CS 1320 (Principles of Algorithm Design I):
Hints and Tips for the CS Lab Machines

The CS 1320 FAQ

A list of Frequently Asked Questions for CS 1320 is available in HTML, PostScript, and PDF formats, courtesy of J. Oldham.

Available machines

To find out what machines are available and their current status, follow these links:

HAS 340.
HAS 228.

Machines that show as "up" on the appropriate status page are available for remote access as well.

Local access

One way to use one of these machines is by sitting down in front of it. If it's displaying a prompt screen with a hot pink background, it's already running Linux. Type in your username and password. You will then get a graphical desktop that looks and behaves somewhat like a Windows desktop. To start a Web browser, click the "Netscape" icon. To start a terminal session (the command-line interface we'll talk about in class), click on the taskbar icon that looks like an old-time computer terminal.

Remember to log out when you're done, so that someone else can use the machine! Clicking on the footprint icon at the left of the taskbar brings up a menu with a "log out" option.

Most of the lab machines can also be rebooted to run Windows NT and/or Windows 9x. Ask your instructor for details. If you do this, please reboot the machine to run Linux before you leave the lab. This allows others to use the machine remotely.

Remote access

To access one of the lab machines from a Windows computer connected to the campus network, do the following.

Start the "telnet" program: Click on Start, then on Run, then type telnet into the box asking for the program name.
Use the "Connect" pulldown menu to specify the machine name ("Host Name").
When you get the prompt "login:", type in your username. You will then be prompted for your password. You'll then be connected to the machine you named. The "telnet" program window will look and behave like the terminal session described under "Local access" above.
When you're done, log out by typing exit or logout. (Or you can simply close the "telnet" program window.)

Talk to your instructor if you need to access the lab machines from a computer located off campus.

Tips for printing

Available printers

(Caution: The CS lab machines are in the process of being upgraded, so this information is subject to change.)

If you are logged into one of the machines named janusXX or atlasXX (where XX is two digits), your default printer (the one to which output is sent if you don't specify otherwise) is named tabula and is located in HAS 340.
If you are logged into one of the machines named xenaXX (where XX is two digits), your default printer (the one to which output is sent if you don't specify otherwise) is the one to the left of the door in HAS 226. Its name under Windows is apparently LabPrinter A; its name under Linux, on the xenaXX machines anyway, is lp.
You may also use the printers named rhea1 and rhea2, which are located outside HAS201C.

Other tips, caveats, warnings, etc.

Warning: The enscript command does not work with printer tabula. If you want to use this command, your best bet at present is to print from one of the xenaXX machines. If you are using a different machine, you can use the telnet command to connect to one of the xenaXX machines and issue the enscript command from there.

CS 1320 (Principles of Algorithm Design I): Hints and Tips for the CS Lab Machines