DOs and DON'Ts of Software Installation

DOs

• DO test on a non-critical PC
• • No one plans to install software that breaks their PC.  Always test on a PC that is not business-critical.
• DO download software as non-Admin
• • Never browse the Internet with administrator rights.  Instead, find and download software under your non-Admin account, download it to c:\installers, and then log on as an Admin to install it.
• DO call the helpdesk if you’re unsure of something
• • The helpdesk is here to help.
• DO admit your mistakes quickly so that we can help to fix the problem
• • If you do something that has an unexpected or problematic result, call the helpdesk right away.  It may be a simple correction when it first occurs… and a much bigger fix after additional changes are made.
• DO notify SCLS when participating staff member(s) leave
• • Help SCLS keep records up-to-date by notifying us when Partnership Program participants no longer work at the library.

DON’Ts

• DON’T browse as an admin 
• • If you’re logged in with your administrator account and you inadvertently end up at a malicious site (or at a legitimate site that has been injected with malicious code), these nasties are able to run with administrator privileges and have access to the whole PC.  ALWAYS browse with your regular, non-administrator account.
• DON’T run as admin
• • The Administrator account is intended for installing software only.  Do not use it to do your normal day-to-day work.
• DON’T patch SCLS-supported software
• • SCLS staff will install and maintain all of the “SCLS Core Software”.  Changes to these core software programs by library staff may negatively impact the software's use and maintenance in the SCLS network environment.
• DON’T attempt to install any other antivirus software
• • Antivirus software is already included on all SCLS PCs and installing additional antivirus software may interfere with its performance. In this case, more is not better.
• DON’T install unlicensed, malicious, questionable software
• • No warez or “I got it from a friend/downloaded it from a sketchy site/bought it for a song on eBay” software, please. These types of software put your library’s PCs (and the SCLS network) at risk, and penalties for copyright infringement can be expensive.
• DON’T share your username and password
  • Passwords are like underwear: don’t leave them lying around, and don’t share them with friends. Your admin password was assigned to you and you are responsible for anything done while logged in with it.