🚀 go-pugleaf

I have been reading the net for several months now and it has
finally hit me that damn near *everybody* who posts is either
a computer professional or at least a CS major of some sort.

The reason that this seemingly elementary fact did not occur to me
is that Reed College does not have a Computer Science Dept.--hell,
there aren't even any computer classes here--the vast majority of
users either write papers or play games.

With that in mind, I would like to ask how the computers are run
at other places--who has access, what they are used for, etc.

It's a thought, anyhow. . .

				Have a Nice Day
					Soren Petersen

At Georgia Tech, there are a number of computer systems that are
used in the various classes and educational system, from the
Pyramid I'm sending this from to several 3b20's, a load of 3b2's,
and a coupla IBM 43XX series machines. The interesting thing, is that
we also have four CDC Cyber series computers (a 990, two 855's, and
an 835 I believe). One of the 855 is dedicated (or will soon be) to
student use. Every student at Tech has an account, and the professors
are beginning to see the advantage in this. The mail system is being
used extensively for people to keep in touch with each other, to
receive assignments, and turn-in homework. There are also some
information services that allow people to keep up with everything
from the upcoming exam schedule to the basketball schedule (a hot topic
these days). This quarter the registrar is experimenting with a new
on-line registration system to alleviate the huge lines and wait time
previously encountered in the old opscan sheet method.



-- 
KENNETH E. WALKER
Office of Computing Services
Georgia Insitute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332
...!{akgua,allegra,amd,hplabs,ihnp4,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!gitpyr!ccastkw

In article <2592@reed.UUCP> soren@reed.UUCP (Soren Petersen) writes:
>With that in mind, I would like to ask how the computers are run
>at other places--who has access, what they are used for, etc.

At MIT (hardly typical, of course), all undergrads have access to Unix
systems (currently VAX-11/750's, will be moving to uVAX's and other
workstations at some point) from Project Athena.  There is no
restriction on access (except rules that prohibit things like copying
copyrighted software, and commercial use), other than 250Kbytes of
permenant disk storage.

If a student is enrolled in a course which uses a computer (not only CS
courses do), he will generally get another account from Project Athena,
which is generally the same, except that it allows 2.5Mbytes of disk
usage.  In some cases, the student will be given access to machines
operated by a particular dept. (e.g. EE/CS Dept.).

Many other systems are operated for research (CS and other),
departmental support, and other uses, system hacking, for example.  This
includes many LISPMachines, VAX's (Unix and VMS), PDP-10's (TOPS-20 and
ITS).

PC's are almost non-existant, except a few running Unix, and some XT's
used as terminals and floppy disk servers (via Kermit).

Jeff Siegal - MIT EECS

In article <2592@reed.UUCP>, soren@reed.UUCP (Soren Petersen) writes:
> I have been reading the net for several months now and it has
> finally hit me that damn near *everybody* who posts is either
> a computer professional or at least a CS major of some sort.

At Wasington University the majority of DEC VAXs are in the school of
Engineering and all engineers, not just CS majors, receive an account
on each of our student machines starting in their sophomore year.

We do have IBM equipment and other machines around campus, and because of
a deal made with DEC, many of the non-engineering departments are starting
to purchase VAXs.

> The reason that this seemingly elementary fact did not occur to me
> is that Reed College does not have a Computer Science Dept.--hell,
> there aren't even any computer classes here--the vast majority of
> users either write papers or play games.

We do have computer classes, but still many students just use the computers
for games and papers.

> With that in mind, I would like to ask how the computers are run
> at other places--who has access, what they are used for, etc.

We have a university department called CF (Computing Facilities) which 
is responsible for the IBM main frames, etc. In general, all students who
take a Math class through the university receive an account on an IBM 4381
running MUSIC.

We have another group called CEC (Center for Engineering Computing) which
is responsible for the computer support/software/etc on the engineering
school's computers.  Another group, ECL (Enginnering Computer Laboratory)
are responsible for hardware and operations.


tjf