Technology Glossary
at boston college
Glossary of technical terms and acronyms used at Boston College
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Adobe CQ Web Content Management
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Course Management
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2-HELP
The abbreviated phone number for the Technology Help Center at Boston College, which you can call with technology questions. The full phone number is 617-552-HELP (4357). Learn more about getting technology help at BC.
Adobe CQ Web Content Management
Adobe CQ (formerly Day CQ) Web Content Management is the tool used to create and edit official university web sites. Learn more at www.bc.edu/cqhelp | Adobe CQ login.
Agora Portal
In ancient Greece, the agora was where the community gathered for discourse and trade. At Boston College, Agora Portal is where the University gathers to communicate electronically, conduct business, and retrieve personalized information. Agora Portal is BC's Intranet. The customizable Agora Portal provides single logon access to a number of web-based services and administrative functions. Learn more about Agora Portal. Access Agora Portal.
Anti-Virus (McAfee or Sophos)
Boston College requires that all computers on the BC network have anti-virus software installed on them (McAfee for Windows computers and Sophos for Mac computers). Learn more at www.bc.edu/virus.
apps.bc.edu - the BC Application Server
apps.bc.edu is the BC Application Server, which allows the BC community to securely access certain licensed software applications that were once only available on computers in the BC labs. Read the BC Application Server FAQs.
ATAB
Academic Technology Advisory Board (ATAB) is a committee of the Office of the Provost. It represents the faculty in all matters related to instructional and academic technologies. Read more about ATAB.
Administrative & Technology Resources (ATR) is a department within the Law Library that provides computing and communication support to the Law School Community. Read more about Technology at BC Law.
See definition for apps.bc.edu.
See definition for apps.bc.edu.
BCInfo
BCInfo is Boston College's main campus-wide informational web page. BCInfo provides a wide range of information, including highlights of events on campus. Security alerts, weather advisories and technical outages are posted on the page. BCInfo is the logon page for the Agora Portal.
BCPost Mailing List Service (Listserv)
BCPost allows you to create email distribution lists and manage them through a web browser. A listserv allows you to restrict access to specific users or moderate message content. Non-BC email addresses can participate. BCPost has many new features not available in BC's prior listserv service. Read BCPost documentation.
BC's secure wireless network transmits data securely over the network and requires a password for use. Learn more at www.bc.edu/secure.
Username, Password, PIN, and LDAC. Learn more about BC's security credentials.
BCshare is a new web service at Boston College. BCshare allows faculty, staff, and students to publish web pages without having to have any web development experience. Using BCshare, you can easily create pages, photo albums, blogs, resumes, and CV's. BCshare users can also create group spaces and collaborate using tools such as wikis and forums.
To prevent spam or junk email from reaching your BC email account's inbox, ITS uses a spam blocking service which quarantines email messages it detects as being spam rather than delivering the messages to Junk folders. Learn more about the Spam Quarantine Service.
Blackboard Vista is the web-based course management system (CMS) or eLearning environment used at Boston College.
The word blog derives from "web log." Blogs typically provide commentary or news on a particular subject and many function as online diaries. Text in blogs is usually organized in reverse chronological order. Most blogs are interactive, allowing the reader to leave comments. There are a number of free blog hosting services including WordPress and Blogger. Personal and group blogging can be done using BCshare or a tool by Instructional Design and eTeaching Services.
Campus Groups is the name of a BC system used to create email and voicemail distribution groups (lists). If you repeatedly send messages to the same group of people, distribution lists are useful. Once created, a single address can be used to reach every member of the group. The Campus Groups tool is accessed via Agora Portal. Campus Groups documentation.
Groups for each of your current courses are automatically created and updated and if viewed on the web, they include pictures of each of your students. Learn how to use Campus Groups to send email messages to every student enrolled in your course using a single address.
ClassMate Rosters is an option within Agora Portal that allows you to see lists of participating students who are enrolled in each of your courses.
Clickers
Classroom Response Systems or Audience Response Systems are often referred to as "clickers." A classroom response system is a set of hardware and software that facilitates teaching activities. An instructor can pose multiple choice questions via a computer projection system (PowerPoint slide works well) and have students submit their response through the handheld device (clicker). Responses are gathered via infrared technology to a receiver attached to the instructor's computer. Accompanying software quickly tabulates and displays the results in pictorial format through the projection system. Use of clickers at Boston College is supported by Instructional Design and eTeaching Services.
Collage is in the process of being replaced by Day CQ.
ITS offers a remote, automated backup of faculty and staff Mac and Windows computers using the Connected Backup service (formerly Iron Mountain). Users of the service are offered automated backup of their computer and have the ability to recover files from any location using a web browser. Learn more about Connected Backup at BC.
Course Management System (CMS)
See definition for Blackboard Vista.
The Campus Technology Resource Center is more commonly called the CTRC. The CTRC, located in room 250 of the O'Neill Library, is BC's main student computing and printing facility.
The data warehouse is a repository of Boston College's electronic data. Each night, the contents of multiple university systems are copied into this massive database. Hundreds of BC employees take advantage of the data warehouse for their reporting needs. Log into BC's Data Warehouse at warehouse.bc.edu.
Learn about DHCP from Wikipedia.
EagleTech is the name of the group of students that work for BC Information Technology Services. Their primary function is to provide technical support to other students within the residence halls, the CTRC, and the Walk-In Help Desk.
Boston College identification cards issued to all faculty, staff, and students are called Eagle One cards. In addition to verifying identity, Eagle One cards and card swipe systems allow entry to many buildings and offices and can be used to purchase meals, printing services, and more. Faculty may add funds to their card through Agora Portal.
Your Eagle ID number is the first 8 digits printed on your Eagle One Card and is used for identification purposes at Boston College.
You can automatically forward all of your BC email to another email address. This feature is useful when you have more than one email account and you want to make sure that your email is sent to the account that you use the most. Learn more about Email Forwarding.
ePO is the acronym for electronic Policy Orchestrator. People with Windows computers must install ePO before they are given access to the BC Network. ePO complements McAfee VirusScan and allows ITS to "push" software updates to computers. ePO download and installation is part of BC's activation procedure. Activation registers each computer on the BC network. ePO can also be downloaded directly from the ePO web page.
All faculty and staff email and calendaring services were moved to Microsoft Exchange.
Provides an overview of technology on campus and the many services available to BC Faculty. See the Faculty Guide to Technology.
FMRC is the acronym for the Faculty Microcomputer Resource Center. The FMRC is a computing resource center run by faculty for faculty. FMRC services include: statistical and research computing, eLearning approaches, and web-based material development. The facility, located in Gasson 010, has 24-hour, 7-day a week access to registered faculty members. The facility is equipped with computer workstations, printers, and scanners.
FTCs or Faculty Technology Contacts are designated faculty members in academic units, who collaborate with ATAB and their departments to assess and communicate academic technology needs. View a list of current FTCs.
Learn about FTP from Wikipedia.
Information Technology Services provides Boston College faculty, staff, and students with an on-campus Hardware Repair Center for warranty and non-warranty computers as well as University owned printers. Learn more about the Hardware Repair Center.
A calendar application for Mac computers. Learn more about iCal from Apple and how to use it with Exchange at BC.
Instructional Design and eTeaching Services (IDES) assists instructors with integrating technology into their teaching.
IML is the acronym for the Interactive Media Lab. The IML is maintained by Instructional Design and eTeaching Services. The IML provides BC instructors with technology consultation and self-service assistance in the preparation of materials for electronic delivery.
Iron Mountain's Connected Backup service was purchased by Autonomy. Learn more about Connected Backup service at BC.
A website to inform incoming students about technology at BC. Go to www.bc.edu/itwelcome.
ITS is the commonly used abbreviation for Information Technology Services. ITS is divided into three major divisions: Support Services, Network Services, and Applications & Systems Services. Support Services provides computing support, training, research, and multimedia expertise to faculty, staff, and students. Network Services provides Boston College with all telephone, data networking, and broadband television services. Applications & Systems Services develops applications for all major University business functions.
iTunes U (or iTunes University)
iTunes U is similar to the iTunes Store, where people go to purchase music, movies, and television shows electronically. iTunes U allows colleges and universities to build their own iTunes U sites. Faculty can post content they create for their classes. Students can download the materials and listen/view the content on their computers or portable mp3 players (iPods). Read about podcasting below. iTunes U at Boston College is supported by Instructional Design and eTeaching Services.
Kronos is an on-line timekeeping system used by Boston College.
LDAC is the acronym for Long Distance Access Code. An LDAC is required to make long distance phone calls for business purposes. Faculty are permited to use their LDAC to call home once per day. The University asks that you use a calling card or a personal cell phone to make additional personal long distance calls. Your LDAC will be sent to you via email, once your TC has been authorized by the Department Chair to process the request. If you forget your LDAC, contact the Help Center at 617-552-HELP (4357). View dialing instructions and additional information on the phone service web pages.
Listservs (also referred to as mailing lists) are email-based discussion groups that allow members to post email messages to a large number of people at the same time. When you post (send) an email to a listserv, your email is sent to all of the other people on that listserv. The mailing list service at Boston College is called BCPost.
MAC (Media Access Control) Address
A 12-digit alphanumeric code that is unique to each piece of networking hardware, and necessary in the Boston College activation process. Learn how to use your MAC address to connect your device to the BC network.
Malicious software designed to access a computer system without the consent of the owner. This includes, but is not limited to, viruses, spyware, and trojans. Learn more at www.bc.edu/malware.
The version of anti-virus software that BC requires for all Windows computers connected to the BC network. Learn more about McAfee at BC at www.bc.edu/virus.
A web-based, self-paced learning environment that offers a wide range of online courses that cover Microsoft's operating systems (XP and Vista) and Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). Learn more at www.bc.edu/mselearning.
Media Technology Services (MTS) provides the University community with a full range of audiovisual support. Learn more at www.bc.edu/mts.
MyFiles@bc is a web-based file storage and sharing system. Personal files can be stored and shared in a secure environment, which is backed up nightly. Read an overview of MyFiles@bc and learn how to use MyFiles@bc.
MyReports is the Boston College name for Vista Plus, which is a web reporting application. Access MyReports at myreports.bc.edu. Learn more about MyReports at www.bc.edu/myreports.
NotifySync is a third-party application for BlackBerry used to wirelessly sync email, calendar, contacts, and tasks for Exchange. Learn more about using NotifySync at BC.
OMC is short for Office of Marketing Communications. This Boston College department creates a number of publications including the Boston College Magazine. OMC Staff are available for consultation on projects that promote Boston College both to the public and on campus. The OMC website includes a host of publication resources that can be downloaded, including the BC Seal and logotype, a collection of photographs, and publication templates.
OWA (Outlook Web Access) provides access to your Exchange email and calendar data from one integrated web application, accessible from any computer with a network connection and web browser. Access OWA at owa.bc.edu. Learn about OWA at BC.
PDA or Personal Digital Assistant is a handheld computer device. Early PDA's served as "personal assistants" and included addressbooks, calculator, and other basic functionality. PDA technology has advanced rapidly. PDA's now allow you to send and receive email messages, listen to music, view videos, access the Internet and email and more. Learn about use of PDAs and other mobile devices at BC.
PeopleSoft is the short name for a suite of very popular web-based enterprise software applications. PeopleSoft modules were first developed by a company named PeopleSoft. PeopleSoft was bought by the Oracle Corporation, one of the largest developers of database and business software applications. BC uses a financial module and a Human Resources module. PeopleSoft Financials at BC Home.
Phishing is a criminal activity where the phisher attempts to acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by pretending to be a well-known company or organization. eBay and PayPal are two of the most targeted companies, and online banks are also common targets. Phishing is typically carried out by email message and often directs the user to provide information at a website. Just clicking on the link to the website can be detrimental. Learn more about phishing.
A personal identification number (PIN) is a secret numeric password shared between a user and a system that can be used to authenticate the user to the system. Use of PIN's at Boston College.
A podcast is a digital media file, or a series of such files, that is distributed over the Internet for playback on portable media players and personal computers. The term "podcast," can mean either the content itself or the method by which it is distributed; the latter is also referred to as podcasting. The term "podcast" derives from "pod" and "broadcast". "Pod" refers to the Apple iPod (a leading portable media player). For additiona informtion about using podcasting at BC, contact Instructional Design and eTeaching Services.
Short name for Agora Portal.
Quest is the name of BC's online library catalog. Learn more about Quest | Search Quest.
Learn about smartphone from Wikipedia. Learn how to connect your Smartphone to the BC network.
The version of anti-virus software that BC requires for all Macintosh computers connected to the BC network. Learn more about Sophos at BC.
Learn about Spyware from Wikipedia. Learn how to remove spyware from your Windows computer.
SSH Secure Shell is a software application that lets you connect to other systems securely. Download it from BC's software download site.
Learn about SSID from Wikipedia.
St. C’s
St. C's is short for St. Clement's Hall, the building where the ITS Data Center and many ITS staff offices are located.
Learn about tablets from PC Magazine. Learn how to connect your tablet to the BC network.
TC is short for Technology Consultant. TCs provide a wide range of desktop computing support and technology-related consulting. TCs have offices in the area they support to facilitate on-site assistance.
Time Machine is an automatic backup that’s built right into Mac OS X (Snow Leopard and Leopard). To start using Time Machine, all you have to do is connect an external drive (sold separately) to your Mac. Learn more about Time Machine from Apple.
UIS at BC is an acronym for University Information System (a large database computer system). UIS functionality at BC has decreased over the years; many services have been replaced by PeopleSoft modules and web-based applications, including the University Library system. Some faculty and staff access the UIS system directly to perform business transactions. Login is through BC username and password. Some faculty and staff also have a secondary UIS password that allows them to complete business transactions.
UIS is also used to register for classes. Learn how to use UIS to register for classes.
U-View is accessed via Agora Portal. After you log in, go the My Services tab and select a choice from under the Human Resources category. UView allows you to view (and in some instances update) University information about yourself. You may also update certain items. UView information may include your address, phone number, vehicle information, financial aid, current courses and grades, and paycheck information. Students may register for classes through UView (and a telnet client). Learn more about U-View.
Learn about VGA from Wikipedia.
Vista is the name of a Microsoft operating system software and Vista (short for Blackboard Vista) is also the name of a course management system in use at Boston College.
Learn about VoIP from Wikipedia.
VPN is the acronym for Virtual Private Networking. A VPN is useful if you want to access confidential BC information from home that should be encrypted (scrambled) while traveling on the Internet. If you use an external ISP (Internet Service Provider), VPN allows you access everything on the BC network (departmental servers, library databases) as if you were using your office workstation. Learn how to configure your computer for a VPN connection and more.
The Walk-In Help Desk provides assistance to all members of the BC community needing technology help with their computer's software, networking, virus removal, computer rebuild/reimage, and other such issues. See the Walk-In Help Desk location and hours.
WebMail lets BC students access their BC email account from any web browser. Getting started with WebMail.
A wiki is a collaborative website that can be directly edited by anyone with access to it. Wikipedia is a useful reference and a wonderful example of a Wiki. Wikis provide an easy to use, collaborative approach to information sharing and can be an effective tool in education. For additional information about using Wikis, contact Instructional Design and eTeaching Services.
Learn about WPA2 from Wikipedia.