Dear l'Abby-
Questions from Computer Center Labs
Dear l'Abby,
I stopped by the Computer Center yesterday. The PC lab was closed and I really needed to finish an assignment. What was going on?
Closed Encounters
Dear CE,
Education was going on. Throughout the semester, different workshops and seminars are held in both the Mac and the Zenith (PC) labs at the Computer Center. Workshops are designed to help people improve their computing skills. The three-hour workshops are specially priced for KU students—only $20. Faculty and staff pay $40. The general public pays $75.
If you are interested in improving your skills on some particular software package, stop by the Business Office at the Computer Center (it is just north of the labs). They can tell you when particular workshops are being taught—and they'll even offer to take your money.
So if you need to learn more about a variety of programs—from PageMaker to WordPerfect, spreadsheets to SAS and SPSS-stop by for more information.
Dear I'Abby,
I was in the lab late the other night and couldn't find the software on one of the computers in the Mac lab. What was wrong? Miss Mac
Dear Miss,
Obviously someone had trashed the machine. Wait, that isn't what it sounds like. A user had probably put the fileserver in the trash. If you run into this, go to the Apple icon in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. Pull down the menu and select Chooser. Click on the AppleShare icon and pick the file server CC-Labs. Then click okay. As you follow the menus, you may need a user name. Enter the one taped to the front of the machine (User 01, 02, etc.) and you'll be up and running in a few seconds.
Dear l'Abby,
I'd like to see minutes from Student Senate and other student governmental meetings on KUfacts. Who should do that? Thomas Paine
Dear Tom,
Why don't you volunteer? Putting information on KUfacts is not a Paine. If there is any information you think belongs on KUfacts, why don't you contact the group that holds the information and encourage them to use KUfacts. You could tell them about the seminar Introduction to KUfacts on September 29—or Preparing Info for KUfacts on October 6. And remember-you can offer to help!
Dear l'Abby,
I came to the lab to use a scanner, but now there are two. Please help me decide which one to use. Scanman Carruthers
Dear Scanman,
Knowing how you want to use your scanned material may make a difference. Are you a determined DOS/Windows type on the PC? Or does a Mac bring a gleam to your eye?
But this isn't the only difference. If you want something that will be in color or at a very high resolution, you should chose the Mac scanner. From the PC, you can use the HP ScanJet and PhotoFinish software—with some great tools to improve your image. You can also use PhotoFinish to convert your scanned files from one format to another.
Dear l'Abby,
I haven't heard about computer dating in a long time. Is it a thing of the past? Didn't anyone want to date computers? Wanna come study at my place?
Dear Wanna,
No questions about your social life, but computer dating is not a thing of the past! At the Computer Center we think about computer dating lots of the time. And we are already a little worried about what happens on New Year's Eve 1999. Will all of the computers be able to handle the new date? Is a 2 too much?
Disks Handle with care
It doesn't matter what kind of computer you use—or what size disk you prefer all computer disks need care. For starters, they like fingerprints as well as the average burglar. So avoid touching the surface of your disk. Your fingerprints can corrupt your data and ruin your day if the disk contains your only copy of a paper due by lunch.
Disks don't like dust, moisture, extreme heat or cold, or cigarette smoke. And disks don't find magnets very attractive. Unless you want to erase your disk, you shouldn't stick it to a filing cabinet or the refrigerator door with a magnet. A ringing telephone can wipe your data from your disk and many users swear a disk sitting on their computer or desk has suddenly become blank.
One of the best things you can do to protect your disks is to carry them in a hard plastic case. You can find reasonably priced cases at the bookstore (complete with a Jayhawk on the front) or at computer stores around town.
Even with the best care, sometimes a disk will die. If you've been making backups, you just pull the file you need off the backup disk. If you haven't been making backups, don't
panic yet.
Bring your old disk and a new disk to the Customer Assistance Window at the Computer Center. Tell them you have a damaged disk. Fill out the form they give you, leave your two disks,and keep your fingers crossed. Consultants at the Computer Center will work on your disk. In many cases, all or part of the information on your disk can be recovered in a day or two.
If it can't, you'll begin to understand why many computer users recommend backups. And youll probably take their advice—at least for a while.
8
The Jayhacker
Fall 1993