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Dear LM_NETTers:
Thank you to all those who kindly shared their software policies with me. It
helps a great deal. I have reprinted some of the responses below.
Unfortunately I accidentally lost a few of them when I thought I had them
saved in my AOL files. My fault! (Now I know to check my default settings ):
Many thrashings with a wet noodle to me! Here are the hits I salvaged. My
apologies and most heartfelt thanks to all once again with the great
feedback.

Janine Wilcox
Middle School Media Specialist/
District Technology Coordinator
Napoleon Comm. Schools
Napoleon, MI
49261



-----Subj:      Re: software policies
Date:   96-10-30 14:34:11 EST
From:   Ann_Marshall@sccs.wnyric.org (Ann Marshall)
To:     JanineHome@AOL.COM

          Hi Janine,
               In our middle school the teachers are allowed to bring
          in and use software or CD's that they have purchased as long
          as they bring in a copy of the purchase receipt to be kept
          on file. That way if someone sees another teacher leave the
          building with software we can varify if they actually
          purchased and own it.
               As for students loading programs, I don't know what the
          classroom computers are set up like considering ours are IBM
          and theres are MAC, but in the library I set delimiters that
          will not accept and CD-ROMs or discs not already loaded into
          the system. If a students needs to use one for a special
          purpose I will remove the delimiters for just that time
          period.

          Hope this is the information that you wanted and that it's
          not too late in coming. I've been behind in my replys.

          Ann Marshall
          Salamanca Middle School
          Salamanca, NY



--------Subj:   Re: software policies
Date:   96-10-21 10:46:01 EDT
From:   heinze@sendit.sendit.nodak.edu (Paula Heinze)
To:     JanineHome@AOL.COM (Janine Wilcox)

Students are not allowed to bring software of CD programs into the school
and use on school equipment.  We don't need any viruses.  Students may
bring a disk and print, but that is it.  All sofware is loaded by the
librarian or business ed./computer teacher.  They also record the machine
that the software is loaded on (site license).  Lab paks are encouraged
when buying.   We are lucky that we have an agreement with the local
college who has an agreement with  them.  We get to purchase at much
cheaper prices. Have really gotten strict regarding site licensing.
 Good luck..... Paula Heinze, Shanley High School, Fargo, ND.


Jeannete Heath, Secondary Library Media Specialist at Red Creek Jr./Sr. High
School in Red Creek, NY responded:

"Our students cannot bring in software from home. Any data disks that they
used at home have to be checked at the machines with the virus software on
it. We have on Mac station in the library, and a station in the Mac lab and
another in the PC lab. Students have to read our policy and sign it before
getting a password.

The reason we don't allow even new software on our machines is that how do
you get it ALL off? The Mac is easier, but little bits of things are hidden
here and there, and the PC's--you never find it. And your memory goes down
and down.

I will send you our sheet that is used. We don't have Internet yet. I can
imagine what we'll have to come up with then!"


**One LM_NET member even referred me to some places on the Internet where
software policies may be looked at! (I am ashamed to admit I will have to
keyword search to find them, as I lost that message ):

A school district in Jackson County, MI told me via phone that they require
teachers to fill out a form for each piece of software that they would like
to load onto the PCs. It is up to the tech. department to OK it or not, as
they are the ones to install all software. For software owned by the
district, the tech. department keeps all of the software licenses. If a
teacher owns the software, he/she must provide a copy of the license
agreement to the tech. dept. Each year, the tech. dept. inspects 5% of the
PCs owned to see if they find any illegal software. I asked if they found any
last year, and was told, "Oh yes, of course!" Any illegal software was
promptly unloaded. I was told also that the teachers referred to the tech.
dept. as the "Gestapo" during this period in time!

I hope that many of you find these hits useful as I did!


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