internet Service Provider will have a dedicated area for chat. Don't be put off if someone is nasty to you in a chatroom - this is called flaming and is relatively commonplace amongst the online community. Just learn to ignore it.

Downloading is a term that is used when you copy a file or files from a web site, much like you would copy a file from your A: drive to your C: drive. Typically the file you download is in a ‘zip’ format (not to be confused with a ZIP Drive – entirely different entities), which means that you must have some type of utility to open it. A ‘zip’ file is a number of files compressed and stored as a single file. Think of an envelope that has several letters in it, you can’t tell how many letters are in the envelope because it is just as thick as if it had only one (give or take a bit). To open that envelope you need a tool, whether it is a letter opener or a long fingernail. To open a ‘zip’ file you also need a tool. Two common tools are WinZip and PKUnzip. Both must be purchased from their respective companies.

I think that covers most of the basic aspects of the Internet. I hope you have found it useful and if you have any questions don't hesitate to email me. This site will be expanded accordingly depending on what people ask, so don't be afraid! Happy Surfing!

Help Us Help You

To aid us in helping you, please try the following before submitting a support request:

1. Reboot your machine and try again.
   After rebooting, see if the problem fixes itself. Even computers can get confused at times.
2. Write down the exact wording of any error messages.
   Although some of the error messages seem weird and make no sense (for ex. 'Error 22'), they may be extremely helpful in getting the problem solved.
3. Check the manual.
   Technology Support Services gets many of its answers simply by looking in the application's manual. Manuals for the programs should be found easily on your computer. Try clicking on Help and figuring out if you can solve the problem yourself. If you don't have the manuals, they can be supplied upon request.
4. Let us know if anything on your computer has changed.
   Answers to questions such as these may help us located the source of the problem faster.

• Has any new software been removed/installed?
• Have you had any new hardware removed/installed?
• Has the computer been out for repair?
• Has anyone been over to fix any other computer related problems?

1. Remember, we are here for you.
   But not all problems have quick solutions. It may take some time to find an answer, so your patience is appreciated!

Technology Support Services has made available a convenient and user-friendly method of obtaining support, we call it WebDesk. It is a web-based helpdesk that allows you the user to view the status and/or resolution to your issues. WebDesk can be accessed by pointing your Internet browser (Internet Explorer) to the following web site www.yccc.edu/webdesk. Instructions on using WebDesk can be found in section Appendix B as well as directly from the web site.

In the event that Internet connectivity is unavailable, your next course of action is to send e-mail to tss@yccc.edu with a clear description of the difficulties you are experiencing.

If you are not able to access any of the above at all, please contact TSS via phone. TSS does not expect to receive any support request via phone, however there are always exceptions.

In the event a server or device failure, TSS has a notification system in place that will notify the Director of Information Technology of what has failed. He will then assemble the necessary resources to resolve the issue(s) as he sees fit.

The term application is a shorter form of application program. An application program is a program designed to perform a specific function directly for the user or, in some cases, for another application program. Examples of applications include word processors, database programs, Web browsers, development tools, drawing, paint, and image editing programs, and communication programs. Applications use the services of the computer's operating system and other supporting applications

Authentication is the process of determining whether someone or something is, in fact, who or what it is declared to be. In private and public computer networks (including the Internet), authentication is commonly done through the use of logon passwords. Knowledge of the password is assumed to guarantee that the user is authentic.

The AS/400 (recently renamed the "AS/400e") is a middle-size server designed for small businesses and departments in large enterprises and now redesigned so that it will work well in distributed networks with Web applications. The AS/400e uses the PowerPC microprocessor with its 64-bit RISC technology. Its operating system is called the OS/400.

BIOS (basic input/output system) is the program a personal computer's microprocessor uses to get the computer system started after you turn it on. It also manages data flow between the computer's operating system and attached devices such as the hard disk, video adapter, keyboard, mouse, and printer.

To boot (as a verb; also "to boot up") a computer is to load an operating system into the computer's main memory or RAM (random access memory). Once the operating system is loaded (and, for example, on a PC, you see the initial Windows or Mac desktop screen), it's ready for users to run applications. Sometimes you'll see an instruction to "reboot" the operating system. This simply means to reload the operating system (the most familiar way to do this on PCs is pressing the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete keys at the same time).

A brownout is a momentary sag in power voltage. It may cause your computer to reset or the lights in the ceiling to dim, typically a usable power voltage is restored immediately.

A cache (pronounced CASH) is a place to store something more or less temporarily. Web pages you request are stored in your browser's cache directory on your hard disk. That way, when you return to a page you've recently looked at, the browser can get it from the cache rather than the original server, saving you time and the network the burden of some additional traffic. You can usually vary the size of your cache, depending on your particular browser.

A cookie is a special text file that a Web site puts on your hard disk so that it can remember something about you at a later time. Typically, a cookie records your preferences when using a particular site.

Compression is the reduction in size of data in order to save space or transmission time. For data transmission, compression can be performed on just the data content or on the entire transmission unit (including header data) depending on a number of factors.

Data is information that has been translated into a form that is more convenient to move or process. Relative to today's computers and transmission media, data is information converted into binary or digital form.

Default (noun, pronounced Dee-FAWLT) is a predesigned value or setting that is used by a computer program when the program user does not specify a value or setting.

Downloading is the transmission of a file from one computer system to another, usually smaller computer system. From the Internet user's point-of-view, to download a file is to request it from another computer (or from a Web page on another computer) and to receive it.

E-commerce (electronic commerce or EC) is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, especially the World Wide Web. In practice, this term and a new term, "e-business," are often used interchangeably. For online retail selling, the term e-tailing is sometimes used.

Encryption is the conversion of data into a form, called a cipher, that cannot be easily understood by unauthorized people. Decryption is the process of converting encrypted data back into its original form, so it can be understood.

Frame relay is a telecommunication service designed for cost-efficient data transmission for intermittent traffic between local area networks (LANs) and between end-points in a wide area network (WAN).

A hard disk is part of a unit, often called a "disk drive," "hard drive," or "hard disk drive," that stores and provides relatively quick access to large amounts of data on an electromagnetically charged surface or set of surfaces. Today's computers typically come with a hard disk that contains several billion bytes (gigabyte) of storage space.

Hardware is the physical aspect of computers, telecommunications, and other information technology devices. The term arose as a way to distinguish the "box" and the electronic circuitry and components of a computer from the program you put in it to make it do things

HTTP is the set of rules for exchanging files (text, graphic images, sound, video and other multimedia files) on the World Wide Web.

The Internet, sometimes called simply "the Net," is a worldwide system of computer networks - a network of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any other computer (and sometimes talk directly to users at other computers).

I/O (input/output), pronounced "eye-oh," describes any operation, program, or device that transfers data to or from a computer. Typical I/O devices are printers, hard disks, keyboards, and mice. In fact, some devices are basically input-only devices (keyboards and mice); others are primarily output-only devices (printers); and others provide both input and output of data (hard disks, diskettes, writable CD-ROMs).

An ISP (Internet service provider) is a company that provides individuals and other companies access to the Internet and other related services such as Web site building and hosting. An ISP has the equipment and the telecommunication line access required to have points-of-presence on the Internet for the geographic area served

A LAN is a network of interconnected workstations sharing the resources of a single processor or server within a relatively small geographic area. Typically, this might be within the area of a small office building.

Listserv is a small program that automatically redistributes e-mail to names on a mailing list. Users can subscribe to a mailing list by sending an e-mail note to a mailing list they learn about; listserv will automatically add the name and distribute future e-mail postings to every subscriber.

Logon is the procedure used to get access to an operating system or application, usually in a remote computer. Almost always a logon requires that the user have (1) a user ID and (2) a password. Often, the user ID must conform to a limited length such as eight characters and the password must contain at least one digit and not match a natural language word. The user ID can be freely known and is visible when entered at a keyboard or other input device. The password must be kept secret (and is not displayed as it is entered).

Mainframe is an industry term for a large computer, typically manufactured by a large company such as IBM for the commercial applications of Fortune 1000 businesses and other large-scale computing purposes. Historically, a mainframe is associated with centralized rather than distributed computing.

Memory (RAM) is the electronic holding place for instructions and data that your computer's microprocessor can reach quickly. When your computer is in normal operation, its memory usually contains the main parts of the operating system and some or all of the application programs and related data that are being used. Memory is often used as a shorter synonym for random access memory (RAM)

Microsoft Windows NT is the Microsoft Windows personal computer operating system designed for users and businesses needing advanced capability. Windows NT (which may originally have stood for "New Technology," although Microsoft doesn't say) is actually two products: Microsoft NT Workstation and Microsoft NT Server. The Workstation is designed for users, especially business users, who need faster performance and a system a little more fail-safe than Windows 95.

A network interface card (NIC) is a computer circuit board or card that is installed in a computer so that it can be connected to a network.

NetWare, made by Novell, was until recently the most widely installed network operating system. Initially very successful in installing its products in large and small office local area networks, Novell has redesigned (or at least refeatured) NetWare to work successfully as part of larger and heterogeneous networks, including the Internet. NetWare's primary competitor is the Microsoft Windows NT operating system.

An operating system (sometimes abbreviated as "OS") is the program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a bootstrap program, manages all the other programs in a computer. The other programs are called applications. The applications make use of the operating system by making requests for services through a defined application program interface (API). In addition, users can interact directly with the operating system through an interface such as a command language.

Plug-and-Play (PnP) is a standard that gives computer users the ability to plug a device into a computer and have the computer recognize that the device is there. The user doesn't have to tell the computer

POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) is the most recent version of a standard protocol for receiving e-mail. POP3 is a client-server protocol in which e-mail is received and held for you by your Internet server. Periodically, you (or your client e-mail receiver) check your mailbox on the server and download any mail.

A Print Queue is a line of documents waiting to be handled, usually in sequential order starting at the beginning of top of the line or sequence.

On the Internet, a router is a device or, in some cases, software in a computer, that determines the next network point to which data should be forwarded toward its destination. The router is connected to at least two networks and decides which way to send each information packet based on its current understanding of the state of the networks it is connected to.

A Server in general, is a computer that provides services to other computer programs in the same or other computers.

URL is the address of a file (resource) accessible on the Internet.

A virtual private network (VPN) is a private data network that makes use of the public telecommunication infrastructure, maintaining privacy through the use of tunnel protocol and security procedures. A virtual private network can be contrasted with a system of owned or leased lines that can only be used by one company. The idea of the VPN is to give the company the same capabilities at much lower cost by using the shared public infrastructure rather than a private one. Phone companies have provided secure shared resources for voice messages. A virtual private network makes it possible to have the same secure sharing of public resources for data.

A virus is a piece of programming code inserted into other programming to cause some unexpected and, for the victim, usually undesirable event. Viruses can be transmitted by downloading programming from other sites or be present on a diskette. The source of the file you're downloading or of a diskette you've received is often unaware of the virus. The virus lies dormant until circumstances cause its code to be executed by the computer. Some viruses are playful in intent and effect ("Happy Birthday, Ludwig!") and some can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard disk to require reformatting.

Workstations are simply Personal Computers attached to a local area network that in turn shares the resources of one or more large computers. Since they are PCs, they can also be used independently of the mainframe or server assuming they have their own applications installed and their own hard disk storage.

The World Wide Web (WWW) is all the resources and users on the Internet that are using HTTP. "The World Wide Web is the universe of network-accessible information, and embodiment of human knowledge."

Y2K stands for Year 2000. Computers are expected to not function properly is certain steps are not taken to ensure "Y2K Compliance". York County Technical College has taken those necessary steps to ensure all hardware and software will function properly after the turn of the millenium.

A Zip drive is a small, portable disk drive used primarily for backing up and archiving personal computer files. The trademarked Zip drive was developed and is sold by Iomega Corporation. Each Zip drive disk holds 100 megabytes of data or the equivalent of 70 floppy diskettes

Zipping is the act of packaging a set of files into a single file or archive that is called a zip file. Usually, the files in a zip file are compressed so that they take up less space in storage or take less time to send to someone. Several popular tools exist for zipping PKZIP in the DOS operating system, Winzip and NetZip in Windows, MacZip for Macintosh users, and Zip and UnZip in UNIX systems. The result of zipping is a single file with a ".zip"suffix. Most zip files compress the included files.

To use the WebDesk the client must have access to the Internet. Any student, Faculty and staff member can use the WebDesk.

If you are a student or Faculty member in class at YCCC, log into the WebDesk at www.yccc.edu/webdesk, enter the YCCC tag number of the computer in question as the USERNAME (i.e. 0792), and the room number as the PASSWORD (i.e. b104).

The four-digit YCCC tag number can be found on the side of the computer. This number uniquely identifies the computer and all of its contents.

If you are a student taking a class via the Internet you must request a USERNAME and PASSWORD by emailing tss@yccc.edu. A USERNAME and PASSWORD will be e-mailed back to you.

If you are a staff member, you will receive your USERNAME and PASSWORD from the TSS department. If the USERNAME and PASSWORD do not work, e-mail TSS@yccc.edu, stating you need assistance with the login procedure for your specific computer and include the four-digit YCCC tag number.