Computing services
Information Services and Technology (IST)
The following are general campuswide computing, communication, and information technology services provided by IST and other campus units (ist.berkeley.edu).

AirBears is a wireless service offering connectivity to the campus network and the Internet for campus affiliates and their guests (airbears.berkeley.edu).

Bear Facts provides information about student records including grades, class schedule, financial aid information, and degree audit reports (DARS). See here for more information (bearfacts.berkeley.edu).

CalMail is the Berkeley campus-wide free email and webmail service (calmail.berkeley.edu).

The CalNet ID: Students create a CalNet ID and passphrase through myBerkeleyApp. You will use this account information to access many web-based campus services. Your CalNet account can be used to access confidential information, such as grades and financial records, so protect your CalNet ID and passphrase as you would your Social Security card or credit card numbers. If you forget your CalNet passphrase, visit the Cal 1 Card office on Lower Sproul Plaza (calnet@berkeley.edu).

Campus directory information includes email addresses for students, faculty, and staff (directory.berkeley.edu).
Information technology resources for students provides an overview of student IT resources (technology.berkeley.edu/student).

Library-related online information services such as OskiCat and NextGen Melvyl Pilot are accessible from the Library website (lib.berkeley.edu).

Software Central offers downloads of campus site-licensed software, including integrated firewall/antivirus programs (software-central.berkeley.edu).

System Status is the website to check for information regarding campuswide system outages (systemstatus.berkeley.edu).

The UC Berkeley Gateway is the primary website for the University (berkeley.edu).

Other student information is available on the Berkeley Home Page under Campus Life, including academic information, job and internship listings, and financial aid/housing information. This information is also in Resource—the publication in front of you right now (resource.berkeley.edu).

Where to get help
The Student Computer Consulting Service (SCCS) is available on the first floor of Moffitt Library. You can get help with connecting your computer to the network (sccs.berkeley.edu/).

IST Service Desk provides support for multiple services: CalMail accounts (consult@berkeley.edu; M-F 9am-5pm; 510/642-8500 select option 2, then 1).
Network connections, including AirBears (servicedesk@berkeley.edu; M-F 8am-5pm; 510/642-8500 select option 1, then 2).

iNews is the campus-wide information technology news channel (inews.berkeley.edu).

PlanetMUG (formerly BMUG) is a Macintosh user group that helps Mac beginners and experts get set up and get the most out of their Macs ($25/year; planetmug.org).

Computer labs
General access to Windows and Macintosh* computers is available at no cost to currently registered students. You must bring your own media to save your work.

See facility.berkeley.edu for up-to-date information on any of the facilities below.

Evans Microcomputer Facility (EMF)
General access for users with laptops or netbooks. EMF has a wireless printing setup, and is also open for individual and group study space. No open workstations available for general access (Evans Hall Basement B3; sccs@cafe.berkeley.edu).

Life Sciences Microcomputer Facility (LSMF): BioSciences Library, 2105 Valley Life Sciences Building

Moffitt Microcomputer Facility: 211 Wheeler Hall

Wheeler Microcomputer Facility (WMF):*Macs are only available in LSMF and MMF.

*Macs are only available in Life Sciences and Moffitt computer labs.

Email Stations
Email stations are available for TRSP students at the Transfer, Re-entry, and Student Parents (TRSP) Center (facility.berkeley.edu/labs/cesar.html).

Other free computer facilities
College of Natural Resources Computer Lab: 260 Mulford Hall
Access to the Student Resource Center computer lab is limited to undergraduates in the College of Natural Resources (nature.berkeley.edu/site/resource_center.php; 510/642-0542).

Haas Computing Center: S300 Haas School of Business
Access to the Haas Computing Center is limited to students in the Haas School of Business (groups.haas.berkeley.edu/HCS; 510/642-0434).

Bakar Computer Center: F300 Haas School of Business
Access to the Haas Computing Center is limited to students in the Haas School of Business.

Social Science Instructional Lab: 64 Barrows Hall
Graduate and undergraduate social sciences classes may be scheduled in this computer facility (sscl.berkeley.edu).

Social Science Graduate Drop-in Computer Lab: 61 Barrows Hall
Requires key card access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This computing facility is open to graduate students and faculty in the Social Sciences Division. To gain access, fill out an Account Request Form and make an appointment at 510/642-6592 (sscl.berkeley.edu/facilities/graduate-lab).

Open Computing Facility (OCF): Eshleman Hall, Floor G
The OCF offers an account server for email, disk and web space, access to standard software and the Internet, and 250 pages of printing per semester. Free with approved application (ocf.berkeley.edu; staff@ocf.berkeley.edu).

Residence hall computing facilities
Each of the six residence hall units has a computer facility with PC and Mac workstations. They are only available to students who live in those units.

Clark Kerr, Building 1 (u5-helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu)
Foothill, Building 7B serves Foothill (Hillside and La Loma), Bowles, and Stern (u4-helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu)
Unit 1, Central building, downstairs (u1-helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu)
Unit 2, Central building, downstairs (u2-helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu)
Unit 3, below Café 3, serves Unit 3 and Cleary Hall (u3-helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu)
University Village, 1125 Eighth Street, Albany (uva-helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu)

In addition to the computer facilities, the residence halls provide in-room network connections in all halls (rescomp.berkeley.edu; 2610 Channing Way; helpdesk@rescomp.berkeley.edu; 510/642-HELP).

But wait, there’s more
There are other computing facilities for students to use, including those in many academic departments. Check with your department to find out if it has a facility that you can use.

Computer classes
Some departments offer computer classes, so you might want to do some browsing through the General Catalog (berkeley.edu/catalog). Here are a few on- and off-campus options:

UC Berkeley Extension offers a wide variety of computing-related courses from basic training to cutting-edge professional development programs (extension.berkeley.edu; 510/642-4111).

Online communities
BerkeleyLive.net: Live discussion forum for students, faculty, and staff (berkeleylive.net).

Blogs:If you are interested in having your own blog (weblog) or you want to read the blogs of other Cal students, check out berkeleyblogs.com.

Facebook: facebook.com

MySpace: myspace.com

Remember
What you post on an online social network can be viewed by anyone. You might want to reconsider posting photos or material that could leave a negative impression on how others (e.g., your future campus employer or research professor) view you.

Webcasts
Webcasts of classes and campus events can be downloaded at webcast.berkeley.edu. Some webcasts are even available at no cost on iTunes.

Buying a computer
You might want to consider purchasing your own computer so that you have access to one whenever you need it. Make sure that you are buying the same system (PC or Mac) that your department requires. If you have financial aid, check into funding to support a computer purchase.

The Scholar’s Workstation offers educational discounts on personal computers from Apple, HP, and Dell, as well as a large variety of software titles, even iPods and iPads. These offers are available only to Berkeley students, faculty, and staff. Students must be registered and present their Cal 1 Card. Products are available for online and in-person viewing and purchasing (thescholarsworkstation.com; Cal Student Store, first floor; ucberkeley@bkstr.com; 510/642-9000 x697).

Hardware Support (formerly Campus Computer Repair and Support) is handled by Keane Mac Repair. All campus customers (departments, students, individuals) may drop off their Apple equipment during open hours (M-F 12pm-5pm; Cal Student Store, first floor next to the elevators; keanesf.com, 510/516-1622).

Access to email, the Internet and the web
Computer ownership is highly recommended for students. However, you don't need your own computer to have an email account or to get on the web—you can use the campus computer labs or your residence hall computer center (facility.berkeley.edu; academicservices.berkeley.edu/centers).

The residence halls offer in-room network connections for your computer (rescomp.berkeley.edu).

To connect with campus, security, and software used for research, visit software.berkeley.edu.

For help with connecting to the network, you can also visit the Student Computer Consulting Service (SCCS) on the first floor of Moffitt Library, north side (sccs.berkeley.edu/).

With your current CalNet ID, you can:

Cyberspace no-nos
UC Berkeley Internet codes of conduct and other policies
Open access to the Internet using Berkeley computers and networks is a privilege, not a given; you are required to act responsibly when using these University resources. Berkeley has established codes of conduct (students.berkeley.edu/uga/conduct.asp) and other policies governing the broad range of electronic activities that you may engage in as a student. Specific regulations and more information are described on the Campuswide IT Policy and Privacy website (technology.berkeley.edu/policy).

Policy Violations
(technology.berkeley.edu/policy/abuse.html)
Alleged violations of law or policy will be investigated, including:

Copyright violations
(inews.berkeley.edu/bcc/Fall2006/962.html)
Illegal downloading and filesharing may result in penalties such as:

THINKING OF BUYING A NEW COMPUTER BEFORE YOU COME TO BERKELEY?
Check rescomp.berkeley.edu/getconnected/hardware for Residential Computing recommendations on minimum specifications, especially for students in the residence halls. If you'd rather use one of the hundreds of free on-campus computers, check here for locations.