(Message nnsc-pol-proc:143) Received: from james.bowdoin.edu by NNSC.NSF.NET id aa05023; 27 Oct 92 13:42 EST Received: from hopcroft by james.bowdoin.edu with SMTP; Tue, 27 Oct 1992 13:41:57 -0500 (EST) From: Harry Hopcroft To: pol-proc-doc@NNSC.NSF.NET Cc: hopcroft@polar.bowdoin.edu Subject: Computer Use Policy The following is submitted in response to your request for documents on computer use and policies. You may use it as you wish and with or without the use of our institutional name. Note that this policy statement has been approved by senior staff, but has not yet been formally blessed by the Academic Computing Committee. That approval is expected shortly and the policy will be implemented immediately. Please see my comments in your information template. Harry Hopcroft Bowdoin College Systems/Network Manager hopcroft@polar.bowdoin.edu ============================================================ COMPUTER USE POLICY This document describes the procedures by which Bowdoin College computing facilities are operated, and to which computer users are expected to adhere. These procedures govern the use of all computing equipment or facilities owned or operated by the College including the use of our services or facilities via Internet, dial-in modem or other means. People who utilize the Bowdoin College computing facilities do so as guests of the College and are expected to conduct themselves accordingly. Bowdoin College is likewise a guest on the Internet (NEARnet is the local Internet connection). Persons who utilize the Internet represent Bowdoin College by the way in which they conduct their network activities. Conduct that interferes with the normal and proper operation of the Computing Center or the Internet; which adversely affects the ability of others to use our equipment or services; or which is harmful or offensive to others will not be permitted. The list below describes activities that have been specifically prohibited by Bowdoin College. Persons who abuse the computing facilities are liable for restriction or curtailment of their computing privileges, and may also be subject to further disciplinary action by the College. In some cases, they may also be liable for civil or criminal prosecution. These rules are posted in all public computing spaces, sent to all staff and faculty members, and are freely available at the Computing Center. All users of the College's computing facilities are required to comply with this Computer Use Policy, and by using the system, the user agrees to comply with this Policy. Further, as a condition of maintaining and utilizing an account on any of our central computer systems, all users are required to sign a statement that they have read the rules, understand them, will abide by them, and have received a copy. To ensure personal privacy, the College does not routinely examine files in user accounts. To protect the integrity of the computer systems, and protect legitimate users from the effects of unauthorized or improper use of these facilities, the College, through the Computing Center staff, maintains the authority to take any of several steps. These include the authority to limit or restrict any account holder's usage of the computing facilities; the authority to inspect, copy, remove or otherwise alter any data, file, or system resources that may undermine the proper use of that system; and any other steps deemed necessary to manage and protect the Colleges computer facilities. This authority may be exercised with or without notice to the user. The College disclaims responsibility for any loss or damage to data or software that results from its efforts to enforce these rules. The College reserves the option of amending this statement at any time. Activities which violate Bowdoins Computer Use Policy include, but are not limited to the following. 1. You may not use another person's account (even if you have permission) unless it is a special group account which has been authorized by the Computing Center or an academic department. (*) NOTE: Faculty and staff may use an account if they have permission from the accounts owner. 2. You may not authorize anyone else to use your account(s) for any reason (except a faculty or staff member, as noted above). You are responsible for all usage of your accounts. You must take all reasonable precautions, including password maintenance and file protection measures, to prevent use of your accounts by unauthorized persons. 3. You may not use your accounts for any purposes other than legitimate college business. For example, accounts may not be used for private consulting or a private word processing service without prior written approval from the College. You also must not use your accounts for unlawful purposes, such as the illegal installation of software. 4. You may not copy, rename, change, examine, or delete files (including programs, subroutine libraries, or data) that belong to someone else without prior authorization from that person. The absence of file protection does not give persons other than the owner the right to access a file. 5. You may not attempt to discover another user's password, either locally or at a remote location. 6. You may not copy, disclose, or transfer any software provided by the College without written permission from the Computing Center. 7. You may not illegally copy copyrighted software provided by the College. Note that, except as noted in the Copyright Notice at the end of this document, it is generally illegal to copy any software which has a copyright. The use of illegally copied software is considered a criminal offense and is subject to criminal prosecution. 8. You may not intentionally write, produce, generate, copy, propagate, or attempt to introduce any computer code designed to self-replicate, damage, or otherwise hinder the performance of any computers memory, file system, or software. Such software is often called a virus, worm, Trojan Horse , or some similar name. 9. You may not deliberately use the computer to annoy others. For example, sending or making accessible any obscene, abusive, or threatening messages is not allowed. 10. You may not intentionally damage the system; intentionally damage information not belonging to you; intentionally misuse system resources; or allow others to misuse system resources. 11. You may not maintain and use a computer account when you have withdrawn from the College for any reason, except with written permission from the Computing Center. 12. You may not tamper with terminals, microcomputers, printers or other associated equipment. 13. You may not smoke, eat or drink around terminals, microcomputers, printers or other associated equipment. 14. You may not collect or discard output other than your own without the owner's permission. PUBLIC MICROCOMPUTER POLICY: In addition to all of the above policy, the following restrictions apply specifically to public microcomputers maintained by the College. 1. You may not store your files on the Colleges hard disks. Users must use your own floppy disks. Files left on College hard disks will be subject to automatic purging on a regular basis. 2. You may not use your own software in the microcomputer labs unless the software is properly licensed for such use. 3. You may not install software on the Colleges microcomputers. 4. You may not copy or remove software from the Colleges microcomputers. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: For copyright purposes, there are three general classifications of software, each with different rules that govern ones ability to copy or use it legally. 1. Fully copyright protected software includes all commercially-sold programs and any other programs that contain a copyright notice. It also generally includes any software that contains no notice of any kind. Software that falls into either of the other two categories below will carry notices to that effect. Copyrighted software may not be copied, except for one backup copy to be made and maintained by the original owner. In addition, it may be used only by the person to whom it is licensed and may not be shared by several people. It is illegal to sell, give away or to use copies of copyrighted software which you did not buy from the author or the publisher. 2. Shareware is software that has a copyright, but which the author has agreed may be freely distributed. It is legal to copy and give away this software, but if you choose to use it yourself, you must send a license fee to the author, whose name appears with the copyright notice. 3. Public domain software is software that has been released by its author for public ownership. This software (usually utilities, system extensions or games) may be freely copied, used, shared, or given away. It may not be sold for profit. October 26, 1992