Details
Dartmouth uses a software package called KeyServer to deploy and manage some licensed software. Several classes on campus use software that would otherwise be cost prohibitive to purchase and use on an individual basis. KeyServer allows Dartmouth to share licenses for configured software to our community in a controlled way to stay in accordance with the license agreement purchased for that software. The most common arrangement would be to allow concurrent use of a software product up to the number of licensed purchased by Dartmouth. You must have a connection to the Dartmouth network for KeyServer to work.
The Dartmouth KeyServer's primary mission is to:
- Support computing instruction and academic uses of costly software.
- Allow public clusters to be equipped with piracy-protected licensed software.
All additional uses of the KeyServer are subject to these uses' priorities. Such third order uses may include the occasional user, opening files that are in a native application format unavailable to the user's normal array of software tools, or the use of software on a "test-drive" evaluation for developing academic or administrative systems.
The KeyServer's mission does not include the campus-wide support of office productivity tools outside such occasional use or simple file translation. KeyServer-controlled software should not be viewed by anyone as a means to avoid purchasing their own software licenses for tools they use regularly.
If, after using KeyServer software to "test-drive" an application, you decide that tool is one you will plan to use regularly, you should purchase your own license. In every case and at any time, computer and academic instruction uses preempt any other use.
KeyServed software can be run on Macintosh or Windows computers that have the "KeyAccess" client installed and are connected to the Dartmouth network.