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Facility and Resources: Faculty/Visitor/Staff Lab

This page provides information about the faculty/visitor/staff computing lab in Math 401.

Policy for use

The policy is set by the computer committee.

Food and drink: Since food/drink can damage equipment, and since public tables are available nearby in the lobby, no food/drink is allowed in M401.
Printing: Do not waste! Recycle unwanted printouts.
Rebooting computers: Do not do so! There may be important background jobs you are unaware of. If a computer hangs or otherwise acts strangely, please contact the computer support staff (using a different computer, or ask someone to contact the staff on your behalf).
Locking your terminal screen: You may lock the screen to briefly leave the lab, for example in order to go to the restroom or to get a book from your office. But if you will be gone for more than 5 minutes, you must log out. (Even if the lab is rather empty, it can fill up unexpectedly in your absence.) If someone discovers a locked terminal and the owner has not appeared for 5 minutes, please contact the computer system staff and specify which machine should be unlocked by the system administrator.
Keep the computer support staff informed: contact them on the status of the computers, printers, accessories, room tidiness, special needs, etc.

Ubuntu Linux

This system has all software that comes standard with Ubuntu, and in addition have various locally-installed software. Any person in our department with a network account can log into this system. These machines are not suited for background jobs or for heavy-duty foreground jobs.

Nonetheless, users sometimes need to run stuff in the background on machines that people sit in front of. Before you ever attempt to put stuff on another machine or in the background of a lab machine, learn how to do this properly.