Changes to the campus VPN service

FYI: The campus Virtual Private Network (VPN) service will be changing during the summer.

Starting July 16, 2009: a message will be displayed to VPN users after they authenticate, informing them of the new service and recommending that they switch over by August 12, 2009.

On August 12, 2009: the current VPN service will be disabled.

» For more information 


Proxy users and “https” websites

Proxy service users who visit websites that use the "https" protocol, including Lexis Nexis Academic, CQ California Political Almanac, and Chinese Ancient Texts (CHANT), should be able to do so without problems as of September 5, 2008.

A proxy server programming workaround is in place for Firefox and Internet Explorer users.

However, the Safari browser is not supported for proxy access to https websites, and proxy users should enable Firefox for proxy access to resources that use the https protocol.


Problems with opening e-book PDF files

Mac users using Preview have reported problems with opening e-book PDF files in ENGnetBASE and other CRCnetBASE products. To resolve this issue, we recommend downloading Adobe Reader and installing it as a browser plug-in.

CRCnetBASE titles need Adobe Reader to open within the browser to work properly on both Macs and PCs.  To make sure that Adobe Reader opens within your browser, check the "Display PDF in browser" option within your Adobe Reader preferences.


“Application Error” message

If you get a message such as Application Error when you’re trying to use a licensed resource, close your browser, then open it and try again. Most vendors make use of several servers, and sometimes one gets hung up. Other things to try:

  • Refresh the browser display: hold down the Shift key when you click the browser’s Refresh button.
  • Clear the browser cache.

UC Provost: Support for the NIH Policy

On behalf of the University of California, UC Provost Wyatt R. Hume sent a letter to California Senators Feinstein and Boxer (PDF) expressing support for the NIH policy on public access. Writes Provost Hume: "The provision maximizes research impact and dissemination of new knowledge…."

In the letter, Provost Hume also echoes sentiments of a recent open letter of 26 Nobel laureates urging Congress to enact this "enlightened policy to ensure that the results of research conducted by the NIH can be more readily accessed, shared and built upon to maximize the return on our collective investment in science and to further the public good."