The Computer Technology Dept. at Southern Maine Community College is a subscriber to the DreamSpark / Microsoft Developer's Network Academic Alliance (DreamSpark) and the VMWare Academic Program (VMAP).

As a subscriber to the DreamSpark and VMAP programs, students in the CT Dept. are able to obtain certain Microsoft and VMWare products for free.  Each program has unique license agreements for the software products.

• DreamSpark FAQs
   
• DreamSpark Web Site
   
• VMWare Academic Program
   
• VMWare Web Site

The Microsoft Office Suite is not available via the MSDNAA program, but there is a discounted version of Office available to college students.  Follow the link below.

• http://www.theultimatesteal.com

The CT Dept. faculty also recomend Open Office, a free open source office suite that supports the file types used by Microsoft Office.

• http://www.openoffice.org

1. Who is eligible to participate in the CT Dept's DreamSpark program?
    
2. How to login and register, and what is your username for the DreamSpark program?
    
3. How do you create a password for my DreamSpark account?
    
4. How do you get DreamSpark software?
    
5. What is the website URL for the CT Dept's DreamSpark website?
    
6. What do you do if you forget your DreamSpark password?
    
7. What software is available from the DreamSpark program?
   (Please note: Microsoft Office is not available from the DreamSpark program.)
    
8. How much does the software cost?
    
9. How many copies can you get of the DreamSpark software?
    
10. What happens if I forget or lose my CD key?
     
11. What happens after you graduate or stop taking CT courses?
     
12. When does your DreamSpark user account expire?

1.  Any student who is taking a SMCC Computer Technology program course is eligible for the DreamSpark program. 
   You do not need to be matriculated in the CT program and all part time students are eligible.
   
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2. Your username on the CT Depts.  DreamSpark website is the same as your student email address.
   For example, if your name is Ima True Geek, your student email address, and your DreamSpark username, would be: imatgeek@student.smccme.edu.

   NOTE: Some usernames are case sensitive, you should try both imatgeek and ImaTGeek.

   
    

   • If you have never logged in to the DreamSpark web server before, you must register your account before logging in.
     
     On the welcome page (Fig. 1), click the Sign In link in the top right corner.
     
     
     Fig. 1
     
     
      
   • On the sign in window (FIg. 2), click the register button.
     
     
     Fig. 2
     
      
   • On the register window (Fig. 3), enter your student email address as explained above and click continue.
     
     
     Fig. 3
     
      
   • You will now be prompted to complete your registration on the website by entering your name, creating a password, and making other choices relative to your account.
     
     
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3. Once you login to the web site using your SMCC student email address, and the password you created when you registered in the previous step, you will be able to obtain Microsoft  operating system software, and applications
   
   Most of the software available is available for download as a .ISO file.  Some software can purchased directly from the website with a credit card, and some software is ordered and then picked up from the CT Dept.
   
   NOTE: Software downloaded as a .ISO file must then be burned to a CD or DVD using CD/DVD burning software.
   
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4. The SMCC CT Dept. DreamSpark website is:
   http://e5.onthehub.com/WebStore/ProductsByMajorVersionList.aspx?ws=fb2abba2-dc9b-e011-969d-0030487d8897&vsro=8
   
   
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5. If you forget or lose your password for the DreamSpark website:

 

• Go to the DreamSpark website.
   
• Click on the Sign In link  on the top right corner of the page.
   
• On the sign in window click the "Forgot Your Password" link.
   
• Enter your username which is your student email address (DON'T forget it is case sensitive).
   
• The website will then email you your password to your username email address.
   
• If you do not enter your username correctly, misspell it, or if you do not exist as a user on the website you will receive an error.  In that case you should contact the DreamSpark program administrator.

  
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6. The software available from the DreamSpark programs is restricted to products made by Microsoft and includes most of the current operating system versions e.g. Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 & 2008, and Windows 7.
   Some of the older Microsoft operating systems  are also available e.g. MSDOS 6.22, WIndows NT 4.0, and Windows 98.
   
   Many server packages e.g. SQL Server, Exchange, and Sharepoint can also be obtained from the site.
   Software applications available include: Access, Visual Studio, Visio, and Expressions Web.
   Microsoft Office is not available from the DreamSpark program.
   
   
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7. Almost all of the software on the DreamSpark web site can be downloaded for free. If you were to purchase the CDs or DVDs from the website, the cost of the software prices vary for each package.  This software may only be purchased with a credit card and will be shipped directly to you.
   
   Software that you purchase via the "CD Pickup" method of delivery costs $3.00 / CD or $5.00 / DVD.
   The "CD Pickup" software must be picked up from Howard Burpee (Howard's class / office schedule).  
   
   
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8. Each student may only purchase one copy of each of the software packages.  All of the current software packages and operating systems require activation and follow the Windows Product Activation requirements.
   
   
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9. If you lose or forget your CD key for software that you have obtained via the DreamSpark web site, log in to the web site and click the Your Account link at the top of the page.
   You will then see a list of software that you have ordered from DreamSpark.  Each software title will have a link in it that will show you the CD key.
   
   
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10. After you graduate, or stop taking CT Dept. courses, you may keep all of the software that you have obtained from DreamSpark.
    
    
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11. If you are not matriculated in the Computer Technology program at SMCC, your DreamSpark account will expire at the end of the semester in which you are taking CT Dept. courses.
    If you are a CT Dept. student, your account will expire at the end of the spring semester and will be reinstated in the fall semester if you return to SMCC as a CT Dept. student.
    
    
    
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