News for 9/1/2005

There is no doubt about it. This is a looooong email. But it is 100% guaranteed to have information you want or need (or would want or need if you knew what you really wanted or needed).

Failure to read this will result in general grumpiness in the library and computing staff when you come in and ask us questions answered below.

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Getting help, contacting me

The best bet to get help quick on anything related to the library is to send the email to eph.lib@yale.edu

If you need to get in touch with me (matt wilcox, king of the basement), email is often best, and using a descriptive subject line. I also post office hours at the beginning of the week. Due to the go-go lifestyle I lead, these change week to week. The library staff can call me for emergencies.

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Data reminder

Please remember, your data is your responsibility and your problem. The Management is not responsible for it as The Management is not trying to get a degree using it. We do, however, take steps to help you protect your data, such as reminding you that you should be practicing safe computing.

The is no such thing as a Data Fairy that will save your data if your hard drive fails, or your zip disk stops working, or a virus fries your computer. But using your backed-up nightly P-drive, emailing important files to yourself, keeping your operating system and anti-virus software up to date, and backing up your files will help. More about this at http://publichealth.yale.edu/phlibrary/safecomputing.html.

People lose data or even whole hard drives every semester. Don't be this semester's sob story. Be paranoid and back up your data.

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Logging into the computers

You may have noticed that there is a long delay when logging into a computer lab computer for the first time. This is a known issue and is due to microsoft being a maker of troublesome software. We will try to minimize this, but for now it will take 1.5 minutes the first time you log into a particular computer as the operating system builds a profile for you on that computer. Future logins to that computer will be speedy. As this delay gives you time to reflect on life, death, horses, and war I suggest thinking of this as a feature and not a bug. Oh, and that wscript.exe error message. Just pretend it doesn't happen.

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Student computing information web site

The library website (http://publichealth.yale.edu/phlibrary/) and the student computers website (http://publichealth.yale.edu/phlibrary/studentcomp.html) have a lot of info on them to help make you lives easier. Free software, cheap software, etc.

Please ignore them if you do not want an easy life. In fact, I forbid you to read what is there.

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Blackboard

The course website system is linked to from the library website (http://publichealth.yale.edu/phlibrary/). Log in with your netID as BOTH your username and password. Both the password and the username is you netID. The same thing. Once inside the system you can change your password in the personal information section

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The Wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest species of the Mustelidae or weasel family, and is also called the Glutton or Carcajou. It resembles a small bear with a long tail. It is considered to be very strong and ferocious and has been known to kill animals as large as a moose. More about them at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine.

The EPH Library: 10,021 days wolverine free.

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Printing

Printing instructions are at http://publichealth.yale.edu/phlibrary/compprint.html.

Everyone already has a printing account and I have placed $25 into it. Just because I care about you all a great deal.

The cons of our printing system:
--$0.07/per impression
--You send your jobs to a printing queue and then have to release them at a special "print station" computer located near the printers.
--At times printers fall off the network requiring someone to switch them off and on to reboot them.

The Pros:
--Professionally managed system in wide use at Yale, including the Law School and all the undergraduate computing clusters.
--Did I mention that I put $25 worth of free printing in your accounts?
--Spiffy new high-speed printers including a color laser printer (and at $0.50 per impression it is cheaper than Kinkos).

More info on printing is available at http://publichealth.yale.edu/phlibrary/compprint.html Complaints about the new printing system can be sent to me. Please use the subject line "please delete this printing complaint." For printing problems please use the subject line "Printing woes."

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SAS

SAS 9.1.3 will be available for checkout from the EPH Library circulation desk on friday afternoon (9/2). There is a limited number of copies available with a 24hr checkout period. Most are for a 2-hr checkout period--you might want to bring your laptop in. I have one copy tucked away for use by those who bring their laptops to the library during my office hours. My office hours for each week are posted on my door.

SAS is a very popular item this time of year. If you have a previous version on your machine please wait a couple of weeks before coming in for the new version in order to give first-years in the BIS505 class a chance to get SAS on their personal machines to help complete their assignments. Of course, if you do not care about others, we are not checking class listings when you check it out. But Instant karma could get you, so plan accordingly.

SAS is a program that expires every year in October. Do not panic. I will have info in late October to update it.

We will have SAS TAs, (gurus, even) and they will be posting office hours on the TA office door across from the lab starting next week.