While the Weitzman School offers a thorough "Designify" onboarding guide, you may be short on time or are only using a new computer for a short period of time (loaner, rental, etc), and just want the basics to get you up and running. We've compiled a shorter list of the bare essentials to get you up and running with the various services and security recommended by both the University and the Weitzman School.
Software for Work
The University and the Weitzman School offer a multitude of software applications for your course work, some of which are free, while others are discounted.
Office 365 - PennO365 will allow you to use Microsoft’s productivity suite online or install applications on your local computer. (More info here)
Autodesk Products - Autodesk products like AutoCAD are free to University of Pennsylvania students. To obtain a license, you must setup a new Autodesk account (More info here)
Adobe - Adobe products like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, and so on are not provided by the University of Pennsylvania. Discounted educational licenses are available (More info here)
Rhino - Rhinoceros is a 3-D free-form modeler you can use to create anything from a heart valve to a ship hull and from a mouse to a monster. Discounted educational licenses are available via the UPenn Computer Connection.
ArcGIS - ArcGIS is a geographic information system (GIS) for working with maps and geographic information. We offer free student licenses - please contact us for a student license.
VPN Tools
The University and the Weitzman School offer two VPN options for accessing both University and Weitzman School resources when working remotely. Read more about getting access to and setting up both VPN clients here.
University of Pennsylvania VPN (NEW service!). Read more here.
Weitzman School of Design VPN (FortiClient)
Security Tools
Both the University and the Weitzman School recommend students to have proper antivirus software installed, ensuring their computer(s) are protected from viruses, malware, and more.
Symantec is the University's supported antivirus product for Windows and Mac OS operating systems. The software is licensed through Penn and is available free of charge to all members of the Penn community. Read more on getting Symantec downloaded and installed here.
Malwarebytes -Free software to scan for malware/adware • If your computer is heavily infected with viruses or malware, refer to the Student Tech Center for consultation and possible operating system reinstallation.
