Professor comments (23):
I prefer to setup my laptop on ethernet using DHCP; please
preserve this.
Thanks!
I do sometimes bring my laptop. Having the ethernet
access is very useful and of course I wouldn't like that
feature to go away.
The in-room computers at the ResFac are invaluable to the guests because with
shifts going on at all times of the day and days of the week, they are by far
the most useful means of communication and excellent work enhancing tools.
Also, they allow us to be kept updated with the experimental progress and
problems before we show up at the counting room. ResFac is unique in this
aspect, to the best of my knowledge, among lab residences and an excellent
incentive to use the facility instead of hotels and other long term stay
establishments in the area.
With airport security as it is these days, bringing a lap top is to be avoided
if at all possible.
If new computers are pub in, a more ergonomic setup (low
keyboard, better chair) would make them more attractive to use
for me.
I stayed in the Res. Fac. 6 times this year (average 8 days
per stay), but didn't use computers as too old, slow, and don't have Linux (I
never use Windows).
I usually do bring my laptop, but I tend to leave it in my office in CEBAF
Center. So, I would like to have an easy way to check my e-mail and get some
information from the web in my room at the residence facility.
The most important applications to be installed on any Windows
machine in the guestrooms are:
(1) putty to connect to unix machines,
(2) Acrobat reader and Ghostview to read papers and other
documents,
(3) an up-to-date browser (doesn't matter which)
(4) complete support for prining (this I would use only
rarely).
I believe that not all guesthouse computers have always had
all of the above available.
I suppose X-windows support would be too hard to implement.
If not, that would be extremely useful--we could run unix
(linux in my case) applications remotely from a guestroom.
I don't use Microsoft Office applications so their presence is
of no real concern to me, though other users may require them.
The wireless is only marginally useful. The range in half the rooms is too
weak to allow wireless use.
I think the "thin client" idea would be great. While I bring
my own laptop, it runs Windows, it would be great to have a
Linux computer in the room that's connected to the JLab
computers as well. This provides the maximum flexibility.
I use the link to the web and that is all.
I get my email by webmail.fas.harvard.edu
When I am off shift I do chek what is going on.
The present computers are just fine
Richard Wilson
The main reason I do not use the computer at the residence facility is that it
is missing Japanese fonts.
Windows XP or Linux can handle foreign languages if fonts (not very large
comparing with application softwares) are installed.
Most of JLab experiments are performed by international collaboration and
foreign language support is essential for new computers at the residence
facility.
I answered all the questions even though I routinely bring my laptop. I would
be pleased if the computers in the rooms were simply removed and the space on
the desk made available for doing work.
On the other hand, if there was a better computer in these rooms, then I might
not feel that I need to bring my laptop every time. So, I am in favor of
either replacing them or throwing them out.
I often do bring a lap top, but continually moving it office/lab/room is a
nuisance & I have had problems with laptop to net connections in the room. It
is FAR more convenient to have a fixed machine in the room as well as the lap
top. Incidentally just putting more memory in the room machines would make
them much, much better!
One the biggest problems with the current computers, other than their age, is
that they take up too much space on the rather small desks. I often place the
computer on the floor so that I can work. Thin clients are a great idea not
only to the computer user but to the pen and paper users too!!!!!
It might be useful to have some capability to set up specific workgroups and
allow collaborative editing of reports of committees... I'm thinking of
something like a PAC meeting where being able to communicate (securely) with
other PAC members on report writing could be useful... e.g., MSWord has
built-in group editing capabilities. One issue would be that people who use
their own laptop would have to be able to "talk" with the computer in the room.
Make it easier to plug my laptop into the network. I usually steal the cable
from the back of the computer forcing me to move furniture around. Having an
RJ-45 jack and power outlet more easily accessible at the desk would be a
plus.
I mainly use (and would use) the ResFac computers as "dumb"
terminals to the central systems on site or to my home computer
-- that way I am not duplicating files all over the place.
For my usage, it's necessary to have powerful computers in the
ResFac. As long as they support a reasonable browser so I can
check on experiment status and allow ssh to "real" comuters
that's enough for me.
The currently available PCs are next to useless. I expect that many users like
myself spend significant time on participating in experiments. Efficiently
running an experiment requires the shift workers to make themselves familiar
with the current situation and past events prior to reporting to their shifts.
Especially for shifts that start early in the morning (8am) or at midnight,
this is not going to happen unless access to the electronic log books is made
as easy as possible. Every single our of data taking that is lost due to users
not being up to date with the current situation most likely costs far more
than the investment in state-of-the-art computers at the residence facility.
Therefore, even if a majority of users responds with not using the provided
computers, the few that will do justify the expense.
Joerg Reinhold, Florida International University,
Member Hall C Steering Committee
reinhold@fiu.edu
wi fi network which is easily set up. ie no special registrations so I can be
up and running when I arrive. Or make wi fi registration part of residence
reservation system.
Ideal scenario: provide network connection (or wireless) for laptip
Adobe acrobat
Computers in make noise disturbing the sleep.
I would prefer not to have them in the room.
I am using my laptop.
I think having a standard ethernet port is what I would
need. Having a wireless capability would be very attractive.
>From my personal point of view, even though I always bring a laptop with me,
I nearly always use it on site in one of the
CEBAF center offices. However, if I were a student, I could see myself
spending a lot of time off hours in my room working with a computer.
I had trouble from time to time to connect my Laptop to the internet at night
but in the very early morning it was OK. Although the reason is not clear to
me, it might be because many people try to conect to the network beforet hey
go to bed but number of available port is limitted.
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