SYSTEMS STAFF MONTHLY UPDATE - OCTOBER 2004

WREQ Problem Reporting Tool
Email work requests and problem reports are now being entered into the WREQ problem reporting tool. You should submit all requests directly to WREQ and not to ntadmin or individual staff members. You can do this by posting a request through the web interface at: http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~wreq or simply by sending your email request to WREQ AT cs dot sunysb dot edu.

There is now a WREQ Problem Reporting Tool for work requests directed to the department secretarial and administrative staff. You should use secwreq for requests such as requisitions, course room changes, office supplies, grade changes, room reservations, payroll issues, tuition issues, reimbursements and building management needs. This tool can be found at http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~secwreq or you can send mail to SECWREQ AT cs dot sunysb dot edu.

The Reserveroom tool is only accessible through the department Single Sign On facility at https://www.cs.sunysb.edu:8081/~sso/. Please delete any other references or bookmarks you have to the earlier version on intrawww.

Announcements

We would like to welcome Ajay Gupta, Ph.D., our new member of the Systems Staff. Ajay will be our lead webmaster and will also support the Transaction Labs for undergraduates along with other general systems staff duties. Ajay's departmental email address is AJAY.

(Requests for webserver updates and Transaction Lab problems should be sent to WEBADM AT cs dot sunysb dot edu and NTADMIN AT cs dot sunysb dot edu respectively as before).

Student Printing

There are now 2 printers in the graduate PC lab (room 1239). Use publaser1 for single sided printing and publaser1d for double sided printing. All graduate printing (both PC and Unix) should be done to these printers.

Printing is paid for out of department research money. Please take care not to waste printing resources. Please do not print private or lengthy material on department printers. Printer accounting is reviewed regularly and if waste is detected printer quotas will be
enforced.

New/Upgraded Software on MS Windows

NetBeans has replaced JBuilder as the java development IDE in both the Translabs and the Graduate PC Lab. The Eclipse package is also available in the translabs for the same purpose.

Grad PC Lab

The following software has been upgraded on the Dell GX150's (black) in the Gradlab. Compaq's will be replaced shortly with newer machines which will have the same software as the Dell GX150's.

If you have issues with any software, please send email to WREQ AT cs dot sunysb dot edu. For a complete software list, please refer to http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~gradlab/software.html.

On the Web

New student web accounts have been generated, if you are a new student you should have received your account and password information via email. To develop your web pages, put them in a directory called public_html under your home directory. View the pages by pointing your browser at http://intrawww.cs.sunysb.edu/~your_account_name. When you are satisfied that your pages work as expected, use sftp to move them to your account on editwww, then view them on www. This process is discussed in greater detail in the FAQ at: http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~faq/WebPublishing.html.

There is a new picture of the proposed CEWIT (Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology) on the department website at http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/CEWITbldg.html. You can read more about CEWIT at http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/facilities/research/CenterForExcellence.html.

The Course Objective Surveys will be available on the department web site by October 7, 2004. All faculty should instruct their students to fill one out. Contact Professor Skiena if you have questions.

New Available Resources

We have received a further donation of more Symbol PPT 2746 PDA's for use by Computer Science Department Faculty and Staff. They can also be used for classroom or research projects. The PDAs have the following configuration:

Microsoft Windows CE
Version 3.0.9348 (Build 9456)

Processor: MIPS Vr4181
Memory: 16 MB
Display: High contrast, anti-reflective monochrome LCD display;
1/4 VGA resolution (240 x 320 pixels)
Network:
Adapter: Spectrum 24 Wireless Adapter
Firmware Type: 802.11b
Supported Rates: 1, 2, 5.5, 11 MBit
Operating Mode: ESS
Encryption Modes: No Encryption, 40-bit, and 128-bit
Additional: Symbol 1D Barcode Reader

The complete specifications can be found at
http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/files/symbol/ppt2700_specs.pdf

The Reference Guide Manual can be found at
http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/files/symbol/ProdRefGuide_02a.pdf

If you would like to use one of these PDAs please send e-mail to wreq. If you would also like to use several PDAs for a research project or a class please send email with a short proposal detailing how these PDAs will be used to wreq.

Future plans

In the coming months wireless access to the department network will be enabled in the undergraduate PC labs. There will also be jacks installed for wired access.

HOW TO REPORT A PROBLEM or MAKE A WORK REQUEST

First you should check the FAQ pages at:

http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~faq

There is also a link to an index of FAQs.

If the answer to your question is not in the faq's you should use wreq to report the problem or make a work request.

There is a short blurb on wreq in the faq area (search by index).

Wreq lives at: http://www.cs.sunysb.edu/~wreq/

You can also send email to:WREQ AT cs dot sunysb dot edu from your dept account, or campus account. The subject line should cover what is wrong or what you need. The body of the email can supply any details.

Your problem report must include the following information for us to be able to help you promptly:

  1. The room you are working in, either room number or lab name.
  2. The name of the host you are working on (hostname command in Unix, machine number in 1239, the number written on the bookshelf by your desk in the student offices).
  3. The sequence of things you did just prior to having the problem as best you recollect.
  4. The exact text of any error message you see on the screen, or a complete description of the problem that occured. 
        Please report problems promptly as they occur so they can be
        investigated under the same set of conditions as far as possible.

When in doubt, feel free to send email to:

  • Unix and network problems:ROOT AT cs dot sunysb dot edu
  • PC problems:NTADMIN AT cs dot sunysb dot edu

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