CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1234567890
Wednesday, September 6, 1995
3A
Internet soon to be everywhere at KU
Net connections slow, expensive but not hopeless
By Josh Yancey Kansan staff writer
Some buildings and departments at the University of Kansas may have to write blank checks for their connections to the Internet.
Many campus buildings are connected to the University backbone, the term used for KU's central Internet connection. For those buildings that are not connected or that want to expand their connections, the cost could add up before the first computer is turned on.
The Network Priorities Committee decides which campus buildings receive hookups on Ethernet, which is a standard for data transfer used at many universities. The plan is to wire every campus building that needs the connection, said Richard Mann, committee member and University director of administration.
Dennis Domer, associate dean of architecture, said 71 nodes, or individual connections, were to be installed at Marvin Hall by Aug. 16, 1996. The estimated cost of $28,400, which must be paid by the school, will be just the beginning.
"It's more like a three-part cost," Domer said. "You cannot put these networks together without the per-
Net vocabulary
FALCON- allows users access to e-mail accounts, numerical processing and programming.
Systems available at KU:
KUHUB allows users access to e-mail accounts, numerical processing and programming.
LARK-intended for methematically intensive projects. Also has access to e-mail and programming.
intensive projects. Also has access to e-mail and programming.
STAT1- intended for analysis of statistical information. Also has access to e-mail and programming.
UKNAIAX- allows users access to general purpose computing University information on KUFACTS.
Accounts can be activated by calling the computer center at 864-0439.
sonnel to maintain them."
Domer said that after the initial cost for installment, which is about $400 per node, a $3-per-month maintenance fee was required for each node. Then, he said, the greatest expense and challenge could be hiring a full-time unclassified computer specialist. Hiring someone means relaxing the University's year-long hiring freeze, and the salary easily would exceed the cost of maintaining the network each year.
"I sometimes feel like Sisyphus." Domer said, referring to a mythological king who was forced to roll a boulder up a mountain repeatedly. "It's a mountain that gets bigger every year, but it's also a mountain of opportunity. Now that we have
Those departments without hookups must play a waiting game while they search for the financing. Officials at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications have requested that a private company help in the connection of Stauffer-Flint Hall, and the Network Priorities Committee has yet to decide whether that will be allowed.
the money and the drive, we have a larger load. We need the human specialist."
"You need the physical plan before you get that stuff going." Mann said. "No one can just come off the street and do that."
Of 125 campus buildings, at least 46 are connected to the campus backbone, including the Chancellor's home and guest home, Allen Field House and the Parking Facility. Of the buildings that are not connected, seven are in the process of being connected, and six are in planning for connection. Thirteen more buildings have requested hookups that have not been granted.
Several of the campus libraries are to receive hookups by March. William Crowe, dean of libraries, said the improvements, especially to the five-year-old Anschutz Science Library, were indicative of how quickly technology was changing.
"This is hard to explain to the legislators," he said. "You used to have the mind set that you can build a building and wait 20 or 30 years before you have to make changes. That's not true anymore."
Faculty, students log on to five multiuser systems
Brenden Sager
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas Computer Center by the end of this week may have more Internet accounts than it ever has had before.
"We'll probably hit 10,000 sometime this week," said Wes Hubert, assistant director of academic computing. And Hubert was talking about only one system.
Students and faculty at KU can use five systems to get on the infobahn. The multiuser systems
Internet systems that two or more persons can use simultaneously at the Computer Center allow users to access anything from e-mail accounts to mathematically intensive programs.
The computer center either purchases or creates the software to meet specific needs of customers. The five primary academic systems that KU operates are FALCON, KUHUB, LARK, STAT1, and UKANIAX.
FALCON is the simplest and most popular program among KU's Internet users, Hubert said.
It was installed during Spring 1995.
FALCON allows users to send and receive e-mail, keep up on news reports and crawl around on the World Wide Web — a system that permits users to create and edit texts. There are 9,600 people at KU with FALCON accounts.
Another system with a similar purpose is KUHUB. Where FALCON operates on the UNIX system — a system that commonly operates internet applications — KUHUB operates on the Open VMS system. KUHUB has about 5,400 accounts.
The Open VMS system is an older system that the Computer Center has used for about seven years, Hubert said. The Computer Center kept it because subscribers either had large amounts of work in KUHUB or were used to that system, he said.
For numerically intensive projects, the Computer Center offers LARK system. This system has a faster processor which allows more rapid computation. Also, the 390 LARK users have the same Internet access as users of
the other programs.
The numerically intensive projects can be done on FALCON or KUHUB, but the processors are slower, causing more waiting while the computer thinks, Hubert said.
A system similar to LARK in its mathematical designation is STAT1. This system's purpose is to handle statistical analyses used primarily by departments such as political science and psychology, Hubert said. STAT1 has 540 accounts.
Finally, KU faculty and students can subscribe to UKANAIX. This system contains KUFACTS, an electronic document with information about the University. It also contains World Wide Web applications.
"It's like subscribing to a magazine," said Sam Schimek, Lincoln, Neb., doctoral student. "I downloaded the complete works (of Shakespeare)."
Schimek said he started a FALCON account to get information for his studies. While at the Computer Center, he discussed Shakespeare with a group of students from around the world.
Haskell fall convocation held
Native
Native American leader tells students of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, speaks about responsibility to the community
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
By Tara Trenary Kansan staff writer
"What a great honor it has been for me to represent our Indian community," said Gaiashkibos, president of the congress.
the president of the National Congress of American Indians spoke about Haskell students' responsibilities to inform the community about Indian affairs yesterday during the Haskell Indian Nations University fall convocation ceremonies.
Gaiaahkibos informed students of the dangers of drugs and alcohol, spoke about their responsibilities to the community, and gave encouragement to those students who had made it this far in their education.
"I applaud you because you are a success story," he said to the
students.
Tammy Lowe, Haskell student senate president, also addressed the students, faculty, staff and guests.
She reminded the students of their great responsibility to keep the community informed about Haskell and the Trust Responsibility between Indians and the federal government.
"Without this school, I don't know where the Indian people would be today," she said.
Bob Martin, president of Haskell, said he was happy that Gaiaskhibos was a part of the opening ceremonies.
As we enter a new era in offering baccalaureate programs, it is important for us to maintain strong ties with the tribes," Martin said. "Gaiashkibos is an inspiration in his service to
Gaiashikbis is a United States Marine and a Vietnam veteran. He also has served on numerous boards and commissions, including Governor Tony Earl's State/Tribal Relations Commission and Governor Tommy Thompson's Commission on Schools for the 21st Century.
Indian people."
Gaiaashikbs is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and has served as tribal chairman for three consecutive terms.
Initially elected president of the congress in 1991, Gaiashki-bos was re-elected in 1993 to serve a second two-year term.
The congress was founded in 1944 and is a representative congress of consensus on national priority issues. The congress serves 180 tribes.
City allocates money for traffic light upgrades
BRIEF
Kansan staff report
The Lawrence city commission voted unanimously last night to approve traffic light improvements at seven busy Lawrence intersections.
The intersections at Sixth Street and Monterey Way and 23rd and Massachusetts Streets were allotted $60,000
each to improve traffic signals.
Traffic signals also will be improved at Sixth and Wakarau streets for $50,000; 23rd and Iowa streets for $40,000; Sixth and Iowa streets for $35,000; and 19th and Iowa streets and 23rd and Ousdahl streets for $2,000.
The commission also proclaimed the week of September 3-9, 1995, to be "Lawrence Literary Week," and designated Friday as "International Literacy Day."
In other business, the commission:
authorized $1.1 million for design services for the East Lawrence Center, Centennial Park Community Center, and the Adult Softball Complex
authorized $100,000 for the improvement of Haskell Street between 11th St. and 12th St. and the improvement of 11th street between Delaware St. and Haskell St..
authorized $210,000 for the improvement of Harper, 23rd and 19th Streets.
Anchor's away
Eric Stehm,
Wichita junior
and treasurer
of the KU Sail
Club, prepares
an information
booth in front
of Strong Hall.
The club,
meets at 7
tonight in the
Kansas Union.
For more information,
call Stehm at
864-8299.
Hannah Brazee/
KANBAN