Use of Computers at the Maine Orthopaedic Review
You must read this document before bringing a
computer with you to the Maine Orthopaedic Review (MOR).
New This Year
In the past, all of the lecture materials were available in a print form. This year the big binders are a thing of history as all of that material is now going to be given to you on a memory stick. The powerpoints that are presented will be turned into PDF's. You will be given tools that allow taking notes on the pdf's.
Benefits
MOR provides a unique opportunity for online learning and review with self-assessment exams and online references. However, there are a small number of public workstations available for course participants. In the past, this has frustrated access to MOR review materials during hours of peak demand. Bringing your own computer is an effective antidote to a crowded lab.
Aside from extensively using a computer for study purposes, you will probably want to check your email and browse the web while at Colby. Using your own computer to do this is safer and more private than using a public workstation. Internet access is free and available from each room and many lounges and study areas throughout the campus.
Off-campus limitations
MOR computer review materials are not accessible from off-campus locations. If you reside off-campus, you will need to come to campus and either use a public workstation or connect your personal computer to Colby's network. The material is also NOT available from your home after the course
Requirements
If you think you will bring your computer, make sure it meets the following requirements.
As an absolute minimum, you should bring either a recent Macintosh laptop (such as a MacBook/Powerbook/iBook) or a Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 notebook with:
- 1GB RAM
- 2GB free hard drive space
- Wireless adapter/built in wireless (and/or)
- 10/100/1000 base-T ethernet and a 10+ foot ethernet cable (thicker than a phone cable)
- Latest versions of Firefox / Mozilla, Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Safari
Also note that the MOR Video segments require a sound card and that headphones should be used in the public labs. Bring a comfortable pair if you plan to listen to audio in the labs.
Networking
An Ethernet cable is not mandatory but still provides fatest speeds
There is NO modem access to the Colby network. Colby provides a standard 10/100T ethernet network and also full wireless access in all Dorms. If you have not connected your computer to an ethernet network before, we highly recommend that you have either your departmental or hospital tech support verify that you can connect your computer to an ethernet network before you decide to bring it to Maine.
Use of Colby College's network and/or computing facilities implies consent with the College's Code of Ethics for Information Technology, whether or not you have read the document. Click here to review it.
Preparation of your computer
Before arrival...
- All critical system updates must be done on your computer.
- Your virus software and virus signatures must be up-to-date.
- Make a backup of your entire computer, and ensure that you can recover all applications, data, and system software if necessary
- You should bring your original system software installation disks or cd-roms and installation disks for any accessories and devices you may have.
- Please take the time to equip and test your computer as indicated prior to arrival.
Failure to follow the above steps is the primary cause of most problems and can delay your access to the materials. The items below will help us help you if your computer has deeper issues.
After arrival...
- Instructions will be posted here by early May 2012
All computers that do not have their updates and have infections will not be allowed on the network. Technical assistance is available for the duration of the Review. Details on how to obtain assistance will be provided at registration, or email Gene Cornwall at cornwall@ufl.edu anytime.
Operating Systems:
We support modern, popular operating systems such as Mac OS X, Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7. Other modern operating systems, such as Linux, flavors of Unix, and older operating systems like Mac OS 9 can be used in a limited manner as they can access the MOR webserved content through any modern web browser. While we cannot provide support for these operating systems, our support team is always willing to try.
Please note that we do not provide support for issues not related to MOR review materials, including email. If you desire to check an existing email account at your home institution while at Colby, please review how to check your email remotely with your email administrator. Alternatively, consider having your email administrator forward your mail to a web-based account, such as hotmail.com or mail.yahoo.com, for the duration of the course.
For More Information
Questions not covered here should be addressed to Gene Cornwall, cornwall@ufl.edu.
We look forward to seeing you in Maine!