Big man on campus - try big virus on campus. A veritable worldwide epidemic of computer viruses has wiggled its way to MSU just in time for the first week of classes.
The worms are hitting campus at a time when students, faculty and staff are especially in need of computer and Internet access. During this first week when everything is chaotic, thousands are unable to schedule classes and receive e-mail.
Disgruntled MSU students with infected computers are joining thousands of their peers affected on campuses nationwide by the string of viruses. One of the viruses infecting student's computers is the Sobig worm, an e-mail-borne virus responsible for 98 percent of infected systems in AOL Time Warner's service alone. The worm, which has caused $50 million in damages so far in the United States, is said to be one of the most severe e-mail viruses ever seen.
The virus infections are also a wake-up call. This is a society that relies heavily - perhaps too heavily - on technology. Yes, there was a time before e-mail and Internet, and even then society ran just fine. Perhaps everyone needs to get back to the basics. Write a letter instead of an e-mail. Call to say hello instead of Instant Messaging your friend. But since that's a difficult task to demand, credit has to be given to the staff at the MSU Computer Center who have pitched in to help get students back online.
A few hundred computers have been unblocked so far, but there are more still without Internet access.
Technicians should be more available to students and to put resources in the hands of individuals so they can better protect themselves from future virus attacks. It would also be helpful if there were more personnel at the MSU Computer Center so that student's needs could be addressed in a more timely fashion.
Until then, there needs to be better preparation for future computer virus attacks, especially at academic institutions where Internet connection is almost vital. If technicians step up to the challenge and individuals take precautions to protect their computers, everyone might avoid a giant e-headache.
