New service helps Net users
Vol. 17, No. 4Sept. 25, 1997

New service helps Net users

Many students, faculty and staff who live within the state of Delaware take for granted the ability to dial in to the University's computing network to use e-mail, library databases, the web and other information resources. But members of the UD community who live out-of-state and want full access to the University's network have had to make a long-distance phone call. Until now.

This fall, the University has released a service called a Web Proxy Server. This service allows out-of-state members of the University community to reach all the campus resources available via the web from an account with a local Internet provider.

Using the Web Proxy Server, UD users identify themselves to the University of Delaware's network, thereby getting permission to use licensed databases and other web-based information available only to the UD community.

"It's a breakthrough for distance education," said Mary Pritchard, continuing education. "Students enrolled in our FOCUS program can now use many of the web resources that resident students can." She added that by making more resources available, "the Web Proxy server makes it possible for off-campus students to feel like they are truly connected to UD."

Susan Brynteson, director of libraries, commented that "the library staff is extremely pleased that the Web Proxy Server is available. A growing number of library users come into the network from a variety of Internet service providers, and many of them have been asking for access to the 'Library Networked Databases' and 'Electronic Reserve' areas of the library web."

Madeline Lambrecht, health and nursing sciences, said the Web Proxy Server "will enable our distance students, undergraduate and graduate, to learn about and participate in research activities on national and international levels. It also will make it easier for us to connect practicing clinicians with each other to share information, and to connect our students with them as a learning resource."

To take advantage of this service, you must use Netscape's web browser (any version from 2.x through the latest version). The Web Proxy Server will not work with Microsoft Internet Explorer, Lynx or other web browsers, nor will it work from behind a security firewall.

For further information, see http://www.udel.edu/topics/connect/proxy.html