
Windows 8 Announcement
Microsoft released Windows 8 on October 26th, 2012 and most Windows hardware vendors are now shipping systems with Windows 8 installed. ITS Recommendation Information Technology Services (ITS) will support Windows 8 for our clients, including off-campus students, on new systems that ship with Windows 8 pre-installed. ITS strongly recommends that College community members thinking of upgrading to Windows 8 adopt a “wait and see” approach, continuing to use earlier supported versions of Windows (Windows 7 SP1 and Windows XP SP3) until the initial bugs and compatibility issues in Windows 8 are identified and fixed. It is ITS policy to test … Continue reading Windows 8 Announcement
Java – The Hacker’s Best Friend
Some of you may have heard that a significant security vulnerability was disclosed recently that affects pretty much all versions of Java. Oracle (who now owns Java) seemed to be dragging their feet on providing a fix until they felt some heat from the U.S. Government. A fix was made available today but only for users of Java version 7. Java runs on all operating systems so Mac users are impacted along with PC users. Note: there won’t be a fix available for Mac users with Snow Leopard or earlier so your best option is to totally disable Java. How … Continue reading Java – The Hacker’s Best Friend
Haverford hosts “Tablets in Teaching Forum”
Our I.T. friends at Haverford College graciously welcomed all Swarthmore faculty and staff to attend their “Tablets in Teaching Forum.” A series of Haverford professors were joined by an Apple engineer to showcase a variety of classroom practices enabled by the use of tablets. Paper-free Grading and Stylus-driven Electronic Blackboards: Transitioning to an Android Tablet Casey Londergan, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Haverford College iPads, Panopto, and Styli – Better Living Through Cooperation Mark Schofield, Visiting Associate Professor of Chemistry, Haverford College iPads in the Classroom Ken Koltun-Fromm, Professor of Religion, Haverford College Transforming Education with the iPad Mike Wolk, Systems Engineer, Apple Continue reading Haverford hosts “Tablets in Teaching Forum”

ITS welcomes Joel F. W. Price ’00 to the Client Services team
The next time you visit the garden level of Beardsley, you might see an old/new face. On November 26, Joel F. W. Price ’00 returned to Swarthmore to join the Client Services team in ITS as the Technology Education Coordinator. He looks forward to helping people use technology in a way that helps them do their work better. In addition to a love of technology and emerging media, Joel is an avid musician, concertgoer, traveler, photographer (flickr/Google+), athlete, and amateur cook/canner (not always in that order). Please drop by and say hi! Continue reading ITS welcomes Joel F. W. Price ’00 to the Client Services team
Online Shopping Tips
In time for “cyber Monday”, below is a quick video with some great tips (thanks to the folks at Kaspersky anti-virus) to protect your computer (and yourself) while shopping online this holiday season. Most of the tips have been covered on this blog before but this is a great refresher. Some of the tips include: – keeping your operating system, anti-virus and browsers up to date with the latest patches/updates – using known, reputable online retailers – it’s better to use a credit card rather than a debit card – if you’re using wireless, make sure it’s secure Stay safe … Continue reading Online Shopping Tips

ITS welcomes Christina Webster to the Client Services team
The next time you call or visit the help desk, you may be greeted by a friendly new person. On October 22nd, Christina Webster joined the Client Services team in ITS. Christina is already making a positive impact with her enthusiasm and willingness share her knowledge. She comes to the Swarthmore community by way of Haverford College, where she worked in a similar role. Christina’s skills are not limited to technology. She is also an instructor for the Montgomery County Fire Academy, where she focuses on firefighting skills. We are thrilled that she has joined our team with an inviting … Continue reading ITS welcomes Christina Webster to the Client Services team