All five of these topics are critically important to University computing users. Some issues require you to learn how to protect your computer; others require that you learn the rules that govern your behavior. Together, they make up the Code of the Web.

 

HONOR THE BRAND
Have you downloaded copyrighted files from the Internet?

You don't rustle cattle with someone else's brand, and, likewise, you don't use material that bears the Circle C (©) brand without first gettin' permission. If you do, it's stealin'--plain and simple.

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KATIE, BAR THE DOOR
Are you keeping your personal computer secure?

Keep your eyes open for pesky varmints. There are some dastardly outlaws out there who think nothing of sneaking into your computer, rummaging through your files, breaking into your accounts, and generally committing the vilest of deeds on your hard drive. The best way to stop 'em is to be on the lookout for knotholes in your computer's security. And don't you go tryin' to bust into someone else's computer, either!

There are some ornery wranglers out there who pretend to be someone they're not by rustling IP addresses, stakin' out space on your computer, or otherwise sneakin' around your own personal computer. If you're not careful, they might even pretend to be you! Anyway, these doggone sneaks sometimes use file-sharing programs that you didn't even know were runnin' on your computer. Sometimes they send you worms, viruses, Trojan Horses and other creations masquerading as e-mail.

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DON'T BE A RATTLESNAKE
Are you using the network responsibly?

Don't be a rattlesnake who sends threatening, obscene, or otherwise poisonous e-mail. Even lower are those varmints who send these "flames" and try to stay anonymous. Even a rattler gives fair warnin' before it strikes, and then you know which varmint done the strikin'.

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BEWARE BANDWIDTH BANDITS
Are you using too much network bandwidth?

Ordinarily the Internet runs faster than the Pony Express, but just a couple of bandwidth bandits can hog-tie the whole durn commu-net-ty by downloading large files like movies, music, and software, or by turnin' their computers into servers that stampede the 'Net by sendin' those files or other useless information back out over the wires.

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DON'T BE A CLAIM JUMPER
For what personal purposes may you use the campus network?

If you're thinkin' the way to a private gold rush is stakin' out a claim to space on the University's network to run a business on your own, think again, pardner. Free enterprise is great and all; however, usin' our network or your account on our servers to try bringin' in gold and silver is simply claim jumpin'. It's against the Code and comes with a frontier justice all its own.

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