Students and digital devices go hand in hand. Some students have laptops or tablets, but there are others who rely exclusively on university provided computers and technology. For students at Pacific University who rely on library computers or other university devices, the Technology Information Center (TIC) can help ease the burden with loaner devices. “We have PC laptops and Mac laptops, small camcorders and we also have dongles [for] VGA to Lightningbolt,” TIC student employee and freshman Sabrina Spurlock said. We have IPads you can check out and headphones you can checkout.” Malicious software can wreak havoc on computers and other digital devices, students and staff are encouraged to be wary of strange emails, suspicious websites and clickbait. Viruses, spyware, and trojans are threats that can seriously bog down computers and possibly crash them as well. Pacific offers a free Symantec antivirus program for students and they are encouraged to use it as a preventative measure. There are many different antivirus programs available beyond the university provided antivirus as well.
“Symantec is one [antivirus] if you are having issues with malware and my suggestion is to bring it [the computer] down and we’ll suggest one based upon your computer, because Macs and PCs use different software and different softwares run on them,” sophomore and TIC student employee Brooke Roth said. “And we’ll even download it on there for you.” Whether a device is owned, borrowed, or rented, dangers of hard drives crashing, hardware failure and malicious software can create problems for students who need them to write
papers, create presentations, or access assignments on Moodle. The TIC at Pacific provides services and devices for students who find themselves in need of assistance.
papers, create presentations, or access assignments on Moodle. The TIC at Pacific provides services and devices for students who find themselves in need of assistance.
“The TIC actually does replace hard drives or power supplies to computers which a lot of people don’t know,” Spurlock said. The TIC has a wealth of resources for students who are in need of assistance with their devices, either hardware or software. For more information about combating hardware and software issues please visit: Pacificu.edu/uis for answers on recommended software, how to contact the TIC and other online tools and resources. The digital world has its pitfalls, but knowing where to find help before making the problem worse can make all the difference.
Leave a Reply