Access to on-campus computers these days requires more than the click of a mouse.
Users now have to create a personal account in Eaton Hall, which requires them to sign on every time they use a
computer.
According to Jeff Weiner, Manager of Instructional Services and Training in the Information Technology Services Department (ITS), starting in Fall '06 students will have 150 megabytes of storage space for their own documents and files.
Currently, the system is in place in two pilot locations, the Eaton Hall Lab and the Engineering Project Development Center (EPDC).
The changes will update a system that previously made document transfer complicated, as files saved on any one computer were not on a network that was accessible anywhere else.
Though the full service will not be available until Fall '06, Weiner said that the changes will facilitate computer use at Tufts and enhance educational opportunities.
"The service will allow for integration of technology into classrooms, it will allow students to retrieve documents from locations both on and off campus, and we can leverage the network account to try and simplify logins to other services on campus," he said.
The decision to change the system was made by ITS and Tufts Computing and Communication Services (TCCS) with input from the Deans of Arts and Sciences, according to Weiner. As the computer systems were already established, the project's cost was minimal.
"Financially, we didn't change much," he said. "The network infrastructure was already in place."
Once students establish a password, which must include at least one lower-case letter, upper-case letter, symbol and numerical digit, contain more than seven characters and not spell any dictionary word, they will be granted access to a private account.
Weiner said that students will eventually be able to be access this account from anywhere.
Student reactions to the decision is mixed, with some thankful for the added flexibility and privacy and some bemoaning the extra steps necessary for computer use.
"I like the idea of having our own private accounts and being able to save documents," sophomore Phil Cherry said. "Although it's annoying when I walk into Eaton to have to log on, I usually just try to find a computer that somebody else forgot to log off of."
Accounts are designed to automatically log off if a computer is left idle for 30 minutes, but during Eaton's busy times, computer idleness is a rarity.
Sophomore Anthony Caccavo agreed that the log-in process creates an annoyance, saying that the complex password requirements present further frustration.
"I never had a problem before and don't really understand why we have them," Caccavo said. "But I find it pretty inconvenient because when I do need to use them it's usually between classes and it usually takes that long just to remember which letter is capitalized, what symbol I used, and if I made a word or a pattern."
Yet Weiner says that once all of the goals of the network are implemented, it will make computing at Tufts more convenient and reliable.
"Students can print from any of the pilot locations and pick up print jobs from any of the pilot locations, i.e. you can print in the Eaton Lab and pick up the print job in the [EPDC]," he said. And "they no longer have to carry disks around campus."
Sophomore Matthew Knowles, an Engineering student, said that the system is good for security in the EPDC.
"It's a very good idea, because computer security is important," he said. "By having your own account, your privacy is better protected so long as the correct security measures are in place."
Junior Katherine Conway, who spent the fall semester abroad, said the new implementation complicates the computing system.
"So far, the new security clearances have only made things more difficult for the students returning from abroad," she said. "My account is still not straightened out."
Weiner said that the University intends to hire an additional staff member to support the system "once the service is proven successful." If this happens, changes will be implemented in locations beyond the pilot centers.
