In addition to living space, campus residence halls provide a great service to students: a high-speed Internet connection.

For all the years that Penn State has had this available, it has always been up to the individual computer user to have appropriate virus protection software. Just like locking his or her doors, a student was responsible for the protection of his or her personal technology.

Now, Penn State has implemented a firewall and does not allow servers to run from the residence halls. The plan seemed to come out of nowhere. Initially, the firewall was mentioned as close to being implemented. Then, in what appeared to be a quick turn, students began receiving an e-mail message telling them the firewall would be in place within 24 hours. The firewall blocks file-sharing programs such as Kazaa -- but not Napster, which the university has partnered with. Ever since Penn State President Graham Spanier announced his goal of curbing illegal file-sharing, rapid changes have come.

First, Napster. Now, the firewall. However, there are a few problems with the firewall. It seems it was carelessly designed. It prevents students who are computer-savvy from using their home machines in advanced ways to transfer work to and from labs.

Secondly, the decision to implement it came out of nowhere. If the university was proud of this plan, why were students not notified from the first step in the process? More departments, such as computer science, could have given input, and more tests could have been run. Or, was this done and we just don't know about it?

Thirdly, it makes students seem incompetent. Although it is nice for Penn State to protect student computers from worm attacks, where is the responsibility that comes with owning a computer in the first place? Students who don't want worms can set up their own firewalls. A similar responsibility has to do with file-sharing. If you don't want the music industry suing you, don't illegally download copyrighted music. Now, Penn State has put in a barrier to most file-sharing programs.

Essentially, the university is washing its hands of the filesharing issue. With the firewall now in place, if students are caught sharing files illegally, Penn State can claim it offered the firewall to stop them from doing so, and in the process shirk responsibility.

Is there simply a better way?

Why is university money being spent to essentially protect Napster from competition? The money used to implement the firewall could be better spent updating equipment or software for one of the in-demand campus computer labs.

Freedom of choice for all students has been replaced at Penn State in the name of preserving a program that is contractually connected to the university.